1© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

H.323 Forum Launch

Larry Schessel

Sr. Manager, Cisco

H.323 Forum Leadership Team

May 14, 2002

222© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Agenda – H.323 Forum Launch

Tuesday, 5/14/02

• H.323 Forum Overview – Larry Schessel, Cisco Systems

• ITU SG-16 Status – Simao Campos, Counselor, ITU-T SG 16

• View from an H.323 Service Provider – Chaim Fried, Wireone Communications

Wednesday, 5/15/02

• Working Session (website, conference, interoperability/certification)

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Experiment MarketExuberance

Reality SustainableGrowth

VoIP Market Stages

VoIPPorts

TimeH.323 is hereSIP/MGCP are here

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Where is the Market Today?

Protocols:

• H.323 maturing scalable, reliable, mostly positioned in backbone

approximately 90% of existing ports

• MGCP introduced at edge “standard” protocol between softswitch and endpoint

• SIP in late experimental stage driven by promise of enhanced services

potential positioning in backbone and access

No clear protocol “winner”future networks will be multi-protocol

555© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Where is the Market Today?(continued)

Service Providers:

• H.323 networks over-built during “Market Exuberance” period

• Now looking for customers/services to drive minutes

• Mostly focused on wholesale and managed services

• Just beginning to consider broadband access replacement (H.323, MGCP and SIP)

Enterprises:

• Beginning PBX replacement with IP-PBX / Voice/Data consolidation

• Desktop video conferencing beginning to take hold

• Holds promise of traffic to Service Providers’ H.323 networks

666© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Where is the Market Today?(continued)

Equipment Vendors:

• Full line of VoIP gateway products

• Softswitches maturing (incl. GK and proxies)

• Only basic accounting/management/provisioning

• Mixed partner models

• Viewed as network “solution” owner

Application Vendors:

• Many interesting applications but few successes

• No coordinated/standard method to bring applications to market

777© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

PSTN

GK

Carrier-AInfrastructure

Zone

PSTNCarrier-A

Partner App

Carrier / ASP

Carrier / ASP

GK

HP-OCMC

Carrier / ASP

Carrier / ASP

Unified Communication

PSTN

Carrier-BH323LRQ

What Do H.323 Networks Look Like?

888© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

PSTN

GK

Carrier-AInfrastructure

Zone

PSTNCarrier-A

GK

Partner App

HP-OCMC

Carrier / ASP

Carrier / ASP

Carrier / ASP

Unified Communication

PSTN

Carrier-BCarrier / ASP

Carrier / ASP

IP-PBX

Carrier / ASP

Carrier / ASP

SIP Network

Carrier / ASP

Carrier / ASP

MGCP Network

It’s a Network of Networks: A Multi-Service Internet

H323LRQ

SIPInvite

How Are Networks Evolving?

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What Can Be Improved?

• 90% of existing VoIP networks are H.323-based and yet no “neutral” forum exists to collect/disperse accurate information

• Market getting stuck in Market Exuberance effect by SIP/MGCP marketing when H.323-based solutions are available

• Neutral Forum can level playing field so that market doesn’t get stuck in the protocol hype but rather focuses on applications

101010© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

H.323 Forum Goals

Provide forum to promote H.323 protocol

H.323 Forum provides:• Protocol Education

white papers

tutorials

presentations

user groups

• Business / Product Education on-line and through conferences successful business models and market conditions

existing / planned product descriptions and contacts

application descriptions

• Training, certification, and interoperability testing

Give the market confidence that H.323 is a deployable technology

111111© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

H.323 Forum Specifics

• Identity managed under IMTC to simplify accounting

accessible through own website with links to/from IMTC and ITU (http://www.h323forum.org)

own recognized logo

• Management leadership team consisting of IMTC board members, ITU representative, and other H.323 Forum members

monthly open planning sessions / quarterly leadership meeting

report into IMTC board

• Membership IMTTC membership now includes H.323 Forum membership

Lower priced H.323 Forum-only membership for H.323 Forum-only participation

Important to involve educational institutions / non-profit centers

121212© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Industry-Wide Benefits (open for discussion)

