A bi-directional SOAP/SMS gateway service
- Halse, Guy A, Terzoli, Alfredo, Wells, George C
- Authors: Halse, Guy A , Terzoli, Alfredo , Wells, George C
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: Broadband 2 SATNAC 2002
- Language: English
- Type: Conference paper
- Identifier: vital:6600 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008293
- Description: Many applications need the ability to do real-time notification when events occur. Often the people who need to be kept aware of events are in a remote location. This paper looks at a bi-directional gateway between networked computers and the GSM short message service. The gateway is implemented as a web service, and uses the Simple Object Access Protocol to facilitate data communication. The service interacts with a database in order to facilitate retrieval of sent or received messages, as well as provide accounting abilities. It is intended as a practical proof-of-concept application demonstrating some ofdemonstrating some of the capabilities of the Simple Object Access Protocol.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2002
- Authors: Halse, Guy A , Terzoli, Alfredo , Wells, George C
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: Broadband 2 SATNAC 2002
- Language: English
- Type: Conference paper
- Identifier: vital:6600 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008293
- Description: Many applications need the ability to do real-time notification when events occur. Often the people who need to be kept aware of events are in a remote location. This paper looks at a bi-directional gateway between networked computers and the GSM short message service. The gateway is implemented as a web service, and uses the Simple Object Access Protocol to facilitate data communication. The service interacts with a database in order to facilitate retrieval of sent or received messages, as well as provide accounting abilities. It is intended as a practical proof-of-concept application demonstrating some ofdemonstrating some of the capabilities of the Simple Object Access Protocol.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2002
A Comparison of Four End-User Devices as Thin Clients for Public Access to the Internet in Poor Communities
- Duff, Kevin, Siebörger, Ingrid, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Duff, Kevin , Siebörger, Ingrid , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/430892 , vital:72725 , https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16886-9_24
- Description: In poor areas, where ICT infrastructure is being deployed with devel-opmental aims, there is a need to provide appropriate, sustainable technologies that meet the needs of the local community. Current trends for ICT interventions favour the use of mobile user equipment, such as tablets and cellphones, but we think that they are inappropriate to allow production as opposed to mainly consumption of digital con-tent, at least for the foreseeable future. Thus our objective is to reduce the cost of deployment of traditional communal Internet Access Points using PCs. In this paper we compare four candidate computers to be used as thin clients in such settings, according to seven different cate-gories. Our study identifies the strengths, weaknesses and problems of each device, and concludes with recommendations for anybody wish-ing to deploy such devices as Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP) thin clients in a public Internet Access Point.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Duff, Kevin , Siebörger, Ingrid , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/430892 , vital:72725 , https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16886-9_24
- Description: In poor areas, where ICT infrastructure is being deployed with devel-opmental aims, there is a need to provide appropriate, sustainable technologies that meet the needs of the local community. Current trends for ICT interventions favour the use of mobile user equipment, such as tablets and cellphones, but we think that they are inappropriate to allow production as opposed to mainly consumption of digital con-tent, at least for the foreseeable future. Thus our objective is to reduce the cost of deployment of traditional communal Internet Access Points using PCs. In this paper we compare four candidate computers to be used as thin clients in such settings, according to seven different cate-gories. Our study identifies the strengths, weaknesses and problems of each device, and concludes with recommendations for anybody wish-ing to deploy such devices as Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP) thin clients in a public Internet Access Point.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
A Framework for the Management of Operator Policies and User Preferences for Service Compositions in the IP Multimedia Subsystem
- Tsietsi, Mosiuoa, Terzoli, Alfredo, Wells, George C
- Authors: Tsietsi, Mosiuoa , Terzoli, Alfredo , Wells, George C
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/430680 , vital:72708 , https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/6032212
- Description: The IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is a telecommunication middleware platform with robust service features that enables the delivery of a wide range of services to mobile network subscribers. Network operators are encouraged to develop services from service building blocks in order to avoid redundancies by re-using existing functionality. In this environ-ment, operators must be able to control the service execution chain in order to prevent undesirable interactions from occurring between indi-vidual building blocks. It is also in their interests to provide subscribers with personalisation options so that they can modify service composi-tions and define their own preferences for how they would like their ser-vices to behave during live sessions. This paper describes a solution for these challenges that involves the storage of service information in an XDMS and allows operator staff and subscribers to manage this in-formation using the XCAP protocol. The ETSI-defined XCAP applica-tion usage named simservs was chosen to demonstrate an application usage that can be used to create service compositions in XML format. A prototype is described that uses components of the open source Mo-bicents project to verify the suitability of the design. This work is part of a larger effort aimed at modeling interaction management in the IMS through the use of a service broker that is part of an extended IMS ser-vice layer (EISL). The service broker's functional and structural architec-ture have not yet been standardised.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Tsietsi, Mosiuoa , Terzoli, Alfredo , Wells, George C
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/430680 , vital:72708 , https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/6032212
