Professionals Discussed IP Telephony and Videoconferences in Prague

On Tuesday 1 December, the CESNET association held an experts' seminar dealing with the issues of IP telephony and videoconferences at Masarykova kolej in Prague. With over fifty participants, most of them users and administrators of academic networks from all over the Czech Republic, the seminar was a continuation of successful events of a similar character held in previous years. Besides the presentation of services offered by the CESNET association and the concrete IP telephony solution used by the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, the seminar dealt with issues of safety, the importance of which continues to grow steadily, as well as up-to-date technical solutions in the field of audio and video.

The CESNET association has dealt with issues of Internet (IP) telephony and videoconferences for a long time within the framework of its research activities, which are implemented through the mediation of the CESNET2 national network. Their goals include, among other things, the development and improvement of IP telephony infrastructure services. One of the important topics dealt with by CESNET in this field is the SIP protocol, which is gaining global recognition within the framework of IP telephony.

As closed IP telephony networks limit the methods of their clients' communication to a considerable extent, the association aims at integration in terms of geography, i.e. interconnection with other national science and education networks or academic institutions, as well as in terms of the means used (terminal stations features, protocols etc.). The purpose is to use up-to-date means of communication to create a quality environment for the solution of research and infrastructure tasks.

The CESNET association was founded by universities and the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. The association is currently financed mainly from the resources of the governmental Research and Development Board and funds from the association members. The association deals with the research and development of information and communication technologies, and it is building and developing the CESNET2 national gigabit optical network designed for research and educational purposes. Thanks to its research activities and accomplishments, the CESNET association represents the Czech Republic in the GÉANT pan-European network building project, and takes an active part in its implementation.