VIVA InstallFest
Parallel Session for Librarians
-this session will provide a basic overview of the VIVA
PBS project, an introduction to the technologies
associated with the project, guidelines for decision
making and an opportunity for librarians from VIVA
schools to discuss implications of the project and
plan future directions.
VIVA Shibboleth InstallFest
12 November 2008
Ralph Alberico, [email protected]
About This Session
I.
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III.
IV.
V.
VI.
Why streaming video?
Will this work in my library?
Let’s federate!
System & user support issues
Resource discovery, accessibility & learning
Possibilities? Next steps?
PART 1
Why streaming?
Opportunities
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Educational video on demand
Multiple viewers at one time
Level the playing field across institutions
Deliver video to classrooms & public spaces
Enhance learning via out-of-class experiences
Put videos into broader contexts
Challenges
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New and rapidly changing technology
Competing technical standards
Uneven infrastructure across campuses
General unfamiliarity with policy issues
Working across organizations & cultures
Streaming Video Scenarios
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Multimedia licensing as a strategic objective
VIVA licenses content, vendor hosts
VIVA licenses content and hosts centrally
VIVA members host content on a peer-topeer basis
• Each VIVA school hosts content locally
• VIVA contracts with 3rd party to host content
• Combination of the above
Licensing Considerations - PBS
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Breadth of coverage, quality of content
One-time fee vs. ongoing subscription
Term license vs. perpetual license
Access via IP domain vs. authentication
Downloading vs. stream only
Subsidiary rights and stability of content
The PBS Collection
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Content supports learning across schools
498 titles, over 500 hours of video
Delivered as MPEG-4 DVDs ~2 mbps
Broad subject coverage & high production
values, low “volatility”
• License in perpetuity, one fee, host your own
• Downloading prohibited
• User id and password required for
authentication and authorization
Streaming Video Strategic Goals
• VIVA Task Force on Multimedia Collections
• Develop expertise with rich media within
the consortium
• Establish a forum for resource sharing and
information exchange
• Recommend technical specs and technical
support structures
• Recommend approaches to cataloging,
resource discovery and preservation
• Develop models for user support
Planning Issues
• Wide variation in infrastructure and technical
expertise among members
• Bandwidth!!!
• Server/service management issues
• Encoding
• Access control
• Resource discovery
• Integration with learning & teaching
• User support
Strategy Elements
• Emphasize VIVA principles of sharing, equitable
access and cost effectiveness
• University of Virginia provides central hosting
under Shibboleth; other schools can opt to host
their own content and/or use central host
• Define and follow best practices
• Encode files to a standard and share them
• Divide the labor, avoid duplication of effort
• Pursue common denominator solutions (e.g.
same encoding and cataloging for local and
central hosting)
PART 2
Will this work in my library?
Where are we now?
• Surveyed all VIVA members
• Analyzed responses from 54 campuses
• Adopted parallel strategy of short term
support for local hosting and long term
support for central hosting
• Using Shibboleth as authentication
mechanism for centrally hosted content
• Shibboleth decision drives encoding choices
Streaming Video Hosting
Experience in VIVA
The 64% question: Does your school host online video collections?
Server & Player Selection Issues
• Shibboleth solution requires Darwin Streaming
Server (open source equivalent of QuickTime)
• QuickTime is default player for the project
• Server and player decisions at each school can be
made independently from central service
• Standalone player offers screen size and random
access advantages; player support choice is a local
decision
• Plug-in keeps everything in the browser and can be
configured to play segments from within longer
streams
Most Popular Media Players
4-year old data; probably different now
Which Players Work With the VIVA PBS Files
The VIVA PBS files use the H.264 codec which is
the closest thing to a standard which exists for
streaming video. The files use the MPEG-4
(.mp4) container. Any media player which can
handle H.264, .mp4 files can play the
streaming files. QuickTime player is the
default for the project. Other players which
work include RealPlayer and VLC.
Preferred Encoding Format
Preferred Media Servers
Shibboleth platform is Darwin
Encoding Decision Process
• Encoding samples developed for each of the major
media players
• Samples prepared with different compression tools,
bit rates, resolutions, frame rates etc
• Samples served from different institutions and
tested for quality on different bandwidth networks
• Decision to go with QuickTime compatible scheme
and MPEG-4 with H.264 codec at 300 and 800 kbps
• Encoding of files outsourced to TapHere!
• Encoded files distributed on hard drives
Encoding Workflow
• Technical specifications developed and refined within
VIVA
• Various approaches to encoding processes tested
within VIVA
• 1 hour of streaming = 10+ hours of encoding
• Decision made to outsource encoding
• RFP developed for outsourcing
• Key criteria: technical specifications, stream quality,
turnaround time on encoding jobs, adherence to QA
process, embedded metadata, intellectual property
protection, cost
Contract awarded to: TapHere Technologies!
