Digital Video’s Important Role in Enterprises

There is a lot written, discussed and blogged about the usage of Video for the Consumer World. We continuously read about the new deployments of exceptional digital video Technology for Consumers. However, very little is written on the usage of Video for Enterprises. My objective of writing this blog is to highlight the usage of Digital Video Technology for Enterprises. I want to enumerate the different uses of Video Technology for Enterprise needs and also discuss on how this technology can be used for the betterment of society in general.

1. Oil Exploration and Disaster Recovery ( viz. Oil Spill )

Before I go into real usage of Enterprise Video Solutions for Oil Explorations, let me talk about the recent Oil Spill episode at Gulf. The Oil spill at Gulf was described as the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. The deep water spill was caused by the Rig, which can drill down in waters up to 8000 ft. At the time of the explosion, it was drilling an exploratory well at a water depth of approximately 5,000 feet about 41 miles (66 km) off the Louisiana coast. As this depth is dangerous for human beings, access to real time videos of the spill led the Government and also BP to take swift action on this disaster. Access to real time video feeds was possible due to the deployment of VBrick Streaming Video Technology ( VBrick is a Video Company which offers streaming solutions for wide range of applications ). VBrick Systems provided the complete end to end video IP solution for providing the live feed of the oil disaster. Almost every channel including CNN and Fox channels were broadcasting the live video feed, however the technology usage was not mentioned by these Media and Broadcast Companies.  This is one of the best example of how Video Technology can also be used for disaster recovery and resolution.

Oil and Gas Industry is deploying and using Video for enhancing their efforts on upstream exploration and drilling. This Industry is discovering to use video collaboration tools to deliver effective communications and increase their productivity overall. Real time 'Video over IP' can used as instant communication tool.

IP Video Surveillance solutions such as IP video servers and IP cameras are more useful and reliable than the traditional DVR systems, since the IP solutions offer greater installation flexibility and easier maintenance compared with traditional CCTV and DVR systems. IP Cameras also make security monitoring more feasible and safer.

2. Health Care & Surgery Industry

IP Video Solutions can be best utilized to build medical devices, toolset and infra-structure, used in modern health care specially Telesurgery. Telesurgery is perhaps the most demanding network video application requiring the lowest latency and highest quality video transmission, usually over great distances. Telesurgery using advanced robotic equipment can be over a long-distance communications link providing visual feedback through dual HD channels (OR multiple HD channels).

Haivision’s network video system and MAKO-HD™ H.264 codec was being used by Titan Medical and Bell Canada to support a test of Telesurgery performed with Titan Medical’s Amadeus® robotic surgical system. Haivision Network Video is a world leader in delivering the most advanced video networking technology and IP video distribution solutions. Their solutions help to connect operating theaters and clinics through their real-time video collaboration products.

IP Video Solutions can be used to assist life savings procedures, endoscopes (miniature cameras) and build motion video devices. Making real time video available to consulting physicians, interns, and Device experts helps them to communicate instantly and provide critical care for needy patients. The increasing number of mission critical video transmission systems at Hospitals has immensely helped the medical community to do their job more effectively and save more lives. This kind of technology can go a long way in outsourcing costly surgeries and eventually save money.

Here is another example of usage of IP Video OR Network Video. IP Video System’s Video2Data and DMS product are integrated in inStereotaxis Odyssey Platform. Stereotaxis is a Medical device company building cardiac interventional solutions. Stereo-taxis via its Odyssey Workstation platform is implementing global interventional support.

3.  Digital Signage and Corporate Training

Today’s large enterprises have diverse needs for IP Video. They need solutions which will deliver broadcast feeds to the desktop OR flat panels at the targeted locations. These solutions will also help enterprises to implement cost effective signage systems. They need to make stored video content available for training and reference. And some need to launch internal broadcasts of events or even complete internal Video Broadcast Sites. For example. Microsoft built Channel 9 website to promote conversations amongst Microsoft Customers OR educate the end-users on Microsoft products.

4. Defense and Government Establishments

IP Video OR Network Video Solutions can be used to build Network Simulation Products for training defense personnel. Video Collaboration tools can be used for dynamic and timely exchange of information between the military planners and commanders in the field.

