2-7
Administrator’s Guide for Cisco MeetingPlace Video Integration Release 5.3
OL-6280-01
Chapter2 Cisco MeetingPlace Video Integration Components and Process
About the Cisco MeetingPlace Video-Conferencing Process
After the link is established, all further communication between the Cisco IPVC MCU and the
Cisco MeetingPlace audio server is handled through the Cisco MeetingPlace Video Integration
component, which communicates with the C isco MeetingPlace audio server through MPAgent.
MPAgent is a component of Cisco MeetingPlace Web Conferencing, which is a prerequisite to
installation of Cisco MeetingPlaceVideo Integration. Cisco MeetingPlace Video Integration
communicates with the Cisco IPVC MCU using proprietary XML messaging.
If the link between Cisco MeetingPlace and the Cisco IPVC MCU is disconnected,
Cisco MeetingPlace VideoIntegration attempts to reestablish it three times, checking every minute, or
when another participant joins the conference.
How Video Conference Participants Join Meetings There are several ways additional participants can join the video conference. The process of adding
participants to the conference depends on how they enter the meeting.
If a Participant Joins a Scheduled Video Conference by Outdialing From the CiscoMeetingPlace Web Conferencing Meeting
Room
When a participant clicks Connect from within CiscoMeetingPlace Web Conferencing, or in a calendar
entry in Cisco MeetingPlace for Lotus Notes, or in the MeetingPlace tab of a meeting notification in
Cisco MeetingPlace for Outlook, CiscoMeetingPlace Video Integration sends a message to the
Cisco IPVC MCU to outdial to the endpoint of the participant. When the participant has successfully
joined the video conference, the Cisco IPVC MCU notifies Cisco Meetin gPlace Video Integration, and
the status of the participant is recorded in the participant list that is displayed in the meeting room of
Cisco MeetingPlace Web Conferencing.
If a Participant Joins a Scheduled Video Conference by Dialing in to the CiscoIPVC MCU
Participants dial in to the conference from their video endpoint by using the number provided in the
Connect dialog box in the Cisco MeetingPlace web-conferencing meeting room. This number is the
service prefix on the CiscoIPVC MCU that identifies Cisco MeetingPlace conferences, plus the
Cisco MeetingPlace Meeting ID. CiscoCallManager or the gatekeeper routes all incoming H.323 calls
that begin with the specified service prefix to the CiscoIPVC MCU, which routes each call to the correct
video conference based on the Cisco MeetingPlace meeting ID number portion of the number that was
dialed.
When participants attempt to join the video conference by dialing in from their vide o endpoint, the
Cisco IPVC MCU accepts the call only if the conference is not restricted to profiled or invited users and
does not require a password. (This is because the Cisco IPVC MCU cannot authenticate dial-in
participants.) If the participant is granted access, the CiscoIPVC MCU checks with
Cisco MeetingPlace VideoIntegration to see if the meeting is in session and within the guard times. If
so, the Cisco IPVC MCU admits the participant to the video conference and notifies
Cisco MeetingPlace VideoIntegration that the participant has joined the conference.
Cisco MeetingPlace VideoIntegration notifies Cisco MeetingPlace WebConferencing and the
Cisco MeetingPlace audio server of the status of the participant.
If a Participant Joins a Video Conference on an Ad-Hoc Basis
If all scheduled video-conferencing ports for a meeting that is already in progress are already in use and
an additional participant attempts to join the video conference, the user may be able to join on an ad-hoc
basis. In this case, the Cisco IPVC MCU polls Cisco MeetingPlace VideoIntegration to see if
video-conferencing ports are available, and if they are, the Cisco IPVCMCU allows the participant to
join the conference.