Cisco Systems announced IP/TV 2.0, the first complete TV-quality network video solution to offer managed and scalable video-on-demand (VOD) service for corporate intranets. IP/TV 2.0 integrates VOD capabilities with live and scheduled video broadcasting services. With this release, IP/TV combines high-quality streaming video with the management features, scalability and bandwidth efficiencies required for large- scale enterprise deployment.
Typical applications would be distance learning and training. IP/TV 2.0 is also the first product to solve the VOD scalability problem - the tendency to congest networks with bandwidth-intensive video streams - by providing a distributed server architecture. In this distributed server architecture, content is replicated and dispatched to local workgroup servers, and load balancing is performed among servers. This system of distributing content and load balancing localizes network traffic and optimizes throughput. It also allows network managers to add video servers incrementally as they deploy IP/TV throughout an organization.
"Large enterprises finally can get serious about deploying video to enhance internal communications," said Jack Bradley, director and general manager of the Cisco Systems Video Internet Services Unit. "IP/TV 2.0 is a powerful system with the management capabilities and robustness necessary requirements in such critical areas as training and corporate communications."
Next-Generation, Intelligent Network Video Management IP/TV 2.0 offers a comprehensive set of new management capabilities that simplify content, bandwidth and server management for program and network managers. These capabilities are administered by the IP/TV Content Manager which provides centralized point-and-click control of both scheduled and on-demand programming. The Content Manager dispatches content to local servers and performs load balancing by transparently directing users to the least-busy server.
Live, Scheduled or On-Demand
IP/TV 2.0 is the only network video product that offers fully integrated live, scheduled and on-demand services. With common files, servers, user interface and administrative tools, IP/TV offers three video distribution modes in one easy-to-manage product.
Easy-to-Use Viewer Interface
IP/TV 2.0 includes a new user interface that displays a hierarchical view of all the video programming available and offers a keyword search function. A Web access button takes viewers to predefined Web pages with additional, related content.
VCR-like controls, based on the IETF-proposed Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) standard, allow viewers to pause, forward and rewind on-demand programs. The IP/TV Viewer can be used as a standalone application or as a browser plugin.
Pricing and Availability
IP/TV 2.0 for Windows 95 and Windows NT will be available in July 1998.
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