Collaboration and Conferencing at Johns Hopkins There are a range of collaboration and conferencing tools available to Hopkins users. This document provides details on the options available including: • Which conferencing tools are available at Johns Hopkins • Some of the costs, benefits, and potential risks of using each conferencing tool Each conferencing type provides its own level of interactivity, or “connectedness” ranging from low with instant messaging to very high with room-based videoconferencing. Each conferencing type occupies different cost and complexity levels.
Audio conferencing is the mostly widely used, and best understood conferencing solution. Audio conferencing is easy to use (requires only a telephone), comfortable for the users, and relatively inexpensive. Audio conferencing is available as either automated or attended. In an automated audio conference, the host manages all aspects of the meeting. An attended audio conference meeting is managed by one or more operators providing meet and greet, dial-out, and problem resolution services. Web conferencing is the fastest growing segment of the conferencing industry. Web conferencing allows users to share computer based content through the public Internet, intranet, or other IP network through a browser. Basic web conferencing solutions provide the ability to view another person’s computer screen, while function-heavy offerings allow sharing control of documents and desktop between users. The most common use of web-conferencing is to host and distribute web-based presentations and software demonstrations. Web conferences are usually combined with audio conferences to provide content and voice sharing capabilities. Some solutions include audio conferencing and limited video through a webcam. Videoconferencing has been around for approximately 20 years and provides the highest level of conferencing intimacy and “connectedness.” The basic videoconference is a point-to-point session between two different locations, however specialized bridging equipment enables multi-point meetings between three or more video systems or to system located outside of Hopkins.
Tools Available at Johns Hopkins
At Johns Hopkins a range of tools are available across the spectrum described above. While this document highlights the technologies in high use at Hopkins, there is a large marketplace of audioconferencing and webconferencing products and services. Hopkins users are not restricted to using only these tools. Audio and Web Conferencing The webconferencing tools below allow connection on a PC or Mac through a web browser and internet connection. End users will need a webcam for video and microphone and headset installed on their computer to take full advantage of features. Audioconferencing over regular phone lines can work with these tools. Each webconferencing product has its own interface and takes some level of training and use to understand. These tools are intended for use by individuals sitting at a PC. Verizon Johns Hopkins Telecommunications has a contract with Verizon to provide webconferencing options. Verizon offers WebEx and Microsoft LiveMeeting. Audioconferencing is also available through this Verizon contract. Verizon has stated they are able to handle any number of users in case of a pandemic. Per-minute rates are the same for both at $0.18 per minute per participant. They also offer a Microsoft LiveMeeting per-seat option if you use LiveMeeting frequently and for long periods of time. The LiveMeeting Pro per seat option costs about $191 per seat per month for 5-10 seats, $142 per seat per month for 11-50 seats. David Crouch, JH Telecommunications, can set-up an account for you. He will need the conference leader name, phone, e-mail, physical address, and SAP IO or CC where usage can be billed. Information is available at: http://it.jhu.edu/restricted/telecom/corporate/conferencing/ Adobe Connect Student Systems and Educational Technologies offers Adobe Connect as a web-conferencing tool. At this time this is provided at no cost. More information on how Adobe Connect works is available at: http://connect.johnshopkins.edu/welcome/ Johns Hopkins is currently licensed for 500 simultaneous or concurrent users of the Adobe Connect server. It can support two meetings of 250 users running at the same time, or five meetings of 100 users, and so on. Once there are 500 users total on the Adobe Connect server, no additional users will be able to join a current meeting. Microsoft Office Communicator Johns Hopkins Instant Messaging (JHIM) offers a secure, internal Instant Messaging solution that can be used to collaborate among people within the Johns Hopkins community. JHIM uses Microsoft's Office Communications Server 2007 and offers advanced capabilities beyond text-based IM including voice, video, and application sharing. More information on Microsoft OCS is available at: http://it.jhu.edu/email/lcs/lcs.old Not everyone has access to OCS. Hopkins users must request an account be enabled. Currently, there are 2500 people enabled and using OCS. Videoconferencing Room-based videoconferencing provides the highest level of conferencing “connectedness.” The basic videoconference is a point-to-point session between two different locations, however specialized bridging equipment enables multi-point meetings between three or more video systems. Johns Hopkins has over 75 room-based systems located at various campuses in the Baltimore-Washington area. Room-based videoconferencing systems provide the highest quality video and audio and allows for multiple people to participate from one location. The room-based systems at Hopkins can also dial out to locations outside of the Hopkins network, either directly or through the bridge that is on the Hopkins network. The bridge is supported through Enterprise Networking. It is currently limited to 6 concurrent ISDN videoconference connections and 22 IP videoconference connections. Currently, services are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Telepresence Cisco has donated a two-seat Telepresence system to Johns Hopkins. It is located in Hodson Hall 214 on the Homewood Campus of the University. Telepresence provides the highest quality connection of all videoconferencing technologies. The room-based system at Hopkins is part of the Cisco University program and can connect with other Universities with Cisco Telepresence rooms or any Cisco office around the world. The Telepresence technology cannot interconnect with “standard” room-based videoconferencing systems, but can include some audio-only participants. | 
