Allow only content sharing + audio over the WAN with CUCM+CMS, without cameras

[Nadav]

Hi everyone,

I'm interested to allow ONLY content sharing (presentations from the participants' desktops, or from their network shares) and audio (between all participants) over the WAN. I'm not interested in allowing other video such as camera input in order to lower throughput, under the assumption that content sharing will take up far less throughput than the usual telepresence. The content will be mostly powerpoint presentations and documents.

Is this assumption correct? Is there any documentation which stipulates how much bandwidth is necessary for content sharing (without camera) for 720p30 over H.264? Is there documentation for how to enforce this under CUCM+CMS?  

Thanks for your time :)

[Patrick Sparkman]

You can mute the endpoints main video being sent to the conference using the API at the conference level using /callLegProfiles or participant level using /callLegs, refer to the "rxVideoMute" and "txVideoMute" options in the CMS 2.1 API Guide, it can also be controlled using the CMA/WebRTC client if the member has the access rights to do so within the Space.

The bandwidth required to send 720p is determined by the Optimal Definition Profile configured for the various video input on the endpoint, refer to the endpoint's admin guide for reference, take a look at the SX80 CE8.3 Admin Guide on pg 45 for example.  Something to note, that when endpoints are in a conference, the bandwidth used would be shared between the main video and presentation content, so if you're sending both you need to use a high enough call rate that both can share and still have the minimum required bandwidth to meet the resolution you want.

[Nadav]

Thanks for the quick reply,

For conferencnig: Is it possible to automate disabling cameras over WAN via policy, so that any traffic over the WAN allows only content sharing? Muting via API sounds like something that needs to be run ad-hoc after creating a conference using 3rd party scripts. 

For point to point video: Is it possible to suspend video only for over the WAN via CUCM? CMS in this case isn't a factor since it's not a conference.

Thanks!

[Patrick Sparkman · Accepted solution]

It's not possible to mute video for point-to-point calls, the call would need to go through a conference bridge that has that capability.  To mute video from an endpoint/conference would be determined by the Call Leg Profile etc, I highly suggest you take a look at the CMS API guide.

[Nadav]

Any chance that the camera RTP port range can be preconfigured, and therefore blocked? Assuming it's a separate range from content sharing, it may due the trick.

[Patrick Sparkman]

The ports used for the media are the same for both the main camera and presentation content.

[Nadav]

Thanks :)

As an aside, any anecdotal evidence of whether presentations and documents are eligable over 480p on a big screen (50" or so)?

[Patrick Sparkman]

I don't know to be honest, I've never been in a video conference that used that resolution on a large screen.

[xujf]

if I mute video of  SIP endpoint from CMA , does  endpoint stop sending video?

[Patrick Sparkman]

Yes, if main video was muted in the conference bridge, it will not be seen. The call will simply be an audio only call at that point. As an alternative, you could make an audio-only call, using the remote or Touch 10, you should be able to choose audio-only when dialing out.