webrtc standards overview

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Session Abstract

This session will start with a quick non-technical update on the standards and then focus on regulatory issues. With many recent regulatory moves around VoIP, government

recording, and other areas, understanding the regulatory response to WebRTC is a critical part of the overall strategy, especially for Service Providers.

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Standards Overview & Regulatory IssuesSession B2-2E. Brent Kelly, Ph.D.President and Principal Analyst KelCor, Inc.Vice President and Principal Analyst, Constellation Researchbkelly@kelcor.com; brent@constellationr.com twitter: @ebkell

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Speakers• Tim Panton– Director– Westhawk Ltd

• Martha Buyer– Principal– Law Offices of Martha Buyer

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Collaboration and Conferencing ApplicationsBrent KellyTitleCompanyEmailTwitter, etc

Put the moderator logo here at this size – remove this box

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WEBRTC STANDARDS OVERVIEW

Tim PantonDirectorWesthawk Ltd

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WebRTC definition

• Realtime• voice / video /data• browser based• no plugins• secure• interoperable

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Standards

• IETF• W3C• Loosely based on pre-existing standards• $100s Millions of IPR - donated• Google, Cisco, Mozilla, Skype, Tropo, ATT, E///,

Lucent etc.

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Big Picture

Peer to Peer Media

WebServer

HTTP signalingHTTP signaling

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Protocol Standards (IETF)

The Internet Engineering Taskforce (IETF) has responsibility for the wire protocols used in RTCWeb

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Signaling Standards

• None

• It is up to the javascript in the browser to do whatever is needed.

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Media Standards (rtcweb)

• Many• Mostly pre-existing standards combined….

• STUN• ICE• TURN

• DTLS• SRTP• RTCP

• OPUS• ULAW• ???

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Why so many ?

The network environment of a web browser is not the same as a desk phone

• Security – hostile LANs (coffee shops/hotels)• Variability – home networks, wifi/3g• Programmability – Javascript is dynamically loadable

The rtcweb stack of media standards addresses these differences

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IETF successes

Rtcweb• works over many networks • Is sufficiently well defined to be implemented from

the spec alone (tropo)• Interop is possible via gateways to legacy• Devices can talk with browsers• Opus codec and security is leading edge• Data channel has huge implications

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Opinion - devices

There is a huge market for devices and apps that speak rtcweb, aren’t browsers but do RT media/data with them.• Baby monitors• Body scanners• Toasters ( itoast )• Video mixers• Prison videophones• QuadacoptorsThis may be the biggest legacy of the webRTC effort.

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IETF failures

Rtcweb• Fails in some networks• Overly complex• No selected video codec(s) - yet

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Opinion – video codecs

Background :• H264 established player with paid for licensing• VP8 new kid with free usage model

It seems likely we will reach a compromise. Browsers will support both, devices will support which ever they choose.

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API Standards (W3C)

W3C has responsibility for the Javascript API • Methods • DataStructuresexposed in the browser and used by the web pages.

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API Standards

• getUserMedia() • RTCPeerConnection()• <video> - extended to support realtime• RTCSessionDescription()

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W3C successes

• Supported in 3 of the top 5 browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Opera)

• No mandatory signaling so can adapt to fit use case• API is usable• DataChannel mimics websockets• Leverages the webGL and webAudio APIs

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Opinion – WebGL etc

Availability of webGL and webAudio to web programmers will enable significant innovation.

All those broadcast-only audio/video tricks – available in realtime in a browser.

Combined with P2P datachannel – we may see new application classes emerge.

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W3C failures

• Not yet supported in 2 of the top 5 browsers (IE, Safari)

• No accommodation for mobile• Use of SDP as a datastructure was a mistake• API is so ugly it will spawn a thousand wrapper

libraries• Identity support could be better

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Opinion – ORTC etc.

Safari and IE will release ‘compatible’ webRTC offerings once 1.0 standard is settled. (<1 year?)

Weaknesses in the 1.0 API will drive rapid development/adoption of a 2.0 standard

2.0 Standard will be more object oriented and not based on SDP but largely compatible with 1.0 (via polyfills) – see OTRC for an example.

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TLDR;

Standards effort has succeeded despite complex 2 org structure.

Already deployed in close to final form on most desktops. (~1BN)

Weakness in mobile and SDP dependence will be addressed in future 2.0 standard.

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Questions?

Tim Panton.

twitter: @steely_glintEmail: thp@westhawk.co.uk