# Presentation: 071708

## The Access Grid Node:

- The Node Operators Guide

## Meeting Participants

- Presenter
- Drives meeting
- Local and Remote Audience
- Most important participants!
- Network TroubleShooter
- On call to fix net problems
- Node Operator

- Meeting
- Infrastructure

- Tech
- Infrastructure

**Notes:**
Setting the scene.  Today’s focus is on the node op responsibilities.

## Elements of a Successful Meeting

- Display
- Audio
- Video
- Virtual Venues
- Distributed PowerPoint
- Communication

## Node Operator Responsibilities

- Node Setup
- System Tests
- Runtime Adjustments
- Communicate

## Node SetupDisplay

- Create AG display “Look and Feel”
- Set the AG display background to black
- Ensure that the task bar is visible only on the operator’s console
- Position console window conveniently

## Node SetupAudio

- Start the Gentner software
- Check preset switching
- Local mic sanity checks
- Mute the mics you won’t be using
- Un-mute the others
- Replace batteries
- Local level checks
- Room speakers
- Mic levels

**Notes:**
The 4 camera views form your node’s visual interface to the AG... be sure you represent your node well!

## Node SetupVideo

- Prepare camera shots:
- Shot of your node’s AG display
- Closeup of presenter
- Shot of audience area
- Closeup of Node Operator

**Notes:**
The 4 camera views form your node’s visual interface to the AG... be sure you represent your node well!

## What is a Virtual Venue?

- A location on the grid
- Not a physical space
- A dimension in which several physical spaces can be co-located
- A place that can be entered and exited
- A scoping mechanism to support multiple concurrent meetings
- A resource that can be reserved

## Node SetupVirtual Venue

- Node SetupVirtual Venue

- drm

- vrm

- arm

- VV
- server

- event
- server

**Notes:**
Components in current implementation of Virtual Venue software
------------------------------ 
Display resource mgr
Audio resource mgr
Video resource mgr
Event server
Virtual venue server

## Node SetupVirtual Venue

- Node SetupVirtual Venue

- display
- box

- audio
- box

- video
- box

- VRM

- ARM

- ANL
- box

- VV
- server

- DRM

- vic
- display

- mud

- rat

- event
- server

- www
- browser

- helper
- app

**Notes:**
Virtual Venue runtime instantiation

Node Operator goes to a url to log in to the AG,
Virtual Venue server returns a document that invokes a browser helper app,
Helper app sends message to event server,
Event server dispatches message to all the resource listeners,
Resource listeners tear down and launch their apps

## Node SetupDistributed PowerPoint

**Notes:**
Distributed ppt components as currently implemented.

One master, one registry/server, many clients

## Node SetupDistributed PowerPoint

- computer.of.your.choice

- display.bu.edu

- display.mcs.anl.gov

- display.ncsa.uiuc.edu

- client slides.ppt

- client slides.ppt

- client slides.ppt

- master slides.ppt

- registry and agserv

- presenter's laptop

**Notes:**
Runtime distribution of ppt components as currently implemented. 

## System Tests Audio

- Balance levels local to the node
- Test audio with across nodes
- Balance levels
- Eliminate poor-quality audio
- Ensure that node operator can speak in a normal voice and type w/o being detected on public channel
- Decide who will be the net-telco bridge
- Communicate!!!!

**Notes:**
DECIDE WHICH NODE WILL BE THE NET-TELCO BRIDGE

## System Tests

- Assess the state of network connectivity
- Use the beacon!!!!
- Bring in Network TroubleShooter if needed
- PowerPoint dry runs
- Download ppt files before event if very large
- Remove animations and transitions
- Single server per meeting
- Master coordination

## Operator ResponsibilitiesRuntime Adjustments

- Display
- Audio
- Video
- BackChannel Communications
- Distributed PowerPoint
- Participate on the mud!!!

## Runtime AdjustmentsDisplay

- Presenter should be able to see:
- remote audiences
- his own video
- remote nodes’ displays
- If cpu is pegged on display, mute non-critical video streams to save decoding
- Place video window of remote presenter on the same side of his ppt slides as he appears in real life

## Runtime AdjustmentsAudio

- Closely monitor audio transmit levels
- Turn off transmission when another node has the floor for an extended period
- Turn off silence suppression during presentations
- Inform local participants when you turn transmit on and off
- Relaunch rat if experiencing bad audio distortion

## Runtime AdjustmentsVideo

- Keep presenter framed in camera, but avoid Blair Witch syndrome
- Ensure presenter looks in the camera during presentation
- When an audience member asks a question, zoom audience cam in for a closeup
- Adjust hue/saturation/contrast/brightness
- Clamp transmission bandwidth to improve outgoing audio quality

## Runtime AdjustmentsBackChannel Communications

- Runtime AdjustmentsBackChannel Communications

- high priority

- low priority

**Notes:**
Nodes which do not contain an audience should remain in the background of backchannel communications.

## Runtime AdjustmentsDistributed PowerPoint

- Announce slide changes on backchannel
- Relaunch master if clients stop following
- Kill master process after presentation

## The Muds

- Two muds are used in the AG community
- Access Grid Hangout Room (wfg moo)
- Character generation is controlled
- Open for business 24x7
- Long-term social relationships have developed
- Access Grid Venue (venues moo)
- Character generation is automatic
- Characters come and go
- Usage is event-driven

**Notes:**
A Mud is a Multi-user virtual environment, MOO is an object oriented multi-user environment
	text based
	persistent
	capable of storing objects
	searchable
	recordable
	immediate, but ignorable

The Mud is an integral component of the Access Grid

## Provide Feedback

- Help us to identify problems with hardware and software
- Please participate!

**Notes:**
AG developers need feedback from users – what works well, what hardware problems are folks having, etc.