- Description: The IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is a telecommunication middleware platform with robust service features that enables the delivery of a wide range of services to mobile network subscribers. Network operators are encouraged to develop services from service building blocks in order to avoid redundancies by re-using existing functionality. In this environ-ment, operators must be able to control the service execution chain in order to prevent undesirable interactions from occurring between indi-vidual building blocks. It is also in their interests to provide subscribers with personalisation options so that they can modify service composi-tions and define their own preferences for how they would like their ser-vices to behave during live sessions. This paper describes a solution for these challenges that involves the storage of service information in an XDMS and allows operator staff and subscribers to manage this in-formation using the XCAP protocol. The ETSI-defined XCAP applica-tion usage named simservs was chosen to demonstrate an application usage that can be used to create service compositions in XML format. A prototype is described that uses components of the open source Mo-bicents project to verify the suitability of the design. This work is part of a larger effort aimed at modeling interaction management in the IMS through the use of a service broker that is part of an extended IMS ser-vice layer (EISL). The service broker's functional and structural architec-ture have not yet been standardised.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
A Mobile Phone Solution to Improve Geographic Mobility
- Miteche, Sacha, Terzoli, Alfredo, Thinyane, Hannah
- Authors: Miteche, Sacha , Terzoli, Alfredo , Thinyane, Hannah
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428423 , vital:72510 , https://www.cs.ru.ac.za/research/g10m4201/docs/SATNACWIP.pdf
- Description: Motor vehicle ride sharing is a popular way of travelling in most coun-tries. Different incentives have made this mode of travelling to exist formally and informally, for example as in carpooling clubs and hitchhik-ing respectively. Advances in Information and Communication Tech-nology (ICT) have facilitated developments of formal Dynamic Ride Sharing (DRS) systems that target mobile devices. These are seen as solutions to people’s preference of flexible ride sharing services. In de-veloping countries, hitchhiking is a common technique for ride sharing travels. This paper describes a proposal to develop a DRS system that primarily targets mobile phone users in South Africa for informal ride sharing methods done in hitchhiking.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Miteche, Sacha , Terzoli, Alfredo , Thinyane, Hannah
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428423 , vital:72510 , https://www.cs.ru.ac.za/research/g10m4201/docs/SATNACWIP.pdf
- Description: Motor vehicle ride sharing is a popular way of travelling in most coun-tries. Different incentives have made this mode of travelling to exist formally and informally, for example as in carpooling clubs and hitchhik-ing respectively. Advances in Information and Communication Tech-nology (ICT) have facilitated developments of formal Dynamic Ride Sharing (DRS) systems that target mobile devices. These are seen as solutions to people’s preference of flexible ride sharing services. In de-veloping countries, hitchhiking is a common technique for ride sharing travels. This paper describes a proposal to develop a DRS system that primarily targets mobile phone users in South Africa for informal ride sharing methods done in hitchhiking.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
A Performance Comparison of Web Development Technologies to Distribute Multimedia across an Intranet
- Swales, D, Sewry, David, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Swales, D , Sewry, David , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2003
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/427501 , vital:72443 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alfredo-Ter-zoli/publication/237337386_A_Performance_Comparison_of_Web_Development_Technologies_to_Distribute_Multimedia_across_an_Intranet/links/0c9605298fdf33d7c0000000/A-Performance-Comparison-of-Web-Development-Technologies-to-Distribute-Multimedia-across-an-Intranet.pdf
- Description: In recent years the World Wide Web has transformed into a dynamic, interactive medium, exposing a proliferation of on-line services that dis-tribute large quantities of multimedia. This has increased awareness of the need to select an appropriate Web programming technology when creating Webbased services. This paper compares three dynamic Web programming technologies from the point of view of performance in multimedia distribution. In particular, this paper examines Sun Microsys-tem’s Java Server Pages (JSP), Microsoft’s Active Server Page’s (ASP) and the more recent ASP .NET. The comparison is based on testing applications that distribute multiple images from an Oracle 9i database to Web-enabled clients. Previous research conducted by Oracle indi-cates that JSP and the underlying Java platform outperform ASP. The results in this paper, however, do not agree with Oracle’s statement as JSP tends to be marginally slower than ASP.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2003
A Performance Comparison of Web Development Technologies to Distribute Multimedia across an Intranet
- Authors: Swales, D , Sewry, David , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2003
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/427501 , vital:72443 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alfredo-Ter-zoli/publication/237337386_A_Performance_Comparison_of_Web_Development_Technologies_to_Distribute_Multimedia_across_an_Intranet/links/0c9605298fdf33d7c0000000/A-Performance-Comparison-of-Web-Development-Technologies-to-Distribute-Multimedia-across-an-Intranet.pdf
- Description: In recent years the World Wide Web has transformed into a dynamic, interactive medium, exposing a proliferation of on-line services that dis-tribute large quantities of multimedia. This has increased awareness of the need to select an appropriate Web programming technology when creating Webbased services. This paper compares three dynamic Web programming technologies from the point of view of performance in multimedia distribution. In particular, this paper examines Sun Microsys-tem’s Java Server Pages (JSP), Microsoft’s Active Server Page’s (ASP) and the more recent ASP .NET. The comparison is based on testing applications that distribute multiple images from an Oracle 9i database to Web-enabled clients. Previous research conducted by Oracle indi-cates that JSP and the underlying Java platform outperform ASP. The results in this paper, however, do not agree with Oracle’s statement as JSP tends to be marginally slower than ASP.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2003
A Prototyping Environment for Investigating Context Aware Wearable Applications.
