MCU participants in conference

[juan_cye_ccna]

Hi,

I have install a MCU 5320 and I would like to know the amount of endpoints can participate in to a conference session (maximum), so far I have not could find any cisco document about.

Thanks.

[Paulo Souza]

Hi Juan,

You can find this information in the data sheet of the MCU 5320.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/ps7060/ps11305/ps11317/ps12283/data_sheet_c78-692890.html

See that, the maximum number of endpoints conected depends upon what quality mode you configured MCU to use and the number of licenses you purchased. For example, if you have one MCU 5320 full licensed, you will have either:

20 x 720p30 HD ports (+ 20 additional audio participants )

10 x 1080p30 or 720p60 Full HD ports (+ 10 additional audio participants )

40 x w448p30 SD ports

48 x w360p30 nHD ports

So, for example, if your MCU is operating in Full HD Mode, you can have 10 video participants + 10 audio participants in the same conference. In another words, there is no limit of participants per conference (unless you configure it), only a total limit of ports, and this total value depends upon what quality MCU is using and the amount of licenses you purchased.

Regards

Paulo Souza

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[Paulo Souza]

Another inportant point to consider is, MCU 5320 has no dedicated content ports, that means, everytime a endpoint start to share presentation in a conference, the presentation channel will consume one video port resource.

So, lets consider you have one single conference happening in a given time using a Full licensed MCU 5320 running in HD mode, with content being shared, then you will be able to join:

19 video participants

20 audio participants

1 content channel

If you have multiple conferences running at the same time, each conference will take a video port license when some user starts to share presentation in the conference. As we can only have one content channel per conference, each conference, individually, won't consume more than just one single video port for content sharing.

In addition, you  must to be aware that, if you configure your MCU to use port reservation mode, then, when you schedule or start a new conference that has content mode enable, this conference will consume a video port for content sharing even when there is nobody sharing presentation in the conference.

Therefore, you should consider all those points in order to know the exact amount of endpoints you can connect to your MCU 5320.

I hope this help.

Paulo Souza

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[Daniel Isham]

Do audio-only ports consume a port license?

IE - 8 HD total ports, 7 endpoints + 1 audio-only? Or can 8 endpoints and 8 audio-participants connect?

[Patrick Sparkman]

Do audio-only ports consume a port license?

I just tested this out on my MCU (an 8510), with a video endpoint muting all video to/from the MCU and endpoint, leaving only audio being sent/received, and it still did consume a video port.  As far as true audio only with absolutely no video capability, like from a PTSN/telephone options, I can't say as I don't use those.

[FlorianBerthelot]

Hi PAulo,

thank you very much for this information. Any chance there is an official document that states such behaviour ?

I believe this is not normal, it should use ports as they are used and not upon reservation.

Best regards

Florian

[emmanuel fressange]

Unfortunately this count is not exactly what happen...

I have 2 MCU 5320 un Cluster (master/slave)

In each conference, whenever there is content sent or NOT, ONE video port is used...

[Oleksandr Yurchenko]

Hi emmanuel

Its normal MCU behavior. One port automatically reserved for content channel.
You can disable content for separate conference.
In this case the content may translate in main video channel.

br Oleksandr

[emmanuel fressange]

Normal is not the word :-) ... It should count a video port (for content) when content is used. If no video port left , no content anymore . That's a normal/logical counting. 

With 45xx , video ports and content ports are counted separately.

And a content port is not used when a conference starts.

That's normal .

[Patrick Sparkman]

Does your 5300 series MCU configuration match that of your 4500 series, maybe the 5300 is configured wrong?

[emmanuel fressange]

Wrong ? I think it's correct but the port counting is different...Not normal and different.