Re: [council] Audiocast

[William Drake <william.drake@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

Thanks Marika for moving this forward, option 4 sounds right.   I'll be on a 
plane during the call but look forward to hearing from folks how it worked.  

Best, 

Bill

On Jul 13, 2010, at 5:59 PM, Marika Konings wrote:

> Chuck and all, 
> 
> Yes, as noted we are still waiting for confirmation from our IT team on the 
> trial going ahead or not, but as soon as we have further information, we’ll 
> let everyone know. 
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Marika
> 
> On 13/07/10 17:29, "Chuck Gomes" <cgomes@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
>> Unfortunately, we do not yet know whether ICANN IT staff will be able to get 
>> the trial set up in time.  As soon as we know, it would be good for staff to 
>> send a message as broadly as possible announcing the trial and all of us 
>> should inform our respective groups.
>> Chuck
>> 
>> From: owner-council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On 
>> Behalf Of Mary Wong
>> Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 11:01 AM
>> Cc: Council GNSO; Marika Konings
>> Subject: Re: [council] Audiocast
>> 
>> 
>> As do I, and thank Marika and the staff for finding and presenting the 
>> current options clearly.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Will there be (or has there been) a general announcement to the various SGs 
>> about the 15 July trial, or should the Councillors inform their respective 
>> SGs? I ask also in case there are to be limits on the number of participants 
>> for this particular trial run.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Cheers
>> 
>> Mary
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Mary W S Wong
>> 
>> Professor of Law & Chair, Graduate IP Programs
>> 
>> Franklin Pierce Law Center
>> 
>> Two White Street
>> 
>> Concord, NH 03301
>> 
>> USA
>> 
>> Email: mwong@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> 
>> Phone: 1-603-513-5143
>> 
>> Webpage: http://www.piercelaw.edu/marywong/index.php
>> 
>> Selected writings available on the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) 
>> at: http://ssrn.com/author=437584
>> 
>> 
>> >>> 
>> 
>>     
>>   From:   Olga Cavalli <olgacavalli@xxxxxxxxx>   
>>   To:   "Gomes, Chuck" <cgomes@xxxxxxxxxxxx>   
>>   CC:   Marika Konings <marika.konings@xxxxxxxxx>, Council GNSO 
>> <council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>   
>>   Date:   7/12/2010 10:24 PM   
>>   Subject:   Re: [council] Audiocast    
>> I agree with the trial.
>>  Regards 
>>  Olga
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> 2010/7/12 Gomes, Chuck <cgomes@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> 
>>  
>>  
>> 
>> Thanks Marika. Assuming no Councilor objections, I support the trial run 
>> this coming Thursday. That will allow us to fulfill the resolution of 
>> starting the service this month and also to evaluate it after the meeting to 
>> help us refine future plans.
>> 
>> Chuck
>> 
>>  
>>  
>>  
>> 
>> From: owner-council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On 
>> Behalf Of Marika Konings
>>  Sent: Monday, July 12, 2010 4:37 PM
>>  To: Council GNSO
>>  Subject: [council] Audiocast
>> 
>>  
>>  
>>  
>>  
>> 
>> Dear All,
>>  
>>  In response to Council Resolution on Enhancing the Transparency of GNSO 
>> Council Meetings (20100623-5), the GNSO Policy Staff has explored the 
>> different options available with the ICANN IT department to audiocast the 
>> GNSO Council meetings going forward. Below you will find an overview of the 
>> different options, including possible benefits / disadvantages and a 
>> proposed way forward to test and assess the recommended solution as soon as 
>> possible.
>>  
>>  1. Audiocast via Adobe Connect
>>  Description: The conference bridge would be connected via an Adobe Connect 
>> room (a separate Adobe Connect room from the GNSO Council Adobe Connect 
>> room) so that participants can listen to the audiocast via Adobe Connect. 
>>  Benefits:
>>  § Once system is in place, the GNSO Secretariat can set it up with the 
>> assistance of the operator for each conference call so that no additional IT 
>> support would be required.
>>  Potential disadvantages:
>>  § Short delay between real-time audio and audiocast
>>  § Requires use of proprietary software 
>>  § Less suitable for low bandwidth participants
