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NJEDge.Net - The New Jersey Higher Education Network

VRG Meeting Minutes - April 11, 2001

Agenda:
  1. Welcome & introduction and update for the new sites: Burlington and Atlantic.
  2. George Carroll NJEDge.Net membership update and schedule. TIF Funds and how they may be used, summary of recent regional meetings, questions regarding ATM routers, and etc.
  3. Technical Committee Update - Charlie McMickle WPU Circuit size formulas review, and technology update of network architecture. Discussion of equipment that will work with the Accord video bridge.
  4. Minerva demonstration by Bart Coma.
  5. Set next meeting, adjourn
  • The meeting was held at four sites connected VIA the Access New Jersey video portal located in Newark. Sites:
    1. Atlantic Cape Community College
    2. Brookdale Community College
    3. Kean University
    4. Burlington Community College


  • George Carroll gave a status report covering the NJ EDge.Net website, TIF funds, the status if NJIN, and plans for the video portal (MCU).

  • Charlie McMickle discussed the Access New Jersey portal in use today and commented on the very good quality of the picture and sound. He explained that Access New Jersey uses 384,000 as the data rate for video calls. He also compared IDLS with the four sites to the new video over IP environment.

  • Accord Bridge - the Accord equipment to be as the video portal was discussed at length. Charlie McMickle explained that his committee is testing and certifying for use various vendor equipment to connect from campuses to the bridge. He explained that there have been some difficulties with the VTEL equipment because this company deviated slightly from the H.323 standard. The group discussed the topic and generally agreed that the burden should be on Accord to be sure various vendors CODEC's works.

  • Bill Reynolds offered NJIT facilities for testing. Others stressed the need to keep the certification process independent of Verizon.

  • Tom Lancaster gave a brief report on recent efforts to include higher education in Access New Jersey, and George Carroll added comments on this topic. Tom Lancaster suggested that we begin to communicate and work with our colleagues in K-12 schools. It was agreed that we would identify topics for discussion at the next meeting.

  • During the meeting the following questions were raised which George Carroll agreed to pass on to George Laskaris:
    1. We need weekly update circuit costs on the NJ EDge.Net website.
    2. Bernie Solomon of Burlington County College took a strong position that the Accord MCU should not be purchased until the company (Polycom/Accord) prove that their MCU works with the video equipment now installed in colleges or about to be purchased from the vendors like Sony, Vtel, Tanberg, and others. There was much support for this position from Nick Ganaway of Atlantic Cape Community College and others. Charlie McMickle also agreed. There is much concern that Polycom will become dominant vendor and push out the other vendors.
    3. What about others dialing into the video bridge? Will it be permitted and will there be any cost? Will they pay for the ling distance call? (e.g. NASA, Smithsonian, and others want to connect into the K-12 Access New Jersey MCU.) A policy will be needed.
    4. Bart Coma asked about the options of 5 or 10 MEGS (i.e. less that 20 megs). He said that he had a side conversation with George Laskaris, Brian Gatley, and was told that this topic would be discussed further.
    5. Bart Coma wants to know if colleges and universities can share circuits.

    The next meeting of the VRG will be held on May 9, 2001. There will also be a meeting on June 13, 2001.