Internet2

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Below is a list of various projects that CUIT is working on in conjunction with the Internet2 initiative. Please also visit our Internet2 events archive for information about past events.

IP Multicast

Interdomain IP Multicast using PIM-SM (Protocol Independent Multicast Sparse Mode) is running campus-wide on the Morningside Heights and Lamont-Doherty campuses. Some applications of IP multicast include:

Norton Ghost computer lab software distribution from a central location.
Watch various net content like CSPAN, CPAC (Canadian version of CSPAN), various live cameras at Monterey Aquarium, special events at other University campuses, etc.
Overflow high-profile events to multiple venues on campus as well as to the greater Internet2 audience.
Experimenting with new applications like
- ConferenceXP
- High-quality video with VLC
- Firewire SD and HD video with DVTS
Watching some High Def programming from other schools, etc. as part of the Bigvideo group.
Exploring options for delivering campus CATV over Ethernet.

Read more about multicast at the Internet2 Multicast Working Group. A campus issue for successful multicast deployment has to do with how well our Ethernet switches support it. We've done some evaluations of a few vendors' switches.

IPv6

The next version of the Internet Protocol has 128 bits of address space. We are now running native IPv6 routing on a small number of campus subnets (Computer Science, CUIT offices and servers). Read more about IPv6 at the Internet2 IPv6 Working Group.

IP Telephony (Voice over IP or VoIP)

CUIT is experimenting with SIP technologies so that we may understand the network support needed. We have a small number of Cisco IP phones and a gateway connected to the campus phone system.

As part of participating in the Internet2 Voice over IP Working Group we have implemented a SIP.edu gateway that allows any SIP user worldwide to reach any Columbia person listed in the online directory by calling them by their SIP address (which looks like an email address). If the user has a SIP phone, the call goes through. If the user doesn't, the call still goes through -- via the campus phone gateway.

For example, you can call me at sip:alan@columbia.edu which will connect to my SIP phone. If you call sip:ac45@columbia.edu, however, you will reach my campus extension. If your SIP user agent (phone) is easier to dial numerically, you can also just call me at sip:43754@columbia.edu.

Please visit our SIP.edu page for more detailed technical information.

AIS Communications has also deployed Siemens IP telephones in a small number of locations.

IP Videoconferencing and ISDN Gateway

Columbia is a participant in the Internet2 Commons which is part of the Video Development Initiative (ViDeNet). Faculty support of Internet videoconferencing is provided by the CUIT Academic Technologies Group with infrastructure support by the Network Systems Group. The Internet2 Commons includes a number of services such as multipoint conferencing and streaming of your conference.

CUIT also operates an ISDN gateway which can be used to link up your IP videoconference with an ISDN-only participant at speeds up to 384K (6 bonded channels).

All of these services are currently based on the H.323 (and H.320 for ISDN) video conferencing standards.

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Multicast Working Group
IPv6 Working Group
VoIP Working Group
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