- Tsegaye, Melekam, Bangay, Shaun D, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Tsegaye, Melekam , Bangay, Shaun D , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/432783 , vital:72900 , https://www.cs.ru.ac.za/research/g98t4414/static/papers/wearprototsegaye05.pdf
- Description: In this paper we introduce the concept of a contextaware, wearable application prototyping environment, which can be used to support research into new wearable applications. We also present an initial specification for such an environment and show how different types of sensors can be modelled to produce data that describes a given context scenario using our prototyping approach.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1999
- Authors: Tsegaye, Melekam , Bangay, Shaun D , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/432783 , vital:72900 , https://www.cs.ru.ac.za/research/g98t4414/static/papers/wearprototsegaye05.pdf
- Description: In this paper we introduce the concept of a contextaware, wearable application prototyping environment, which can be used to support research into new wearable applications. We also present an initial specification for such an environment and show how different types of sensors can be modelled to produce data that describes a given context scenario using our prototyping approach.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1999
A qualitative analysis to determine the readiness of rural communities to adopt ICTs: A Siyakhula Living Lab Case Study
- Gumbo, Sibukelo, Jere, Norbert, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Gumbo, Sibukelo , Jere, Norbert , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431396 , vital:72771
- Description: Rural schools have a pressing need for ICT and Internet services, for them-selves and the surrounding communities. Educators can play a crucial role of fulfilling this need. But how ready are schools, educators and communi-ties to engage with ICT and use it for their empowerment? This paper re-ports the findings of an e-readiness assessment and promotion drive by re-searchers from the Siyakhula Living Lab in parts of the Mbashe Municipali-ty, in South Africa. The Siyakhula Living Lab is a multi-disciplinary, multi-year initiative to foster grassroots innovation in marginalized communities with the aim of improving their lives and economies. The drive was con-ducted to support the expansion of the network of Digital Access Nodes, ie ICT points-of-presence of the Living Lab in the community: this network rep-resents the structural backbone on which all other activities rest. The as-sessment shows that, while the practical difficulties are many, the communi-ties are very eager to engage with ICT and understand fairly well the con-nection between ICT availability and the possibility of improvement in their life conditions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Gumbo, Sibukelo , Jere, Norbert , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431396 , vital:72771
- Description: Rural schools have a pressing need for ICT and Internet services, for them-selves and the surrounding communities. Educators can play a crucial role of fulfilling this need. But how ready are schools, educators and communi-ties to engage with ICT and use it for their empowerment? This paper re-ports the findings of an e-readiness assessment and promotion drive by re-searchers from the Siyakhula Living Lab in parts of the Mbashe Municipali-ty, in South Africa. The Siyakhula Living Lab is a multi-disciplinary, multi-year initiative to foster grassroots innovation in marginalized communities with the aim of improving their lives and economies. The drive was con-ducted to support the expansion of the network of Digital Access Nodes, ie ICT points-of-presence of the Living Lab in the community: this network rep-resents the structural backbone on which all other activities rest. The as-sessment shows that, while the practical difficulties are many, the communi-ties are very eager to engage with ICT and understand fairly well the con-nection between ICT availability and the possibility of improvement in their life conditions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
A Review of the Siyakhula Living Lab’s Network Solution for Internet in Poor Communities
- Muchatibaya, Hilbert, Terzoli, Alfredo, Dlodlo, Nomusa
- Authors: Muchatibaya, Hilbert , Terzoli, Alfredo , Dlodlo, Nomusa
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/474279 , vital:77698 , xlink:href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9577006"
- Description: Changes within ICT over the past decade required a review of the network solution deployed in the Siyakhula Living Lab (SLL), a joint venture between the Universities of Fort Hare and Rhodes, focused on finding blueprints for sustainable e-infrastructure in poor communities. The review found that the topology used in the SLL’s network is still viable but WiMAX is now outdated. Also, the in-network cache, Squid, is no longer effective, given the switch to HTTPS, the strong presence of advertising, and the data weight of current web pages. The solution to the first issue is outdoor Wi-Fi, a proven solution easily deployable in grass-roots fashion. The second issue can be cured leveraging Squid’s ‘bumping’ and splicing features; deploying a browser extension to make picture download optional; and using Pi-hole, a DNS sinkhole. Hopefully, the revised solution could become a component of South African Government’s broadband plan, “SA Connect”.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
- Authors: Muchatibaya, Hilbert , Terzoli, Alfredo , Dlodlo, Nomusa
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/474279 , vital:77698 , xlink:href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9577006"
- Description: Changes within ICT over the past decade required a review of the network solution deployed in the Siyakhula Living Lab (SLL), a joint venture between the Universities of Fort Hare and Rhodes, focused on finding blueprints for sustainable e-infrastructure in poor communities. The review found that the topology used in the SLL’s network is still viable but WiMAX is now outdated. Also, the in-network cache, Squid, is no longer effective, given the switch to HTTPS, the strong presence of advertising, and the data weight of current web pages. The solution to the first issue is outdoor Wi-Fi, a proven solution easily deployable in grass-roots fashion. The second issue can be cured leveraging Squid’s ‘bumping’ and splicing features; deploying a browser extension to make picture download optional; and using Pi-hole, a DNS sinkhole. Hopefully, the revised solution could become a component of South African Government’s broadband plan, “SA Connect”.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
Adoption of ICTs in a marginalised area of South Africa
- Mapi, Thandeka, Dalvit, Lorenzo, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Mapi, Thandeka , Dalvit, Lorenzo , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431130 , vital:72747 , https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/4390301/5-thandeka-libre.pdf?1390837024=response-content-disposi-tion=inline%3B+filename%3DAdoption_of_ICTs_in_a_Marginalised_Area.pdfExpires=1714988863Signature=N683m3iYa8BDSsrNBb-fZpYmsy~pftZZQbiEdNz8ZFJaL2I-Wt32FIJcLEKFnrSjj0AfnYak4RVZjuZhuFVHQZOnkt7tIBBwccqexeEkwq94rCX6r1~aA~GdyL4Z3WzHRK~Xoug17mnu869TGq8VxuSNBf-LmbSr03uZeXlk2dpobbp3ROl06wauhLm02p1th1qBM5n-Bc0q8wYS-zkY-jA9fc7w6ZE~m6hlHE6Amt1xg~db99oRcu1EuXSdHyWDZDw3OsQ9zlMfX7AU6EBhfAtFbxXuVXOlNOEPuXHgiQ1UbFveqfVKGFRg0dmYXzw62MQM0EQQ2g4qXgk2Xc2z0cQ__Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA
