Table of Contents

Product Overview

Cisco IP/TV 3411 Control Server
Cisco IP/TV 3422 and 3423 Broadcast Servers
Cisco IP/TV 3431 Archive Server
Cisco IP/TV 3415 Video Starter System

Key Features and Benefits
Specifications
Ordering Information

Cisco IP/TV 3400 Series — Video Servers

Product Overview

The new Cisco IP/TV 3400 series servers represent complete, scalable, bandwidth-efficient solutions for next generation, high-quality video communications over enterprise networks. These servers support live video, scheduled video, video on demand (VOD), and a wide range of video management functions. They enable a broad spectrum of applications for enterprise communications including training, corporate communications, business TV, and distance learning.

The updated Cisco IP/TV 3400 series servers consist of the Cisco IP/TV 3411 Control Server, the Cisco IP/TV 3422 and 3423 Broadcast Servers, the Cisco IP/TV 3431 Archive Server and the Cisco IP/TV 3415 Video Starter System. Each server comes preconfigured with feature-rich IP/TV client-server software. This product family offers a range of choices to best suit large-scale enterprise applications, performance requirements, and bandwidth availability.

The Cisco IP/TV 3411 Control Server continues to expand the leadership of IP/TV servers in video management by offering proximity management, which directs viewer requests to the least-loaded and closest server. All new Cisco IP/TV 3400 servers also support a broader range of compression capabilities, from MPEG-2 for the highest-quality intranet broadcasts to MPEG-4 for best quality at lower bandwidths.

The new Cisco IP/TV 3400 servers include the latest release of Windows Media Technologies, the Microsoft streaming media platform, giving IP/TV viewers and administrators significant value-added capabilities. IP/TV viewers can select programs from a combined listing, featuring both IP/TV software and Windows Media delivered programs, significantly expanding their viewing opportunities. Business managers can now broadcast quality video with confidence across corporate intranets as well as the Internet using Window Media Services and the bandwidth-saving MPEG-4 codec. And IP/TV systems now support the ASF file format and URL markers to incorporate Web pages alongside video at designated times.

With the introduction of these Cisco IP/TV 3400 servers, the entire IP/TV system continues to build on its core strengths — delivering high-quality streaming video with the management features, scalability, and bandwidth efficiencies that large enterprise video implementations require.

Cisco IP/TV 3411 Control Server

At the center of the IP/TV architecture is the Cisco IP/TV 3411 Control Server. The Control Server manages clusters of archive and broadcast servers, both locally and remotely, and communicates program information directly to client desktops. Through an easy-to-use, browser-based interface, the Cisco IP/TV 3411 Control Server provides a wide range of video management services, including bandwidth, server, and content management services.

The Control Server configures servers in logical groups known as clusters, distributes content to local clusters, balances the load between clusters and servers, and directs users to the closest and least-busy servers. The Control Server uses an integrated database to track all video content — hundreds or thousands of programs — throughout the corporate network. It relays transmission instructions to each server and lets network administrators designate available bandwidth. Administrators can use the ServerWatch feature to instantly monitor server performance remotely by tracking programs that each server is broadcasting. The Control Server also offers point-and-click scheduling and security features.

Cisco IP/TV 3422 and 3423 Broadcast Servers

The Cisco IP/TV Broadcast Servers are ideal for multicasting live events or prerecorded programs on a scheduled basis from video cameras, VCRs, satellite feeds, cable feeds, or existing ASF, AVI, MPEG or QuickTime digital files. This allows both real-time delivery and broad reach while protecting and enabling the efficient use of network bandwidth resources. Both Broadcast Servers can concurrently multicast a live program, plus numerous scheduled prerecorded programs. By using IP multicast technology, they deliver events as they happen, such as a CEO`s address to thousands of people, while using single streams of network bandwidth. The Broadcast Servers use the multicast capability of Cisco routers and other internetworking equipment to stream content on a video-on-demand (VOD) basis.