• H.323 Forum website access

• Email list access

• company links on product/services web-page

• H.323-related news/events

• planning sessions participation

• on-line conferences participation

131313© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

H.323 Forum Membership Benefits (open for discussion)

• Enhanced H.323 Forum website access

• Enhanced product/services links

• H.323 Forum conference attendance

• H.323 Forum certification program participation

• IMTC events participation (fee-based)

• Assignment to Leadership Team (vote-based)

141414© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

H.323 Forum Charter

• Website technical / marketing information

company / product links

system integrator links / service provider links

interoperability links

discussion groups

• H.323 Forum conference technical sessions (protocol status, issues, etc.)

marketing sessions (facts, figures, trends, products)

SI / SP sessions (networks, applications)

Interoperability sessions

• Equipment certification

• Strategic press releases

• Organized representation at other conferences

151515© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

http://www.h323forum.org

• Current Content Products and Services

Standards

White Papers

Links

FAQs

H.323 Forum Mailing List

Meeting Minutes and Presentations

161616© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

http://www.h323forum.org (continued)

• Future Content

H.323 Getting Started

Discussion Groups

Application Corner

Developer Zone

Newsletter

Certification Requirements / Program

171717© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

H.323 Forum Conferences

• On-Line Conferences 3-4 per year / 1-2 hour duration

specific topic of industry interest

H.323 video-based preferred

broadcast and/or interactive

• Annual H.323 Forum Conference 1 per year / 2-3 day duration

varied topics (technical, marketing, SP, etc.)

possibly synchronized with other events

181818© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

H.323 Forum Certification Considerations

• Costs – Inexpensive to H323 Forum (including development, execution, and maintainance)

• Liability – Minimal H.323 Forum liability

• Publicity – Must gain industry recognition

• Benefit to Client – Certification measurements, network interop versus component interop, protocol/solution confidence

• Benefit to Vendor – Product visibility, measurement/certification, increased sales

191919© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Component Interop …

Multi-VendorApplication

Servers

Multi-VendorSignaling

Controllers

GKGK

MGCPCall

Agent SIPSvr

Multi-VendorVoIP Gateways

V

V

V

V

V

V

Multi-VendorIP Endpoints

202020© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

… versus Network Interop

VV

VVV

V

SignalingControllers

ApplicationServers

OAM&PServers

Multi-ServicePacket Network

Multi-ServiceIP Endpoints

Product line of VoIP Gateways

And don’t forget:• QOS• Security• Firewall / NAT• Performance

• Scalability• Reliability• Manageability• Upgradeability

212121© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

H.323 Forum Certification Plans

• Define model network configurations

• Define measurable set of requirements per model network, measurement scheme, and certification levels (Service Provider participation critical)

• Provide process by which companies can Self-certify themselves against model networks

Certify together with other companies

Certify through 3rd party for a fee

• Advertise certification criteria and member certification levels attained

222222© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

H.323 Forum Certification Next Steps

• Certification requirements team forming Service Providers: ITXC, WireOne, iBASIS (BT and FT unconfirmed)

Vendors: Nextone, Polycom, RADVISION, Ridgeway, Siemens AG, and Cisco

Other companies welcome

• Personal team goals: Level 1 certification requirements – July, 2002

Level 2 certification requirements – September, 2002

First certification event 4Q’02

232323© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

H.323 Forum Next Steps

• Planning session next two days – Participate!!• Website live: http://www.h323forum.org

• Join Email List: <mailto:H323forum@mail.imtc.org> Announcements:

• press

• planning meetings

• conferences

• certification events

• technical discussion Meeting Minutes

242424© 2001, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thank-You!

3… 2… 1…

Launch!