>>  § Requires Internet Connection
>>  Cost:
>>  § Staff resources to set up Adobe Connect room connection for each meeting
>>  § One phone connection to audio bridge
>>  
>>  2. Separate teleconference-bridge for audiocast participants
>>  Description: set up a separate teleconference bridge for audiocast 
>> participants. All those on the separate teleconference bridge would then be 
>> connected to the Council audio bridge with a muted line.
>>  Benefits: 
>>  § No delay in audiocast
>>  § No IT support required
>>  § No internet connection required
>>  Potential disadvantages:
>>  § Requires operator / GNSO Secretariat support (e.g. dial-outs, connection 
>> problems)
>>  § Potential high costs depending on number of participants
>>  § No toll-free numbers available for all countries, although in this case 
>> dial-outs can be provided
>>  § Requires phone line
>>  Cost:
>>  § Potentially high, depending on number of participants (toll-free numbers 
>> / dial-outs are provided for which the cost range per minute depending on 
>> country of origin)
>>  
>>  3. Audiocast through web-based interface (similar to how audiocast is 
>> provided during ICANN meetings)
>>  Description: A stream audio encoder will be set up along with a telephone 
>> hybrid. The audio from the conference call will be connected to the stream 
>> encoder so that whatever occurs on the conference call will be transmitted 
>> to the stream encoder. The stream encoder would them send this to our relay 
>> servers and the public could connect to those servers with the URL we 
>> provide.
>>  Benefits: 
>>  § Accessible to low bandwidth participants
>>  § No proprietary software required to run the audiocast
>>  Potential disadvantages:
>>  § Approx. 15 second delay between real-time audio and audiocast
>>  § Resource intense as it would require IT support for every GNSO Council 
>> call to set up audiocast and monitor to ensure quality and continuity. 
>>  § Requires Internet connection
>>  Cost:
>>  § IT support time to set up for each call and monitor during the course of 
>> the meeting
>>  § Audio equipment
>>  § One phone connection to audio bridge
>>  
>>  4. Automated audiocast stream via web-site
>>  Description: A special software programme would be developed which would 
>> allow an operator to dial-in to the conference bridge and stream the 
>> software via a web control panel.
>>  Benefits:
>>  § Accessible to low bandwidth participants
>>  § No propriety software required to run the audiocast 
>>  § After initial development, easy to maintain and run by GNSO staff – no 
>> continuous IT support required
>>  § Apart from initial development, low costs
>>  Potential disadvantages:
>>  § Approx. 15 second delay between real-time audio and audiocast
>>  § Requires Internet connection
>>  Cost:
>>  § Initial development of software programme by IT team
>>  § One phone connection to audio bridge
>>  
>>  Recommendation: Taking into the accessibility for audiocast participants; 
>> staff resources required to implement and maintain the system; and, the 
>> overall costs of the different options, ICANN Staff would like to propose to 
>> run a trial with the ‘automated audiocast stream via web-site’ option 
>> (option 4) to see whether this system would meet the needs identified by the 
>> GNSO Council. To this end, our IT Team is in the process of developing a 
>> prototype software programme that it hopes to try out during the next GNSO 
>> Council meeting on 15 July. On the basis of this trial, ICANN Staff would be 
>> able to assess, based on feedback from the GNSO Council, audiocast 
>> participants and a technical assessment, whether additional changes or 
>> improvements are required. 
>>  
>>  We look forward to receiving your feedback and will be available to answer 
>> any questions you might have during our next meeting on 15 July. 
>>  
>>  With best regards,
>>  
>>  Marika
>> 
>>  
>>  
>>  
>>  
>>  
>>  
>>   
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>  <http://www.piercelaw.edu/> 
>> 

***********************************************************
William J. Drake
Senior Associate
Centre for International Governance
Graduate Institute of International and
 Development Studies
Geneva, Switzerland
william.drake@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.graduateinstitute.ch/cig/drake.html
www.linkedin.com/in/williamjdrake
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