March 7, 2002 Minutes

Members Attending: Ed Anapol, Mike Baptiste, John Board, Ken Hirsh (for Dick Danner), Brian Eder, Ed Gomes (for David Ferriero), Nevin Fouts, Tracy Futhey, Ed Gomes, Alan Halachmi, Patrick Halpin, Alfred Trozzo (for Paul Harrod), Ken Knoerr, Bob Newlin (for David Jamieson-Drake), Roger Llyod, Melissa Mills, Kyle Johnson (for Caroline Nisbet), George Oberlander, Lynne O'Brien, Mike Pickett, Rafael Rodriguez, Fred Westbrook, Robert Wolpert, Stephen Woody

Guests: Ginny Cake, Rob Carter, Chris Cramer, Debbie DeYulia, Mark Olson, Jen Vizas

Call to Order: Meeting called to order 4:05 pm

Review of Minutes and Announcements:

• It was announced that there was a University Scholar Program on Privacy going on 3/7/02 in the John Hope Franklin Center from 6-8 pm.

Video Over IP

1. Non-interactive (Video on Demand),
2. Semi-Interactive w/auxiliary technologies (Live Webcasting with Chat),
3. Interactive (IP Videoconferencing)

• Different experience from OIT's streamed forums - very targeted publicity, 15- 30 hits per session, Average viewing time was 1-2 hours.
• Firewalls
• Framing material important - website, on-site moderator
• Quicktime-specific: Audio "drift"
• "Low-end" : Polycom Via Video ($400)
• "High -end" : Polycom Viewstation ($8k- 18k)
• Interoperability (strict adherence to standards)
• Bandwidth, audio and video management by hardware
• USB webcam ($30 - $100)
• Headset ($20)
• Netmeeting
• Poor Interoperability (no Mac, for example)
• Bandwidth, audio and video management by software and computer's hardware (highly variable)
• Initial connectivity VERY time-consuming
• Need for user education on VC etiquette
• Continued presence of older systems (ISDN)implies need for gateway services
• Mobility issues - portable in any classroom on an as needed basis?
• Law School (provide interviews)
• Fuqua
• Library
• Cisco IP TV at DCRI
• Marine Labs (Pat Halpin)
• Math Department (Melissa Mills) using netmeeting for research working groups

• Demonstration and Lessons Learned

  Mark Olson - Director of Media at the John Hope Franklin Center

  3 Initiatives:

  1)Video on Demand: Use Darwin Streaming Server 3.0 - Open source Quicktime Server, can see a promotional piece about the Franklin Center, http://www.duke.edu/web/jhfcenter/tech/oldvideo.html, Currently have a staff of 2.

  2.) Live Webcasting: Quicktime Server integrated into videoconferencing codec, Sorenson Broadcaster, Laptop and Digital Video Camera, Debating Civilizations Project: Next event: Art and Language Seminars, March 18-22, 7:00 pm, http://www.duke.edu/web/jhfcenter/tech/webcast.html, Need Quicktime plugin 4.0 on your machine to view the seminar.

  Live Webcasting, Lessons Learned:

  3.) IP Videoconferencing: Conference Panels (England, Finland, France), "virtual presence at research meetings, Race, Racism and Democracy author interviews - brought 6 authors in to talk about the books they had written for a minimal fee over videoconferencing.

  Hardware-Based Codecs

  Mark called colleague, Jason over Polycom ViaVideo.lnk, new software, able to manage with web interface. 30 frames a second, slight delay when calling somewhere like California, ability to do datasharing,can show DVD, or stream things such as the ACC tournament.

  Software-Based Codecs

  John Board: What is the limit on the number of users?
  Mark: 45-50

  Netmeeting: Gatekeeper services available at UNC, video between 2 end points, 4 sites can split the screen.

  Lessons Learned: IP VC

  Ed Gomes: The library has a cart and a 21' monitor and coordinate with UNC and are able to provide services to classes Robert Wolpert: Hope to see virtual videoconferences in offices between colleagues (See the images of the people)

  Other areas using this technology:

  Kyle Johnson: The network is a challenge for video on demand, drop back to streaming over port 80
  Michael Baptiste: Is there a mailing list for this type of technology
  Mike Pickett: Yes, it was announced at the last futures forum (vidstream@aas.duke.edu)
  Kyle Johnson: What affect the network has would be a good future agenda item

  Locally managed SANS technology might be useful for storing archives.

  Alan Halachmi: CFLIX, video on demand, the server is housed here
  Kyle Johnson: What resources would we need to get of UNC's gatekeeper?
  Mark: 8,000 - low end, up to 20, 000 - 30,000 Pay for the number of ports

  Internet II also hosts a gatekeeper hosting 17@128k

  Need to look to the future and how multicasting can be used, so that everyone can tune into the same broadcasts.

IT Security update and discussion

• Need to install the Critical Update Notifier, which Chris has done
• Need to have information on firewalls, which Chris is in the progress of doing - are we recommending firewalls? which one?
• Next step is to do a webpage for administrators and then look at hardware firewalls for home users.

• Chris Cramer

  The institution has seen a large number of Windows computers compromised in the past month or tow (over 450 across the University and Health System). In general, the hacks have been due to weak or no passwords on administrator accounts. In 4 or 5 separate attacks, remote users have targeted Duke windows-based computers by listing their administrator accounts (regardless of name) and performing a simple dictionary attack on the accounts found. What the hacker has done at that point varies. Some machines have had an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) program installed that connects to a given channel and receives instructions that could be anything from launch a denial of service attack to format the hard drive. Others have had the IRC programs installed to make the machine trade pirated software, movies, pornography, etc. The majority of the machines have had a backdoor installed as a service (either clipsrv or the time service) It is unknown what purpose this is being used for.

  They found a list most of the hacked computers and have been notifying their owners regarding the incident. The security office is also working to educate users by creating a web page of checklists for different operating systems, http://www.security.duke.edu/securepc/ Information about the hacks and the webage has appeared in the Chronicle, it will also be in the next GloveBox News and they are working with the Dialogue to have an article to help get the word out.

  Robert Wolpert: Suggested adding a page for wireless security (Chris mentioned that is in progress now)

  Please send all suggestions you may have on the webpages, etc to security@duke.edu(link sends e-mail) or Chris.Cramer@duke.edu

Student Computer Lab Upgrades for Fall (Continued)

Meeting adjourned at 5:30 pm