- Description: This paper examines how a community in Dwesa, a marginalised area in the Transkei Region of the Eastern Cape, South Africa, adopts Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This research is part of the Siyakhula project, which aims at promoting the potential of the area through ICTs. The project is situated in four different schools: Mpume, Nondobo, Mtokwane and Ngwane. Fostering ICT awareness and a sense of owner-ship by the community are seen as crucial factors, and computer literacy education is an integral part of the project. The study focuses on how di-verse groups of people adopt new technologies and approach ICT educa-tion. Qualitative research methods such as Participatory Action Research (PAR) and Participant Observation (PO) were adopted in the study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
- Authors: Mapi, Thandeka , Dalvit, Lorenzo , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431130 , vital:72747 , https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/4390301/5-thandeka-libre.pdf?1390837024=response-content-disposi-tion=inline%3B+filename%3DAdoption_of_ICTs_in_a_Marginalised_Area.pdfExpires=1714988863Signature=N683m3iYa8BDSsrNBb-fZpYmsy~pftZZQbiEdNz8ZFJaL2I-Wt32FIJcLEKFnrSjj0AfnYak4RVZjuZhuFVHQZOnkt7tIBBwccqexeEkwq94rCX6r1~aA~GdyL4Z3WzHRK~Xoug17mnu869TGq8VxuSNBf-LmbSr03uZeXlk2dpobbp3ROl06wauhLm02p1th1qBM5n-Bc0q8wYS-zkY-jA9fc7w6ZE~m6hlHE6Amt1xg~db99oRcu1EuXSdHyWDZDw3OsQ9zlMfX7AU6EBhfAtFbxXuVXOlNOEPuXHgiQ1UbFveqfVKGFRg0dmYXzw62MQM0EQQ2g4qXgk2Xc2z0cQ__Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA
- Description: This paper examines how a community in Dwesa, a marginalised area in the Transkei Region of the Eastern Cape, South Africa, adopts Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This research is part of the Siyakhula project, which aims at promoting the potential of the area through ICTs. The project is situated in four different schools: Mpume, Nondobo, Mtokwane and Ngwane. Fostering ICT awareness and a sense of owner-ship by the community are seen as crucial factors, and computer literacy education is an integral part of the project. The study focuses on how di-verse groups of people adopt new technologies and approach ICT educa-tion. Qualitative research methods such as Participatory Action Research (PAR) and Participant Observation (PO) were adopted in the study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
African Languages And ICT Education
- Dalvit, Lorenzo, Murray, Sarah R, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Dalvit, Lorenzo , Murray, Sarah R , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431166 , vital:72750 , https://www.scitepress.org/Papers/2011/33507/33507.pdf
- Description: In South Africa, English plays a dominant role compared to African lan-guages in empowering domain. Better access to Education through the use of African languages is an object of heated debate. This paper shows that an intervention involving the use of an African language in the domain of ICT Education can change the attitudes of Black universi-ty students. The methodology used included a survey with preliminary and follow-up questionnaires and interviews and an intervention involv-ing the use of localised software and of an on-line glossary of computer terms translated, explained and exemplified in an African language (isiXhosa). This experience increased the support for the use of African languages as additional LoLT, even in the English-dominated field of study of Computer Science. This is an initial step towards promoting linguistic equality between English and African languages and social equality between their speakers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
- Authors: Dalvit, Lorenzo , Murray, Sarah R , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431166 , vital:72750 , https://www.scitepress.org/Papers/2011/33507/33507.pdf
- Description: In South Africa, English plays a dominant role compared to African lan-guages in empowering domain. Better access to Education through the use of African languages is an object of heated debate. This paper shows that an intervention involving the use of an African language in the domain of ICT Education can change the attitudes of Black universi-ty students. The methodology used included a survey with preliminary and follow-up questionnaires and interviews and an intervention involv-ing the use of localised software and of an on-line glossary of computer terms translated, explained and exemplified in an African language (isiXhosa). This experience increased the support for the use of African languages as additional LoLT, even in the English-dominated field of study of Computer Science. This is an initial step towards promoting linguistic equality between English and African languages and social equality between their speakers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
An Application to Support end-users of wi-fi Hotspots in the Township of Makhanda
- Buwa, Lubabalo, Shibeshi, Zelalem S, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Buwa, Lubabalo , Shibeshi, Zelalem S , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2021
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/429077 , vital:72558 , https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9514200
- Description: Having access to the Internet is a powerful resource that can change one's life, but connectivity inequality continues to be a significant issue, especially for disadvantaged communities. The usage of Wi-Fi hotspots is becoming very useful for accommodating many people living in underprivileged areas to connect to the Internet. Primarily, these hotspots get deployed in public places like hotels, restaurants, etc. This paper discusses how such a system can be made to work as a solution for disadvantaged communities considering the user base in such communities and adhering to government regulations. The research is developed in collaboration with Khula Tech Solutions ISP that provides wireless Internet services in Makhanda (formally known as Grahamstown). Khula Tech Solutions is starting an initiative of installing Wi-Fi hotspots around the township of Makhanda and needs an application that will support users of the Wi-Fi hotspots. The research's result is a proof-of-concept mobile application developed through iterative and incremental software development techniques and mobile application technologies. With this research, the hope is that it is the beginning of further work for the users to become connected citizens.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
- Authors: Buwa, Lubabalo , Shibeshi, Zelalem S , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2021
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/429077 , vital:72558 , https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9514200
- Description: Having access to the Internet is a powerful resource that can change one's life, but connectivity inequality continues to be a significant issue, especially for disadvantaged communities. The usage of Wi-Fi hotspots is becoming very useful for accommodating many people living in underprivileged areas to connect to the Internet. Primarily, these hotspots get deployed in public places like hotels, restaurants, etc. This paper discusses how such a system can be made to work as a solution for disadvantaged communities considering the user base in such communities and adhering to government regulations. The research is developed in collaboration with Khula Tech Solutions ISP that provides wireless Internet services in Makhanda (formally known as Grahamstown). Khula Tech Solutions is starting an initiative of installing Wi-Fi hotspots around the township of Makhanda and needs an application that will support users of the Wi-Fi hotspots. The research's result is a proof-of-concept mobile application developed through iterative and incremental software development techniques and mobile application technologies. With this research, the hope is that it is the beginning of further work for the users to become connected citizens.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
