high definition videoconferencing for high energy physics erik gottschalk (fermilab) on behalf of

1High Definition Videoconferencing for High Energy Physics, Erik Gottschalk

High Definition Videoconferencing forHigh Energy Physics

Erik Gottschalk (Fermilab)

On behalf of

Joao Fernandes (CERN)Knut Bjorkli (CERN)

Guenter Eckerlin (DESY)Reinhard Eisberg (DESY)

Lucas Taylor (Northeastern Univ.)Sheila Cisko (Fermilab)


Overview

What is High Definition (HD) Videoconferencing? Definition Equipment in CMS Centres HD videoconferencing for CMS operations

HD videoconferencing for media events LHC@FNAL Dedication (Oct. 22, 2007) LHC First Beam Day media event (Sept. 10, 2008)

…as experienced at Fermilab…


What is HD Videoconferencing?

Videoconferencing technology is evolving rapidly, and terminology is evolving rapidly as well. A simple definition is that High Definition (HD) videoconferencing has higher resolution than Standard Definition (SD) videoconferencing.

Definition of HD videoconferencing “today”: Display resolution: at least 720p (1280 x 720 progressive scan) Frames per second: at least 25 or 30 frames per second (fps) Bitrate: at least 1 Mbps

CMS uses HD videoconferencing to link the major CMS Centres (CERN, DESY, FNAL) to each other and to the CMS Control Room in Cessy, France.

The HD videoconferencing equipment is “permanently” connected to encourage spontaneous and informal communication.


CMS Centres Worldwide

@ CERN

@ Canterbury

@ Sao Paulo

@ Pisa

@ Aachen

@ Oviedo

@ Rio de Janeiro

@ Fermilab (LHC @ FNAL)

@ Delhi

@ Mumbai

@ Adana

@ Dubna

@ Beijing

@ Zurich

@ DESY

See Lucas Taylor’s talk in this CHEP 2009 session: “CMS Centres Worldwide: A New Collaborative Infrastructure”



@ CERN

@ Canterbury

@ Sao Paulo

@ Pisa

@ Aachen

@ Oviedo

@ Rio de Janeiro

@ Fermilab (LHC @ FNAL)

@ Delhi

@ Mumbai

@ Adana

@ Dubna

@ Beijing

@ Zurich

@ DESY

See Lucas Taylor’s talk in this CHEP 2009 session: “CMS Centres Worldwide: A New Collaborative Infrastructure”


CMS Experiment Control Room Remote Operations Centre at Fermilab (LHC@FNAL)

CMS Centre at CERN: monitoring, computing operations, analysis

Lucas Taylor



CMS Experiment Control Room Remote Operations Centre at Fermilab (LHC@FNAL)

CMS Centre at CERN: monitoring, computing operations, analysis

Permanently running video links to operations centres

Lucas Taylor



HD Equipment in CMS Centres

CMS Control Room at Point 5 (Cessy, France) Tandberg Edge 95 MXP with 1 year maintenance: $8152 (May 28, 2008) Natural Presenter for content sharing (H.239): $1409

CMS Centre at CERN Tandberg Edge 95 MXP with Natural Presenter 50” SONY LCD TV

CMS Centre at DESY Tandberg Edge 95 MXP with Natural Presenter 42” Sharp LCD TV

CMS Centre at FNAL (LHC@FNAL) Polycom HDX8004 with MCU and 3 year maintenance: $11896 (Jan. 9, 2008) Content sharing (H.239): $1350 47” Toshiba LCD TV: $1830 Auxiliary camera: $4205

Multipoint Control Unit (MCU) - a device used to connect video systems We started with HD-capable MCU provided by the Deutsches Forschungsnetz (DFN) For LHC First Beam Day, and thereafter, we use an HD-capable MCU at CERN Esnet (Department of Energy) plans to acquire an HD-capable MCU


Why HD Videoconferencing for Operations?

The main reason for using HD videoconferencing for CMS operations is that it improves communication by encouraging spontaneous and informal interactions between the CMS control room and the major CMS Centres at CERN, DESY, and Fermilab.

