Mconf: An Open Source Multiconference
System for Web and Mobile Devices
Inputs taken from Valter Roesler, Felipe Cecagno, Leonardo Crauss Daronco and Fred Dixon
Presented by Kasandra IsaacSANReN Engineer
4 groups of Video conference Systems
1. Room: Hardware, eg. Polycom, Lifesize, Vidyo
2. Telepresence: Cisco telepresence
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3. Desktop: Installs and launches system on computer eg. Vidyo, Zoom, Skype
4. Web: Run within a browser - Adobe Connect, Big Blue Button, Mconf
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What is Mconf?• Developed by Brazilian NREN, RNP• Open source conferencing system for web and
mobile devices• Distance education, remote meetings,
broadcasting events• Based on Big Blue Button• The client runs with Adobe Flash Player• Offers roles of viewer or moderator
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Mconf as an alternative to commercial web conferencing• Compares well with Adobe Connect use
and features• Will replace current Adobe Connect trial
installation hosted by SANReN Competency Area
• Open source• Cost recovery only for technical support
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Web conference, hosted within browser
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Mconf Exploratory Services1. Mconf portal hosted at mconf-fid.sanren.ac.za• Mconf-Live webconferencing software is on the back-
end of the service • Mconf-Live connects with other Mconf-Live servers
globally – for scalability • Integrated with SA federation • Currently only IPv4 compatibly
2. Mconf portal hosted at mconf.c4.csir.co.za• BBB is the backend on the webconferencing software
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Mconf Production Service
• To be launched by 1 July 2015
• To be hosted on TENET infrastructure
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How to access the production service
Preferred:• Get your institution to join• All users at the institution will then be able to
register themselves on Mconf with their institution’s credentials
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Mconf features that will be tested for production
• Real-time communication with audio and video
• Screen and presentation sharing, whiteboard, chat, and shared notes during the session
• Web portal - to start and participate in web conferences easily
• Supported in all modern web browsers and operating systems
• Federated Identity integration
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Mconf features that will be tested for production
• Recording server• Scalability and monitoring• Mobile client compatibility • Integrated with web applications, such as
Moodle
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Web portal
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Document sharing page
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Use on mobile devices
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Lock speak/Push to talk functions
Idea is to be able use your mobile phone as a remote to conduct conference
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Summary• Mconf experimental service will be a free web conferencing
service offered to the research and education community• Mconf production service will be hosted by TENET • Launched as a production service by 1 July 2015• Replace the Adobe Connect trial installation hosted by the
SANReN Competency Area• Can be used from within a web browser, as centralised service
provided by the SA NREN• Vidyo and Mconf are complementary services• Preferred method of accessing the service – Join SAFIRE
federation
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Contact [email protected] further info on Mconf:
Contact [email protected] http://www.safire.ac.za/
To join SAFIRE Federation:
Start experimenting with Mconf at:https://mconf.c4.csir.co.zahttps://mconf-fid.sanren.ac.za (Must be member of SAFIRE)
https://mconf.org (hosted by RNP)
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Thank you for listening
Questions?
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Possible future developments promised by RNP
• To create an HTML5 client, in order to have web conference in other mobile platforms such as iOS and Windows Phone.
• To simplify the web portal, allowing the user to know who is available in each community and create easily a web conference with them.
• To allow interaction with room systems like Polycom, using H.323 or SIP.