An Asterisk-based framework for E-learning using open protocols and open source software
- Tsietsi, Mosiuoa, Shibeshi, Zelalem S, Terzoli, Alfredo, Wells, George C
- Authors: Tsietsi, Mosiuoa , Shibeshi, Zelalem S , Terzoli, Alfredo , Wells, George C
- Date: 2009
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/429091 , vital:72559 , https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/5338904
- Description: This paper describes the conceptual design of an e-learning system that is based on open protocols and open source software. This is an initial step towards providing a framework within which remote lectures at our university can be conducted with other institutions in the Southern African region. The motivation for this effort is born out of a desire to avoid expensive and inflexible commercial tools that have been used in the past, often with undesirable side effects. Our design promises to deliver most of the features that can be expected of a modern e-learning system such as a Web interface, space for lecture material, real-time audio and video support, instant messaging and the ability to convey presence. We identified two modes of operation, one as a Web-based video archive and the other as a live virtual classroom. It is hoped that this dual-mode setup will support different modes of learning for students and suit different bandwidth resources among institutions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Tsietsi, Mosiuoa , Shibeshi, Zelalem S , Terzoli, Alfredo , Wells, George C
- Date: 2009
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/429091 , vital:72559 , https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/5338904
- Description: This paper describes the conceptual design of an e-learning system that is based on open protocols and open source software. This is an initial step towards providing a framework within which remote lectures at our university can be conducted with other institutions in the Southern African region. The motivation for this effort is born out of a desire to avoid expensive and inflexible commercial tools that have been used in the past, often with undesirable side effects. Our design promises to deliver most of the features that can be expected of a modern e-learning system such as a Web interface, space for lecture material, real-time audio and video support, instant messaging and the ability to convey presence. We identified two modes of operation, one as a Web-based video archive and the other as a live virtual classroom. It is hoped that this dual-mode setup will support different modes of learning for students and suit different bandwidth resources among institutions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
An email based issue-tracking workflow system that is extensible across organizational boundaries
- Kwinana, Z N, Wentworth, Peter E, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Kwinana, Z N , Wentworth, Peter E , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2004
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/427517 , vital:72444 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alfredo-Terzoli/publication/267848658_AN_EMAIL_BASED_ISSUE-TRACK-ING_WORKFLOW_SYSTEM_THAT_IS_EXTENSIBLE_ACROSS_ORGANIZATIONAL_BOUNDARIES/links/5523cb990cf2b351d9c338cb/AN-EMAIL-BASED-ISSUE-TRACKING-WORKFLOW-SYSTEM-THAT-IS-EXTENSIBLE-ACROSS-ORGANIZATIONAL-BOUNDARIES.pdf
- Description: There is a demand for improved communication and efficiency within the work place. As emails are generally used more than issue tracking systems, this paper will investigate a way of integrating the main fea-tures of email with those of an issue tracking system to ensure tasks are completed and if not information is provided to the relevant people at the relevant times. This will be done by creating an issue in an issue tracking system that is linkable to an email so as to track tasks that need to be done and follow the task through until completion.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
- Authors: Kwinana, Z N , Wentworth, Peter E , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2004
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/427517 , vital:72444 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alfredo-Terzoli/publication/267848658_AN_EMAIL_BASED_ISSUE-TRACK-ING_WORKFLOW_SYSTEM_THAT_IS_EXTENSIBLE_ACROSS_ORGANIZATIONAL_BOUNDARIES/links/5523cb990cf2b351d9c338cb/AN-EMAIL-BASED-ISSUE-TRACKING-WORKFLOW-SYSTEM-THAT-IS-EXTENSIBLE-ACROSS-ORGANIZATIONAL-BOUNDARIES.pdf
- Description: There is a demand for improved communication and efficiency within the work place. As emails are generally used more than issue tracking systems, this paper will investigate a way of integrating the main fea-tures of email with those of an issue tracking system to ensure tasks are completed and if not information is provided to the relevant people at the relevant times. This will be done by creating an issue in an issue tracking system that is linkable to an email so as to track tasks that need to be done and follow the task through until completion.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
An IMS subscriber location function for OpenBaton—A standards based MANO environment
- Tsietsi, Mosiuoa, Chindeka, Tapiwa C, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Tsietsi, Mosiuoa , Chindeka, Tapiwa C , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/430567 , vital:72700 , 10.1109/AFRCON.2017.8095600
- Description: In the past, virtualisation, and with it the move toward the cloud, has had a strong influence on the ICT (Information Communication Technology) sector, and now seems set to revolutionise the telecommunications sector as well. The virtualisation into software artefacts of functions that would usually be deployed as hardware has come to be known as Net-work Function Virtualisation (NFV), and the European Telecommunica-tions Standards Institute (ETSI) through its MANO (Management and Orchestration) framework has outlined comprehensively how such functions could be orchestrated and managed over infrastructure such as the cloud. A set of functions of particular interest are the call session control functions (CSCFs) and HSS (Home Subscriber Server) of the IP Multimedia System (IMS) which perform signalling and authentication functions for multimedia calls in contexts such as Voice over LTE (VoLTE). IMS has enjoyed significant focus in the past from the re-search community, as such an implementation of an IMS service pack-age has been provided in an open source MANO-compliant implemen-tation called OpenBaton. While the service package provides the IMS CSCFs and HSS, it does not include a Subscriber Location Function (SLF) which provides a mapping function to map a subscriber identity to a hosting HSS. The SLF is an important element for building distributed networks that partition user data into multiple databases, and as such represents a useful inclusion to the developer community. This paper describes an extension to the OpenBaton service package that in-cludes an SLF for partitioning large user populations across multiple HSSes and resolving individual addresses in real-time.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Tsietsi, Mosiuoa , Chindeka, Tapiwa C , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/430567 , vital:72700 , 10.1109/AFRCON.2017.8095600
