A performance and interoperability study of an OpenH323-based multimedia over IP (MOIP) system

This paper presents a study of using OpenH323 for a multimedia over Internet protocol (MoIP) system. Based on ITU-T H.323 standard, MoIP allows voice, video, and data communications through the widespread Internet network. As an open source project, OpenH323 is attractive for a MoIP standard. We study the performance and interoperability of OpenH323 (using Ohphone and GnomeMeeting interfaces in Linux) with Microsoft Netmeeting (in Windows), a popular but proprietary H.323 implementation. Multimedia communications are performed on an ITB campus network using three different connections: intra LAN, inter LAN, and Internet to Cikarang (an industrial site 120 km outside the ITB campus). In each trial, we observe (i) connection and interoperability, (ii) audio quality, and (iii) video quality. Using ETSI TR 101 329 v1.2.5 standard for connection quality, we find that both intra. and inter LAN provide the best level (<1.5 s setup time and 65 ms round-trip packet delay). However, Internet (Cikarang) connection has a medium-low connection quality (4-7 ms setup time). We conclude that OpenH323 is suitable for MoIP systems in a managed IP network.