IP Video Collaboration tools can be used for multiple purposes at Defense Institutions:

• Providing critical information to key service-men deployed in war OR disaster situations
• Improves mission capability and operational excellence of defense personnel
• Improving morale of overseas defense personnel
• Improves real-time collaboration between agencies
• Defense Manufacturers are increasingly deploying the IP Video Collaboration Tools to collaborate between the engineering experts and manufacturing personnel.

 IP VIDEO Companies building Enterprise Solutions

I would now like to list some of the top Companies, who are building real time, low latency Video Collaboration Solutions for Enterprises

1. Cisco Tandberg Division -> Cisco is the world leader in delivering comprehensive reliable Video Collaboration Tools. Tandberg Telepresense and HD Video Conferencing Solutions help you conduct high quality reliable conference calls between the interested parties. TANDBERG's real-time visual solutions are utilized by Financial institutions, Medical Practitioners, Manufacturers.

2. HP -> HP is also in the bandwagon for providing Video Collaboration solutions which help Enterprise Organizations to reduce travel and increase productivity amongst the geographically distributed diverse teams. HP has also collaborated with Tandberg to unify their Video Collaboration Tools to provide maximum efficiency.

HP’s flagship Halo Service supports the following critical features:

•        Seamless Company-to-Company connections
•        24/365 monitoring of network activity
•        Network Diagnostics and Monitoring
•        AES-256 encryption
•        24/7 concierge
•        Account management


3. Polycom -> Polycom’s Conferencing Solutions help Enterprises collaborate and build stronger teams and partnerships. Polycom’s solutions provide you the flexibility to choose from multiple mission-critical UC platforms. Polycom has variety of Industry Standard products for conferencing needs. Their HDX line of products deliver both performance and amazing clarity.

4. VBrick -> VBrick Systems is a leader in Enterprise IP Video with over 6000 customers. VBrick Solutions integrate five essential elements of streaming video communications which include

·         Video Capture

·         Video Transport

·         Record and Store

·         Playback

·         Manage and Control

5. Radvision -> Here is another Industry’s leader provider of products and technologies for unified visual communications over IP networks. RADVISION offers the most complete set of standards-based video networking infrastructure and developer toolkits on the market today. Radvision’s SCOPIA line of video conferencing products deliver a video experience that provide the extra personal touch need to do business communications. Radvision has also developed a comprehensive communication solution for both voice and video collaboration.

6. Optibase -> Optibase’s EZ TV Solutions are extensively deployed in military bases, government and enterprises to deliver real-time video over the WANS and LANs. The Company’s platforms are fully interoperable with equipment from IPTV vendors including set-top box developers, middle-ware software companies and network access vendors. Take a look at the work-flow of their end to end Video Solution using the link below.

http://www.optibase.com/imgs/uploads/Images/Diagrams/military_workflow.pdf

7. IPVideo Systems -> IP Video Systems have built real time encoders which stream ultra high-definition video and also desktop over IP networks. Their HD collaboration tools enable scalable high-performance data networking solutions serving distributed visualization applications and video over IP OR transport network. Their Digital Media Servers can record up to 50 1080p HD streams in unicast mode. IP Video Systems is partnering with Medical Device Companies to help build automated and interventional surgery applications.

8. Haivision -> Havision Network Video develops broadband interactive video communication solutions for all Enterprise and Consumer needs.  Haivision’s flagship product delivers extreme low latency multi-stream solutions for many enterprise needs including virtual classroom, and medical systems. The Hai1000 manages up to 10 high performance channels of MPEG-4 AVC / H.264 or MPEG-2 per system.

9. Kontiki -> Kontiki’s Enterprise Video Platform provide an integrated solution for video creation, management, delivery and engagement. Their solution is available as software as service (SAAS) running in cloud behind a firewall.

10. Avistar -> Avistar claims to have invested 15 years on research to develop their desktop video conferencing solution. Their flagship product C3 Desktop offers a commercial-grade, scalable and manageable desktop video conferencing solution. Avistat also uses a patenet-protected bandwidth management, firewall traversal and system central features.

A lot of Companies above and other Start Ups claim their Video Collaboration and Telepresence tools are meant for Enterprise usage. Not all Companies offer live video for enterprises. Their claim can only be verified based on the number of deployments and value-add for their Customers.

Summary: Digital Video Technology can be used to address Enterprise’s top issues and challenges. Future advancements in Video Technology has the ability to adopt and create new solutions and unique applications for Enterprises.