- Description: In the past, virtualisation, and with it the move toward the cloud, has had a strong influence on the ICT (Information Communication Technology) sector, and now seems set to revolutionise the telecommunications sector as well. The virtualisation into software artefacts of functions that would usually be deployed as hardware has come to be known as Net-work Function Virtualisation (NFV), and the European Telecommunica-tions Standards Institute (ETSI) through its MANO (Management and Orchestration) framework has outlined comprehensively how such functions could be orchestrated and managed over infrastructure such as the cloud. A set of functions of particular interest are the call session control functions (CSCFs) and HSS (Home Subscriber Server) of the IP Multimedia System (IMS) which perform signalling and authentication functions for multimedia calls in contexts such as Voice over LTE (VoLTE). IMS has enjoyed significant focus in the past from the re-search community, as such an implementation of an IMS service pack-age has been provided in an open source MANO-compliant implemen-tation called OpenBaton. While the service package provides the IMS CSCFs and HSS, it does not include a Subscriber Location Function (SLF) which provides a mapping function to map a subscriber identity to a hosting HSS. The SLF is an important element for building distributed networks that partition user data into multiple databases, and as such represents a useful inclusion to the developer community. This paper describes an extension to the OpenBaton service package that in-cludes an SLF for partitioning large user populations across multiple HSSes and resolving individual addresses in real-time.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
An internet of things-based system integrated with blockchain to manage patient data in the healthcare sector
- Muofhe, Mulalo, Dlodlo, Nomusa, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Muofhe, Mulalo , Dlodlo, Nomusa , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/474290 , vital:77699 , xlink:href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8908221"
- Description: Health is the biggest challenge to a majority of citizens regardless of age group and with the shortage of major components in the healthcare sector, life expectancy tends to reduce due to a lack of facilities. Technology on the other hand is reaching out to meet some of the demands that the healthcare will continuously require in order to deliver their services on time. One such technology is known as the internet of things (IoT). IoT has already proven its great potential towards the healthcare domain. IoT has the ability to allow patients to be monitored from the comfort of their homes through sensors equipped within devices deployed to perform specific tasks. The other technology is none other than the Blockchain which was introduced to deliver its capabilities in the financial ledger. The Blockchain helps to keep track of all the transactions being recorded, which in healthcare sector the need for Blockchain can be transformed to keep a trace of patient records. Since the IoT devices have the capability to monitor vital signs in the human body, it will be of a great achievement to integrate it with the Blockchain to keep an efficient system of healthcare records. The approach of this work is presented based on an Blockchained-IoT system to improve challenges of storing patients’ data captured by wearable IoT devices to help medical caregivers to make more informed decisions based on the efficient healthcare record-keeping. The design science approach will be proposed in our research to run the full experiment of our work.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Muofhe, Mulalo , Dlodlo, Nomusa , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/474290 , vital:77699 , xlink:href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8908221"
- Description: Health is the biggest challenge to a majority of citizens regardless of age group and with the shortage of major components in the healthcare sector, life expectancy tends to reduce due to a lack of facilities. Technology on the other hand is reaching out to meet some of the demands that the healthcare will continuously require in order to deliver their services on time. One such technology is known as the internet of things (IoT). IoT has already proven its great potential towards the healthcare domain. IoT has the ability to allow patients to be monitored from the comfort of their homes through sensors equipped within devices deployed to perform specific tasks. The other technology is none other than the Blockchain which was introduced to deliver its capabilities in the financial ledger. The Blockchain helps to keep track of all the transactions being recorded, which in healthcare sector the need for Blockchain can be transformed to keep a trace of patient records. Since the IoT devices have the capability to monitor vital signs in the human body, it will be of a great achievement to integrate it with the Blockchain to keep an efficient system of healthcare records. The approach of this work is presented based on an Blockchained-IoT system to improve challenges of storing patients’ data captured by wearable IoT devices to help medical caregivers to make more informed decisions based on the efficient healthcare record-keeping. The design science approach will be proposed in our research to run the full experiment of our work.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
An investigation into multimedia service creation using sip
- Hsieh, M, Okuthe, J, Terzoli, Alfredo, Wentworth, Peter E
- Authors: Hsieh, M , Okuthe, J , Terzoli, Alfredo , Wentworth, Peter E
- Date: 2002
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/427533 , vital:72445 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alfredo-Ter-zoli/publication/267852929_An_investigation_into_multimedia_service_creation_using_SIP/links/5523cb990cf2b351d9c338c9/An-investigation-into-multimedia-service-creation-using-SIP.pdf
- Description: This paper investigates two sip architectures and how services creation works in those two environments. The two architectures are SIPCOMM (www. sipcomm. com) and VOCAL (www. vovida. org). As a concrete example we look at how the voicemail service is implemented in both environments and then at how we could implement an alarm service.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2002
- Authors: Hsieh, M , Okuthe, J , Terzoli, Alfredo , Wentworth, Peter E
- Date: 2002
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/427533 , vital:72445 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alfredo-Ter-zoli/publication/267852929_An_investigation_into_multimedia_service_creation_using_SIP/links/5523cb990cf2b351d9c338c9/An-investigation-into-multimedia-service-creation-using-SIP.pdf
- Description: This paper investigates two sip architectures and how services creation works in those two environments. The two architectures are SIPCOMM (www. sipcomm. com) and VOCAL (www. vovida. org). As a concrete example we look at how the voicemail service is implemented in both environments and then at how we could implement an alarm service.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2002
An ontology-based, multi-modal platform for the inclusion of marginalized rural communities into the knowledge society
- Thinyane, Mamello, Dalvit, Lorenzo, Slay, Hannah, Mapi, Thandeka, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Thinyane, Mamello , Dalvit, Lorenzo , Slay, Hannah , Mapi, Thandeka , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431218 , vital:72755 , https://doi.org/10.1145/1292491.1292508
