案例研究:提升教育体验

迈阿密大学位于牛津, 俄亥俄州, 辛辛那提以北35英里, 在汉密尔顿有区域办事处, 米德尔顿, 和西切斯特, 俄亥俄州, 以及在卢森堡的欧洲中心. 有14,本科生488人,牛津校园里有812名研究生, the university effectively combines a wide range of academic programs with the personal attention ordinarily found only at much smaller institutions. The university’s residential programs involve students in life-enhancing activities that build leadership, 字符, 以及一生的友谊.

While many universities rely on a cable system for delivery of video to the classroom or dormitory, Miami University sought a different model—one that would give faculty members more flexibility in making media available to students and that would also free students to take greater advantage of both the university’s academic and student life opportunities. "Our goal in implementing a flexible streaming system is to offer resources that improve the student experience and facilitate, 而不是阻碍, 学习过程,克里斯·伯纳德说, director of network engineering and telecommunications at Miami University. "It was very quickly evident that HaiVision’s video distribution system would enhance student life across our campuses."

The conventional cable-based model required faculty to be in the classroom and students to be working on their computers to view media according to a preset schedule. 结果是, professors had little flexibility in presenting the day’s material and students were forced to organize their schedules around specific broadcast times. The nature of cable delivery further prevented staff and students from pausing video for discussion or to simply attend to other priorities. 寻找更聪明的, 前瞻性的解决方案，以满足其视频传输需求, Miami University evaluated and tested various solutions available on the market. 经过严格的评估和测试, the university selected HaiVision to deploy a new IP video streaming system throughout its campuses.

解决方案实施
Miami University today uses HaiVision’s Video Furnace System to deliver live television channels and video on demand to students and instructors across its main and satellite campuses. 一个完全集成的视频分发解决方案, HaiVision’s system allows Miami University to use its existing IP network to deliver high-quality video to desktops, 笔记本电脑, and LCD displays with a high degree of flexibility and very minimal maintenance.

"By simplifying the previously frustrating and difficult task of obtaining video for student viewing, the HaiVision system has made a dramatic improvement in the lives of our instructors,伯纳德补充道。. "Our students benefit from the remarkable speed and efficiency of the system, 以及界面的外观和感觉, which clearly was designed by individuals who knew how users would work with the system. The response across faculty, students, and IT staff has been very enthusiastic."

The university commissioned the HaiVision system with both the Portal Server and Media Server. The Furnace Portal Server controls the direct and secure distribution of video to the InStream player. 这个播放器可以在所有的Windows上启用, Mac OS X, and Linux users to watch video with the simple click of a mouse while enjoying the exact same user interface across all platforms.

The platform independence of the InStream player was important in this implementation because Miami University offers both Mac- and Windows-based 笔记本电脑 through its "Miami Notebook" program. 大约60%的学生利用了这个项目, which offers students a business-class laptop equipped to meet both academic and lifestyle needs for 4 years, and more than 50% of participating students have purchased Mac systems.

在生态基, smooth operation within the Mac environment was a significant issue with the video systems tested by the university. 流媒体播放器消除了这个问题, 反过来, minimized the work required of IT staff to ensure students enjoyed ongoing access to media. 除了, because InStream simply appears with the video stream and disappears when viewing ends without any software installation or plug-in required, there is no need for IT staff to install or manage end-user software on student or classroom computers at all.

The Furnace Media Server enables the university’s video-on-demand services, making media readily accessible to classrooms across the campus network. A powerful suite of administrative components offers administrators an array of tools for digitizing, 管理, 现场分发, 存档, 或通过IP网络点播视频.

HaiVision’s engineering team worked with Bernard and his staff to get the system implemented according to the university’s needs. 除了为技术人员提供持续的支持之外, the company held on-campus training sessions for the nontechnical users, such as staff members in the university library and those members located at the university’s regional centers.