Directory Services Middleware for Multimedia Conferencing

This ViDe Cookbook provides an understanding of the theory and use of middleware for videoconferencing and voice over IP (VoIP), focusing on ITU-T recommendation H.350 "Directory Services Architecture for Multimedia Conferencing", and also standardized by the IETF as Informational RFC 3944. A standardized use of LDAP to store users voice, video and collaborative multimedia information in a way that integrates with directory and identity management systems is described. Account configuration, authentication and authorization are linked to the enterprise directory. H.350 improves security by standardized storage of authentication credentials. H.350 supports SIP, H.323, H.320 and also proprietary conferencing protocols. The cookbook explains the various object classes and attributes in H.350, discusses architectural choices and decisions, and provides step by step installation and configuration instructions for Sun One (iPlanet), OpenLDAP, and Active Directory. Sample code for developers is included.