The two different Broadcast Servers satisfy specific needs and offer varying compression techniques, depending upon application requirements and available bandwidth.

• The Cisco IP/TV 3422 Broadcast Server captures real-time and prerecorded content and streams it over the network using MPEG-4 video. This server is appropriate for low-bandwidth connections to remote sites, to field offices, or over the Internet.

• The Cisco IP/TV 3423 Broadcast Server captures real-time and prerecorded content and streams it over a network using a wide variety of formats, including MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, Indeo, and H.261 compression. It also helps balance quality with bandwidth limitations.

Cisco IP/TV 3431 Archive Server

The Cisco IP/TV 3431 Archive Server is the premium choice for businesses that plan extensive use of prerecorded VOD. With this server, users can watch training programs or management broadcasts that have been stored in a video archive whenever it`s convenient and still be assured of quality transmissions.

The Cisco IP/TV 3431 Archive Server offers both high-performance and large-volume (up to 120 hours) storage capacity for VOD applications. It delivers up to 50 Mbps of 1 Mbps, 30 frames per second, aggregate video bandwidth, enabling the support of MPEG-1, MPEG-2 (half resolution and full resolution), MPEG-4, Indeo, and H.261 content, using IP/TV servers or Microsoft Windows Media servers.

Cisco IP/TV 3415 Video Starter System

The Cisco IP/TV 3415 Video Starter System introduces high-quality IP/TV network video to an enterprise planning larger-scale deployments. This system combines many services into a single unit and offers Control Server management services in addition to live, scheduled, and VOD broadcast services. It`s perfect for a department or small group training.

Key Features and Benefits

Cisco IP/TV 3400 Series Servers offer a strong set of features with exceptional benefits to both users and IT organizations.

• Turnkey Solution — Cisco IP/TV 3400 Series Servers, with preconfigured software, preinstalled capture cards, network interface cards, and device drivers, offer turnkey network video solutions that support the communication requirements of large enterprises.

• Powerful Management Capabilities — The Cisco IP/TV 3411 Control Server provides a wide range of management functions, including automatic content distribution, proximity management, load balancing, server administration, bandwidth management, content tracking, point-and-click scheduling, and security. These management features ensure scalability, bandwidth efficiency, and quality.

• High-Quality Video and Audio Balanced with Optimal Network Needs — Depending upon bandwidth availability and network traffic, Cisco IP/TV servers can support a variety of video formats, including MPEG-1, MPEG-2 (half and full resolution), MPEG-4, H.261, and Indeo, and key audio formats such as MP3 and Windows Media Audio.

• Easy Program Access — Viewers at their desks can find and select programs from a program listing (which combines programs served both by Microsoft Windows Media Servers and Cisco IP/TV servers) and view these programs on a live, scheduled, or on-demand basis.

• Standards Based — A key advantage of the IP/TV system is its adherence to standards. Cisco IP/TV systems run on a variety of IP platforms and they use industry-standard technologies, including IETF protocols, Microsoft Windows operating systems, standard video and audio codecs, and standard digital file formats.

• Efficient IP Multicast — Cisco IP/TV uses IP multicast to optimize bandwidth for live and scheduled video, broadcasting a single, real-time stream per program over the network, regardless of audience size.

• Cisco Service and Support — Cisco IP/TV servers and software are fully backed by the industry-leading Cisco SMARTne maintenance service and support program. SMARTnet provides quick response to hardware replacement needs, 24 x 7 telephone support, and software upgrades. As the internetworking leader, Cisco provides full network support, from routers to switches, hubs, firewalls, Cisco IOS software and systems integration consulting.

Specifications

Please refer to http://www.cisco.com/go/iptv for a more complete listing.

For information on software, see the part number table in the Ordering Information section that follows.

Ordering Information

Posted: Wed Sep 27 05:13:27 PDT 2000
Copyright 1989-2000©Cisco Systems Inc.