Best Practices for VidConf with external parties

Question

We currently use Sony Video conference units for our end units. On the backend, we use a Cisco 3515 for multipoint conferences.
We now need to be able to do video conferences with external parties using our MCU.
Since there are many ways of doing this, are there solutions that work better than others? Basically I need to publish a doc that says 'here is what you will need. This port open on your firewall, a public IP address that is not NATd....'
Any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

David,
Unfortunately, Cisco has not (currently) chosen to implement H.460.x in their H.323 infrastructure solutions, so a Cisco GK could not be used in combination with a Tandberg SBC (session border controller). However, we currently use Cisco gatekeepers for everything but firewall traversal. For traversal, the Tandberg GK functions as the inside portion of the traversal solution and proxies for all my codecs (a mix of six different Tandberg and Polycom product lines)--even those that are H.460-capable. Combined with the SBC (session border controller is a Cisco MCM (25xx router) setting on the public side of the firewall and neighbored to the session border controller.
The "public" GK is for the entities who write custom policies in their firewalls or set their codecs on the public side of their security. If not H.460 compliant, they have to register with a GK, they can't register directly with the SBC, hence, the public GK which is simply neighbored to the SBC.
I would encourage you to closely look at the Polycom V2IU as well. It has come a LONG way since it was introduced a couple of years ago.
Personally, I still don't feel like the V2IU has as much flexibility nor does it implement a dialing methodology best suited for converging networks. It is an ALG (App Layer GW) that has been tweaked to support H.323 traversal, so I don't think it will ever truly match the Tandberg Expressway solution apples-apples, but it is dramatically less expensive and thus worth considering.
We tested both the Tandberg and Polycom traversal solutions with our internal CAC (call admission and control infrastructure), which is made up of multiple Cisco GK products in a fully meshed neighboring scenario prior to purchase of a traversal solution, and the Cisco products interoperated with both traversal solutions.
Cisco did present a solution that proposed a Layer 3 solution, but we felt it best to pursue something based within the H.323 umbrella standard.
If you want to talk more, please email me at [email protected] w/ direct contact info and I'll be happy to assist you in any way I can.
Greg