- Description: With the information revolution that promises to shape the 21st century, knowledge has become the prime commodity, very much like land, means of production and capital have been at different times in the past. Access to information, made instantly available by the growth of the Internet, determines access to economic resources, social participa-tion and better quality of life. For this reason, the knowledge stored on the Web and the advantages offered by the spread of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) are equally important for rich socie-ties to prosper and for poor ones to develop. The only difference is that marginalised communities do not have access to the tools and have little control over the content found in the domain of ICTs. In this paper we describe an intervention to develop the potential of a typical rural community in South Africa through ICTs. This involves providing Inter-net connectivity and deploying a platform to support e-commerce, e-learning, e-government and e-health. The core of the platform is an on-tology-based model designed to integrate and respond to Indigenous Knowledge Systems. This has been achieved by combining a deep understanding of local knowledge and social networks with the use of authoring, communication and ontology-management tools. The prima-ry goal of this new approach is to find a way to make ICT solutions more sensitive to the local context, and therefore more effective. Sec-ondly, we hope to foster a sense of ownership of the project among the community, by capitalising on local knowledge and resources.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Thinyane, Mamello , Dalvit, Lorenzo , Slay, Hannah , Mapi, Thandeka , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431218 , vital:72755 , https://doi.org/10.1145/1292491.1292508
- Description: With the information revolution that promises to shape the 21st century, knowledge has become the prime commodity, very much like land, means of production and capital have been at different times in the past. Access to information, made instantly available by the growth of the Internet, determines access to economic resources, social participa-tion and better quality of life. For this reason, the knowledge stored on the Web and the advantages offered by the spread of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) are equally important for rich socie-ties to prosper and for poor ones to develop. The only difference is that marginalised communities do not have access to the tools and have little control over the content found in the domain of ICTs. In this paper we describe an intervention to develop the potential of a typical rural community in South Africa through ICTs. This involves providing Inter-net connectivity and deploying a platform to support e-commerce, e-learning, e-government and e-health. The core of the platform is an on-tology-based model designed to integrate and respond to Indigenous Knowledge Systems. This has been achieved by combining a deep understanding of local knowledge and social networks with the use of authoring, communication and ontology-management tools. The prima-ry goal of this new approach is to find a way to make ICT solutions more sensitive to the local context, and therefore more effective. Sec-ondly, we hope to foster a sense of ownership of the project among the community, by capitalising on local knowledge and resources.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
An open service delivery platform for adding value to softswitch-based telephony environments
- Tsietsi, Mosiuoa, Terzoli, Alfredo, Wells, George C
- Authors: Tsietsi, Mosiuoa , Terzoli, Alfredo , Wells, George C
- Date: 2008
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428450 , vital:72512 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alfredo-Ter-zoli/publication/251923990_An_open_service_delivery_platform_for_adding_value_to_softswitch-based_telephony_environments/links/0c9605298fdf0ef8d3000000/An-open-service-delivery-platform-for-adding-value-to-softswitch-based-telephony-environments.pdf
- Description: Softswitches have played a crucial role in next generation networks (NGNs) not only as the primary agents responsible for controlling the data and media paths between endpoints, but also as hosts of telepho-ny applications such as billing and legal intercept. Even though very useful and flexible application interfaces have been used to program these softswitches, there is much benefit that can be derived from de-coupling the application layer from the switching core. NGN architec-tures such as the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) have borrowed the concept of an application server from the IT domain in order to deliver enhanced services to the network. This paper describes an initial inves-tigation into the development of a service delivery platform (SDP) based on the JAIN Service Logic and Execution Environment (JSLEE) indus-try standard, to provide advanced services that can be deployed over a telephony environment called iLanga, which is based on the open source software PBX named Asterisk.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
- Authors: Tsietsi, Mosiuoa , Terzoli, Alfredo , Wells, George C
- Date: 2008
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/428450 , vital:72512 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alfredo-Ter-zoli/publication/251923990_An_open_service_delivery_platform_for_adding_value_to_softswitch-based_telephony_environments/links/0c9605298fdf0ef8d3000000/An-open-service-delivery-platform-for-adding-value-to-softswitch-based-telephony-environments.pdf
- Description: Softswitches have played a crucial role in next generation networks (NGNs) not only as the primary agents responsible for controlling the data and media paths between endpoints, but also as hosts of telepho-ny applications such as billing and legal intercept. Even though very useful and flexible application interfaces have been used to program these softswitches, there is much benefit that can be derived from de-coupling the application layer from the switching core. NGN architec-tures such as the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) have borrowed the concept of an application server from the IT domain in order to deliver enhanced services to the network. This paper describes an initial inves-tigation into the development of a service delivery platform (SDP) based on the JAIN Service Logic and Execution Environment (JSLEE) indus-try standard, to provide advanced services that can be deployed over a telephony environment called iLanga, which is based on the open source software PBX named Asterisk.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
An RFID flock management system for rural areas
- Nyakonda, Tanaka, Tsietsi, Mosiuoa, Terzoli, Alfredo, Dlodlo, Nomusa
- Authors: Nyakonda, Tanaka , Tsietsi, Mosiuoa , Terzoli, Alfredo , Dlodlo, Nomusa
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/474303 , vital:77700 , xlink:href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8908190"
