TAS/ Servers
Description:
Audio/Video Device and Channel Switching/Control Software Servers. Maintains a
virtual office model, including the concept of door-state for personal
accessibility. Provides call management for point-to-point and
(internal)multipoint A/V synchronous connections. Controls devices such as a
PictTelCodec, various brands of baseband A/V switches, and VCRs. It is the
A/Vanalog of the telephone PBX. TAS/ servers at different sites will be able
to communicate with each other in order that connections can be made between
users at different sites in a reasonably transparent manner.
Form:
Servers are written in C and run on Sun UNIX platforms, SunOs 4.1.3. The
software is quite sophisticated.
Strengths:
Fairly unique as a capability, and extensible through new applications (such as
Portholes) which exploit the switching features.
Caveats:
Needs client programs that exploit its intelligence (there are some, see
below). Software is part owned by Xerox. Servers are single threaded, thus they
probably could not handle large sites. Fairly robust but could be improved.
Uses Internet services for communications.
Other:
The inter-TAS/ communications are currently under development.