Network capacities in VIVA
• 6 research universities have 1-10 gigabit per
second pipes to edge of campus
• 50+ campuses have pipes from 45 to 500
megabits per second capacity
• A few schools have capacity of 10 megabits per
second or less
• Almost all schools have adequate bandwidth
to academic buildings on their campuses
Bandwidth Issues
• Bandwidth is the single most critical issue
• Incoming pipe capacity is critical for content hosted off
campus
• Packet shaping and other net traffic control measures can
be a problem; caching can help
• Network load is critical; time of day matters
• On-campus infrastructure is generally adequate for local
hosting
• Schools with greatest need for central hosting are least
able to handle incoming streams
• 45 mbps = entry level for central hosting participation
• Need to take care on distribution of 800 kbps streams
What do I need at my school?
• Adequate bandwidth to the edge of campus (varies
depending on amt of traffic)
• Eliminate bandwidth restrictions on inbound VIVA files
• Adequate bandwidth to buildings where videos will be played
• Off-campus users with broadband connectivity
• Media players that can play H.264, MPEG-4 streams
• Join the InCommon Federation
• Install Shibboleth Identity Provider software and connect it to
the campus identity management service
Let’s try it out.
James Madison University Library Catalog
http://leo.jmu.edu/
Keyword Search: VIVA streaming video collection
For current JMU students, faculty and staff. Schools that have
Shibboleth deployed can use the link for VIVA users.
Demo of catalog search, Shibboleth authentication and playback
with QuickTime plug-in and QuickTime player.
Lunch
Reconvene at 1:30 PM
PART 3
Let’s federate!
Authentication and Authorization
• Shibboleth for authorization to VIVA hosted service
based on user attributes
• Local authentication solutions for files hosted on
individual campuses (LDAP scripts, EZ Proxy, etc)
• Authentication often happens in front of release of
stream and not at local streaming servers (requires
strategies to hide stream URLs)
• Moving toward authentication at server level for
local hosting
Shibboleth Definition
The Hebrew word used by Jephthah as a testword by which to distinguish the fleeing
Ephraimites (who could not pronounce
the sh) from his own men the Gileadites
(Judges xii. 4-6).
2. transf. a. A word or sound which a person
is unable to pronounce correctly; a word
used as a test for detecting foreigners, or
persons from another district, by their
pronunciation.
Source: Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, 1989
http://dictionary.oed.com/
Shibboleth Internet2 Definition
“The Shibboleth System is a standards based, open
source software package for web single sign-on
across or within organizational boundaries. It allows
sites to make informed authorization decisions for
individual access of protected online resources in a
privacy-preserving manner.”
Source: Shibboleth® Web Site
http://shibboleth.internet2.edu/
Short Definition: Single sign-on access to online
services based on assertions about user attributes.
The VIVA PBS project offers a low risk, high benefit
opportunity to test the technology.
Pursue a Federation?
N=31 (including VCCS with 24 campuses)
Implementation Timetable
N=31 (including VCCS with 24 campuses)
Shibboleth Steps
1. Establish a federation within VIVA along
with a “trust fabric” and policies governing
which types of users have access to which
types of video streams
2. Implement a Shibboleth Service Provider for
video streaming at the University of Virginia
3. Join InCommon federation to manage
policies and WAYF (Where Are You From?)
services
4. Install Shibboleth Identity Provider software
at participating campuses
Search for a Video
I think I will search
for the online video my
Professor
recommended.
Request a Video Stream
This looks interesting. I
think I will watch it now.
Request for Shibboleth Streaming Service
Hmm… looks like I
need to click on the link
to see the online video
Link to Shibboleth enabled
Streaming service
WAYF dialog
I guess they need to
know where I am from
before they let me see
the video.
Where are you from?
College of William and Mary
George Mason University
James Madison University
Old Dominion University
Sweet Briar College
University of Mary Washington
University of Richmond
University of Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Tech University
User request
is redirected
to InCommon
Federation
WAYF.
Login at Home Institution
Now they want me to
login to JMU.
After login,
assertion about
user attributes
is passed to
streaming
service
View Stream After Authentication
Hey …this looks a lot
better than what I am
used to seeing on
YouTube.
Streaming video in
QuickTime player
Stream is launched after
Shibboleth Service Provider
determines that attribute obtained
from Identity Provider at home
school matches type of person
authorized to view the stream.
VIVA PBS Shibboleth Splash Screen
Let’s try it out.
Shibboleth-Enabled Service at University of Virginia
https://pbsvid.itc.virginia.edu/
For VIVA Members via InCommon
OK, your request is
redirected to the
Handle Service
of your home org.
