Cisco AVVID Now Includes Flexible, High-Capacity Video Offering

COMNET CONFERENCE & EXPO, WASHINGTON - January 30, 2001 Cisco Systems, Inc. today introduced the IP/VC 3540 Videoconferencing Series, a newly designed, modular, videoconferencing solution that can support up to 400 conference participants simultaneously. Unlike other videoconferencing solutions, the multi-function Cisco IP/VC Series is enabled by the open, standards-based, multi-service architecture, Cisco AVVID (Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data), further delivering on the Cisco vision of end-to-end converged solutions and video over IP.

"More of our enterprise customers are asking us to help them migrate to multi-service networks and take advantage of cost-effective technologies that will make their businesses more efficient," said Jack Bradley, Director of Marketing for the videoconferencing team at Cisco Systems. "Our customers want a solution that can humanize the way individuals communicate and enable them to capitalize on a decentralized business model that includes partners, customers and, often, remotely located employees."

As customers realize the importance of real-time, interactive communications to facilitate education and decision making, videoconferencing solutions are providing value in the financial, medical and education sectors, as well as in retail services, manufacturing and tele-commuting. In the upcoming market research report entitled "Video over IP: Solutions & Applications", PEREY Research & Consulting predicts strong demand for IP-based videoconferencing products over the next four years, forecasting nearly US$1.5 billion in revenues by 2004.

"Those who purchased videoconferencing products in 2000 indicated a nearly unanimous interest in having their video transmitted over packet-based (IP) infrastructure," noted Christine Perey, President, PEREY Research & Consulting. "As customers begin to use the IP infrastructure and discover the benefits of more cost-effective, flexible, manageable and scalable end-to-end solutions, they will influence the installed base of ISDN-based videoconferencing customers. With stable videoconferencing standards such as H.323, and complete, robust solutions to offer, Cisco is in a great position to address the needs of both those using IP networks and those with legacy systems who want to reach and conference with IP based system users."

Cisco IP/VC 3540 Videoconferencing Series

Based on technology from RADVision, Inc., the Cisco IP/VC 3540 Series features a four-slot chassis that can be configured with a variety of Multipoint Control Unit (MCU), Gateway and Application Server/ Data Conferencing Server modules. In addition, the Cisco IP/VC Series is entirely web-based, enabling users or administrators access to both device configuration and system management from a Web-browser either locally or remotely.

Specific elements of the new Cisco IP/VC 3540 offering include:

• Cisco IP/VC 3540 MCU Module. The MCU Module combines audio and video streams to create conferences with three or more participants; a single MCU module can support up to 100 users in a conference or 100 users in multiple conferences simultaneously. Up to four MCU modules can be combined in a single chassis. In addition, Cisco has enabled third party scheduling, which can be accessed through an Application Programming Interface (API).

• Cisco IP/VC 3540 Application Server and T.120 Data Conferencing Application Module. The application server is based on an Intel Pentium processor, running Microsoft Windows NT server. This server platform hosts the T.120 Data Conferencing Application, which works with T.120 client software. The combination enables data sharing and collaboration as part of a multi-point videoconference.

• Cisco IP/VC 3540 (H.320-H.323) Gateway Module. The gateway lets users interconnect IP-based H.323 networks of LAN-attached endpoints with H.320 video networks based on ISDN technology. The 3540 Gateway Module includes two Primary Rate Interface (PRI) ports to provide ISDN connectivity and supports up to 30 simultaneous videoconferences between the IP and ISDN networks.

Cisco IP/VC Product Family Offering

The Cisco IP/VC product family encompasses a range of scalable products that offer competitive advantage and is complemented by unmatched customer service and support designed for one purpose-to ensure customer success. Core SMARTnet Services provide the foundation for supporting customer network infrastructures by enabling them to improve network availability and reliability with industry leading technical support that is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week and 365 days per year. Only Cisco offers an end-to-end video over IP solution with intelligent quality of service (QoS) and security enabled by the Multimedia Conference Manager Gatekeeper/Proxy (MCM), a product that is unique to Cisco. The MCM is a component of Cisco IOS . Software, enabling network managers to control bandwidth and traffic priority settings for H.323 videoconferencing services based on individual network configurations and capacities.

Pricing and availability

Cisco IP/VC 3540 solutions start as low as US$45,900 for 30 users to US$100,900 for 100 users, with the ability to increase capacity. The IP/VC 3540 Application Server/ Data Conference Server starts at $15,900 for 30 sessions to $20,945 for 100 sessions. The IP/VC 3540 MCU Module and IP/VC 3540 Application Server/ Data Conference Server become available for shipment in March 2001 with the IP/VC 3540 Gateway Modules to ship in mid-year 2001.