The Application of Distance Education Using Advanced Hybrid Networking ChineseAmerican Networking Sy

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The Application of Distance Education Using
Advanced Hybrid NetworkingChinese-American
Networking SymposiumShanghai, People's Republic
of ChinaAugust 21-23, 2002

• Dan Cotton
• University of Nebraska, Lincoln
• American Distance Education Consortium (ADEC)

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American Distance Education Consortium
WWW.ADEC.EDU
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ADEC

• Janet Poley, President
• Ancillary organization of the University of
  Nebraska
• 12 year old non-profit organization of 50 plus
  state universities and land grant colleges
• Local, state, national and international
  partnerships

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Advanced Internet Satellite Extension Project
(AISEP)

• 3 year, National Science Foundation (NSF)
• 4 million
• NSF Supplements
• Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
• Chinese - American Networking Symposium (CANS)
• Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive
  Research (EPSCoR)

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Advanced Internet Satellite Extension Project

• Partnerships
• ADEC, Internet2 Universities, smaller and
  minority serving institutions, rural and remote
  learners
• Tachyon, Inc.
• OARnet ITEC-Ohio (Internet2 Technology
  Evaluation Center)
• University of California San Diego Supercomputer
  Center - SDSC
• Cooperative Association for Internet Data
  Analysis - CAIDA
• National Laboratory for Applied Network Research
  - NLANR

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Lead Institutions for AISEP

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• University of Maryland-College Park
• University of Illinois
• North Carolina State University
• North Carolina AT University
• Washington State University

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Goal

• Bring advanced networking applications to
  geographically remote campuses and learning
  centers for purposes of research, teaching and
  extension.

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Project will

• enable unreachable campuses, remote learning
  centers, extension offices to share in advanced
  networking research and applications
• create access for the research university
  community to scientific, cultural and human
  resources otherwise inaccessible

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Objectives

• AISEP will
• explore use of satellite to deliver Internet
  services to determine compatibility of satellite
  technology with I2 services and applications
• explore deployment and integration of DE
  applications, including collaborative
  applications at rural, remote institutions and
  extension learning centers

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Tachyon.net
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ADEC Network - SDSC
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Typical Tachyon Satellite Dish Installation
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ADEC Network Site Map
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Research objectives

• establish standards for "acceptable, application-
  based Internet" for remote locations
• understand how to establish, build and support a
  satellite-based IP network
• Connect Tachyon satellite gateway to the San
  Diego NAP (I1 and I2 service)
• Provide CPEs (formerly TAPS) to ADEC member
  institutions (70 sites)

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Research objectives (continued)

• investigate QoS
• study network performance
• determine requirements to support this type of
  network
• determine parameters for a sustainable business
  model

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Transportable Dish System
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Tachyon Central Ground Station San Diego
Internet Instructional Sites
Earth Satellite
Internet 1 or Internet 2
Transportable Ground Station
Permanent Ground Station
Instructional Sites
Instructional Sites
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Design Goals

• Inexpensive to build and operate
• Off-the-shelf parts for easy duplication
• Easy to operate by one person with one day
  training
• Small and light
• Reliable and adaptable to diverse field
  conditions
• Reliable and adaptable to diverse field
  conditions
• Easily modified

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Initial Applications

• Provide distance learning in rural/remote and
  underserved areas
• Link field research to campus computers,
  laboratories, and collaborators worldwide
• Link field instruction and demonstrations to
  campus classrooms
• Link field activities to remote databases using
  devices such as PDAs
• Remote monitoring of construction projects
• Special events, conferences, fairs, disasters,
  etc.

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Portable
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Satellite Trailer Subsystems

• Dish and radio transceiver
• Power
• Leveling and aiming
• Heating and cooling
• External connections
• Computer

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Next steps

• Develop improved designs
• Demonstrate at conferences
• Publish papers
• Provide training on use of the system
• Provide consultation on design, construction and
  operation
• Arrange for turnkey system purchases

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Application Testing
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H.323 Over Satellite
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Variables

• Tachyon Network
• Satellite IP, asynchronous, bandwidth settings
  dedicated vs. non-dedicated service
• Polycom
• dialing speeds
• Internet1 Internet2
• Point-to-point, multi-point
• Data flow uplink gt downlink, downlink gt uplink
• Network traffic, noise
• H.323
• Multipoint Control Unit (MCU)

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Testing

• Test tape
• Internet1 and Internet2
• Tachyon bandwidth service
• 2mb/256k non-dedicated
• 2mb/512k non-dedicated
• Identify optimum Polycom speed per Tachyon
  bandwidth service
• Video tape results

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Tachyon Central Ground Station San Diego
Internet Instructional Sites
Earth Satellite
Internet 1 or Internet 2
H.323 Testing ITEC-Ohio
Ground Station
Instructional Sites
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Observations

• Data rate
• Frame rate
• Packet loss
• Pixilation
• Latency
• Jitter

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Preliminary results

• Some fluctuations in quality
• Some packet loss
• It worked!
• Excellent video
• Internet2 ltgt 2Mbps / 512Kbps with 384Kpbs Tachyon
  service level

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Program Design
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ADEC H.323 Presentation for Megaconference III
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Lessons Learned

• Hybrid networking works
• Television techniques can be applied.and they
  positively impact program quality
• Studio cameras
• Studio lighting
• Studio set
• Microphones
• Producer / director
• Dont limit your thinking.explore all
  possibilities

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Multicast Over Satellite
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Variables

• Internet2 ltgt Tachyon
• PIM Sparse Mode (Internet2) versus DVMRP
  (Tachyon)
• IGMP
• Internet1, and non-multicast enabled sites
• Cisco
• Quickcom
• MPEG
• VBrick
• Other technologies

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Testing/Observations

• Internet2 ltgt Tachyon
• Iowa State University video streaming
• ITEC-Ohio
• ADEC router configuration
• Monitoring
• Works quite well!

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Research Projects

• EPSCoR
• to extend the AISEP test-bed into EPSCoR states
  in a systematic fashion, as well as test specific
  remote sensing, GIS and other scientific
  applications of hybrid networking, including
  satellite
• using appropriate combinations of fiber,
  satellite, wires and radio technology to carry
  signals in combination with software and devices
  for data collection, communications,
  visualization and decision making

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Research Projects

• EPSCoR
• 8 sub-projects
• Land management
• Aquaculture
• Water conservation and management
• Environmental monitoring

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Nebraska Research, Teaching and Extension Project

• Internet2 Applications to Enhance the Management
  of Natural and Agro-ecosystems.
• Carbon Sequestration and Global Climate Change
• Improved Efficiencies of Nitrogen and Irrigation
  Management
• Grazing Behavior of Cattle in the Nebraskan
  Sandhills

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Improved Efficiencies of Nitrogen and Irrigation
Management
Tachyon Central Ground Station San Diego
Earth Satellite
Internet 2
University of Nebraska Lincoln
Satellite IP
Data loggers and sensors
Tachyon Access Point (TAP)
802.11b network
Computer
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Why this work?

• ADEC believes distance education.
• is about providing new knowledge and information
  wherever and whenever the learner is ready to
  take advantage of it
• positively impacts competition
• leads to improved economic development
• aids in cultural sharing and understanding
• is vital in community building
• requires advanced networking and information
  technology

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Credits

• Janet Poley, Ph D
• President of ADEC
• Bob Dixson, Ph D, PE
• Chief Research Engineer
• Ohio State, OARnet
• Paul Schopis
• Senior Network Engineer
• ITEC-Ohio

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Questions