Shibboleth Authentication
Where Are
You From?
I don’t know you.
Not even which home
org you are from.
I redirect your request
to the WAYF
WAYF
2
(InCommon)
5
I don’t know you.
Please authenticate
Using WEBLOGIN
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Shibboleth Identity
Provider
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6
Shibboleth Streaming
Service Provider
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Credentials
User
Database
Handle
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AA
Attribute
OK, I know you now.
I redirect your request
to the target, together
with a handle
Adapted from Michael Gettes, 2004
Handle
ACS
Handle
AR
10
Streaming files
HS
Shibbolized Darwin
Streaming Server
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Attributes
Pass user attribute
to Service Provider.
Ask Attribute Authority for
attributes to see if user is
eligible to receive service
If attribute = member,
PART 4
System & user support issues
Central System Support
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Shibboleth Service Provider
Streaming server
Application interface
Contact with InCommon
Issue tracking with VIVA IT contacts
Local Campus Support
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Shibboleth Identity Provider (IdP)
Campus Identity management service
Campus online catalog & resource discovery
Media player support
Learner & classroom support
Campus Help Desk services
IT Contact with Shibboleth Service Provider at
UVa
User Support Community
• Listserv at UVa
• VIVA Multimedia Task Force Google Site
• Need to finalize contact lists among
participating schools
• Knowledge base for known issues?
PART 5
Finding & using video streams
Cataloging & Resource Discovery
• Integrate with existing systems or develop separate
repository?
• Support multiple paths to the streams (OPAC, LMS,
repository, links on the web etc)
• Discovery tools and schema in flux
• Looked at many schema and tools for enabling
search and resource discovery (MARC, Dublin Core,
MODS, MPEG-7, PBCore, Blinx)
• Needed to balance metadata quality with a
reasonable production timetable
Resource Discovery Strategies
• Produce records for video streams from existing
OCLC MARC records
• Modify OCLC MARC records to suit local needs
• Prepare records to be imported into local integrated
library systems
• Script iTunes atom level embedded metadata at time
of encoding
• Ingest metadata from file manifest spreadsheet or
add manually for use in local file systems and
repositories
Streaming Video Catalog Record
MARC Record in Library Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC)
Link to Companion Web Site
iTunes Embedded Metadata
Embedded Metadata from iTunes Atoms shown in QuickTime Player Display
Streaming URL Syntax
Referencing Video Clips
Parameters may be added to the base name URL for each video
title to specify High (H) or Normal (N) bit rate and to specify
start and stop times for a clip within a longer video.
Example: Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
https://pbsvid.itc.virginia.edu/cgi-bin/secure/vivapbs?pbs_amx002-5&N&00:27:09:00&00:31:50:00
The URL above tells the streaming server to start playback at
minute 27 and second 9 and end at minute 31, second 50
Try it out
Current Status
 Streaming files encoded at 300 and 800 kbps in QuickTime H.264
format
 State contract available for subsequent encoding services
 Cataloging records developed for streaming files
 Video files and catalog records available from JMU
 Catalog records available from VIVA FTP site
 Locally hosted service available at several schools
 Centrally hosted Shibboleth streaming operational at UVa
 Contract template for InCommon Federation developed (10 VIVA
members have joined)
 Google Site created for the project; Install Fest – 12 Nov 2008
PART 6
Possibilities? Next Steps?
What does this mean?
• Single sign-on solution for web services
• Quality online video collections for VIVA
members without the hassle of managing a
streaming service
• Ability to place online video in educational
contexts and reference streams in many ways
• Federated identity opens possibilities for more
sharing across institutions
• Services based on trust relationships can be
differentiated based on user attributes
Development Priorities &Possibilities
• Application interface
• Cataloging & resource discovery
• Encoding/transcoding/player development
• Bookmarking & playlisting capabilities
• Acquisitions & licensing
• How to share future development work?
Examples to discuss: Application interface, Application
interface proposal, tagging & playlists, Flash,
streaming video marketplace
Selected InCommon Partners
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Cengage Learning, Inc.
EBSCO Publishing
Elsevier
JSTOR
Microsoft
OCLC
ProQuest LLC
RefWorks, LLC
Safari Books Online
Next Steps
• For central service, pilot test Shibboleth with
subset of 10 VIVA schools
• Modify application interface
• Develop support community and contact lists
• Conduct quality assurance testing; pursue
strategies to expand access to smaller schools
• Address timecode issued
• Integrate online video with teaching and
learning systems and practices
• License/identify additional streaming content?
Lessons learned so far
• The best solution is not necessarily the
quickest or easiest
• Addressing legal, technical, policy and user
support issues across institutional
boundaries is a big challenge
• Establishing standards os important
• Someone has to take ownership
• Patience is a virtue