Audio & Video quality HD provides quality described as being almost as good as “meeting face-to-face.” The ability to see people in high resolution encourages communication between team

members in the same way that team members who are in the same physical location will have more interactions with each other.

Audio quality is excellent with built-in acoustic echo and noise cancellation. For operations, video communication is much better than telephone, email, IM, etc.

Control capabilities Videoconferencing “endpoints” can be restarted periodically by scripts or by

administrators. Far-end camera control is often used to get a closer look at equipment or computer

screens, or to see who is in the room. Layouts for video sessions can be moderated by an administrator (useful for media

events).


Why HD Videoconferencing for Operations?

Reliability & maintenance Reliability of HD equipment is very good. Disconnects occur infrequently and are

usually attributed to network problems. Occasionally the equipment needs to be rebooted.

HD equipment requires minimal maintenance, especially when compared to the PCs in an operations center. PCs require periodic maintenance for software and operating system upgrades.

Ease of use With “permanent” 24/7 video connections CMS Centres are always in contact with

each other, making it easier for people on shift to communicate with each other. We mute microphones until someone needs to communicate. By pushing an

unmute button a person can easily talk to people at other CMS Centres. Privacy & security

Videoconferencing is preferred over webcams, since the communication is bidirectional.

Webcams are viewed as a security risk in operations centers.

See Dave Mason’s talk “Remote Operation of CMS Data and Workflows” in the Distributed Processing and Analysis Session (Thursday, March 26, 14:40).


HD Videoconferencing for Media Events

HD videoconferencing has improved communications capabilities (audio and video) so that remote participation in large-scale media events is now possible. At Fermilab we have been involved in several events, including the LHC Grid Fest and live interviews for the Press.

LHC@FNAL Dedication (Oct. 22, 2007) Carefully planned event for the dedication of the LHC@FNAL Remote Operations Center Speakers at Fermilab: Dr. Ray Orbach (Under Secretary for Science , DOE), Dr. Joseph

Dehmer (Director of the Division of Physics , NSF), Dr. Pier Oddone (Fermilab Director) Speakers at CERN: Dr. Robert Aymar (CERN Director General ), Dr. Lyn Evans (LHC Project

Manager ), Dr. Jim Virdee (Spokesman for CMS ), Dr. Joel Butler (US-CMS Program Manager) This event served as a precursor for using HD videoconferencing for the LHC First Beam Day

LHC First Beam Day media event (Sept. 10, 2008) - as experienced at Fermilab… More than 400 people participated in the Fermilab Pajama Party, which began at 1:00 am 15 - 20 members of the Press (e.g. The New York Times) came to Fermilab for this event Live HD video interview with Dr. Rolf Heuer at DESY HD video interviews of people from ATLAS and CMS (interviews conducted in control rooms) Fermilab Director congratulated CERN (contributed to 15 minutes of international TV coverage)

Conclusion: Without the audio and video quality (and reliability) provided by HD video equipment, we would not have attempted to link the CERN Globe, Fermilab, DESY, LHC and experiment control rooms to provide a video feed for international television coverage.


Lucas TaylorJoao FernandesKnut Bjorkli


LHC@FNAL Location and Layout

CMS Centre (LHC@FNAL)


LHC@FNAL Equipment for Media Events


Television Broadcast from FNAL(video/audio feed using HD videoconferencing equipment)


Conclusions

CMS is using HD videoconferencing for experiment operations as a communications link between the CMS control room and major CMS Centres (CERN, DESY, FNAL).

This is a “permanent” communications link to encourage spontaneous and informal interactions.

The HD equipment that we have installed at CERN, DESY and FNAL is reliable and requires minimal maintenance.

Audio and video quality is good enough for remote participation in large-scale media events, such as the LHC First Beam Day event.

Without the audio and video quality we would not have attempted to link control rooms at CERN to the CERN Globe, DESY and Fermilab to provide a high quality video feed for international television coverage.

high definition videoconferencing for high energy physics erik gottschalk (fermilab) on behalf of

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