- Description: Siyakhula Living Lab (SLL) in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, is interested in prototyping various software solutions to get non-commercial farmers to integrate into the agro-processing industry, particularly in the wool and fiber industry. The work reported in this paper proposes one of such software solution. It an initial implementation of a Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID)-based flock management system. The project started with a review of existing RFID solutions for livestock as well as RFID technology itself. Then it designed, built and performed initial testing of the prototype of an Android mobile application which is supported by a backend application server called TeleWeaver. The application will allow testing the hypothesis that ICTs can help non-commercial farmers better manage their livestock to improve the quantity and quality of wool products produced. The research has paved the way for future work in the field of RFIDs for livestock control in marginalized rural areas.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Nyakonda, Tanaka , Tsietsi, Mosiuoa , Terzoli, Alfredo , Dlodlo, Nomusa
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/474303 , vital:77700 , xlink:href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8908190"
- Description: Siyakhula Living Lab (SLL) in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, is interested in prototyping various software solutions to get non-commercial farmers to integrate into the agro-processing industry, particularly in the wool and fiber industry. The work reported in this paper proposes one of such software solution. It an initial implementation of a Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID)-based flock management system. The project started with a review of existing RFID solutions for livestock as well as RFID technology itself. Then it designed, built and performed initial testing of the prototype of an Android mobile application which is supported by a backend application server called TeleWeaver. The application will allow testing the hypothesis that ICTs can help non-commercial farmers better manage their livestock to improve the quantity and quality of wool products produced. The research has paved the way for future work in the field of RFIDs for livestock control in marginalized rural areas.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
An RTSP proxy for implementing the IPTV media function using a streaming server
- Shibeshi, Zelalem S, Terzoli, Alfredo, Bradshaw, Karen L
- Authors: Shibeshi, Zelalem S , Terzoli, Alfredo , Bradshaw, Karen L
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/429136 , vital:72562 , https://www.informatica.si/index.php/informatica/article/view/383
- Description: Multimedia content delivery in IMS, including IPTV, is handled by a separate unit, the Media Function (MF), made up of media control and media delivery units, which in the case of IPTV are the Media Control Function (MCF) and Media Delivery Function (MDF), respectively. According to the different specifications of an IMS based IPTV architecture, the User Equipment (UE) is expected to use the RTSP protocol as a media control protocol to interact with the MCF, and obtains delivery of media from the MDF using the RTP protocol. This also means that the streaming session needs to be initiated from the media controller on behalf of the user but the delivery of media is sent to the UE from the media deliverer (media server). Due both to the lack of free and open source Media Servers and the availability of free and open source Streaming Servers, the ideal choice for the delivery of multimedia services, including IPTV, by the research community is Streaming Servers. Nevertheless, because of denial of service attacks and other issues, most streaming servers do not allow a different location for the session setup request and the delivery of media in the streaming session. In other words, most streaming servers are not designed to be controlled by some other entity other than the RTSP client that consumes the media. This makes it difficult to have a separate media control unit for IPTV service in IMS if one wanted to use a streaming server as an MDF unit. So, while waiting for streaming servers to work in this manner, it is better to find a work around in order to use streaming servers to develop and test IPTV services in IMS environments. For this purpose we propose another component (an RTSP proxy and relay unit) as part of the IPTV MF and to mediate between the MCF and MDF. This unit correctly relays media control commands from the MCF to the MDF and RTP packets from the MDF to the UE. It also helps in the implementation of other streaming functionalities that are required for IPTV service delivery, but which are not implemented in the current open source streaming servers. Additional services can also be easily implemented with the help of this unit. This will facilitate the development of an IPTV service using readily available open source streaming servers and help researchers to evaluate their proposals on new services they would like to develop. In this paper we show how this RTSP proxy unit can be integrated into the Media Function of the IPTV architecture to ease the media delivery process of an IMS based IPTV service.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Shibeshi, Zelalem S , Terzoli, Alfredo , Bradshaw, Karen L
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/429136 , vital:72562 , https://www.informatica.si/index.php/informatica/article/view/383
- Description: Multimedia content delivery in IMS, including IPTV, is handled by a separate unit, the Media Function (MF), made up of media control and media delivery units, which in the case of IPTV are the Media Control Function (MCF) and Media Delivery Function (MDF), respectively. According to the different specifications of an IMS based IPTV architecture, the User Equipment (UE) is expected to use the RTSP protocol as a media control protocol to interact with the MCF, and obtains delivery of media from the MDF using the RTP protocol. This also means that the streaming session needs to be initiated from the media controller on behalf of the user but the delivery of media is sent to the UE from the media deliverer (media server). Due both to the lack of free and open source Media Servers and the availability of free and open source Streaming Servers, the ideal choice for the delivery of multimedia services, including IPTV, by the research community is Streaming Servers. Nevertheless, because of denial of service attacks and other issues, most streaming servers do not allow a different location for the session setup request and the delivery of media in the streaming session. In other words, most streaming servers are not designed to be controlled by some other entity other than the RTSP client that consumes the media. This makes it difficult to have a separate media control unit for IPTV service in IMS if one wanted to use a streaming server as an MDF unit. So, while waiting for streaming servers to work in this manner, it is better to find a work around in order to use streaming servers to develop and test IPTV services in IMS environments. For this purpose we propose another component (an RTSP proxy and relay unit) as part of the IPTV MF and to mediate between the MCF and MDF. This unit correctly relays media control commands from the MCF to the MDF and RTP packets from the MDF to the UE. It also helps in the implementation of other streaming functionalities that are required for IPTV service delivery, but which are not implemented in the current open source streaming servers. Additional services can also be easily implemented with the help of this unit. This will facilitate the development of an IPTV service using readily available open source streaming servers and help researchers to evaluate their proposals on new services they would like to develop. In this paper we show how this RTSP proxy unit can be integrated into the Media Function of the IPTV architecture to ease the media delivery process of an IMS based IPTV service.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012