THE INFORMATION IN THIS NOTICE IS CONSIDERED TO BE EXTERNAL BY IBM AND MAY BE SHARED BY ANYONE WITH ACCESS. IBM MULTIMEDIA FOR LAN SERVER BETA PROGRAM 3RD RELEASE ______________________________________________________ October 22, 1993 OVERVIEW ________ IBM is initiating the third release of the IBM Multimedia for LAN Server beta program. Orders for this program can now be accepted and filled. This beta release contains automated disk bandwidth detection capability, support for larger numbers of client workstations, and capability to use additional Token-Ring adapter types on the Server. Electronic support forums for this beta, which will be monitored by IBM's development laboratory in Austin, Texas, are available. These forums are provided so beta participants can obtain answers to technical questions about the Multimedia for LAN Server beta program before or after placing an order for the beta code. This beta program is being made available to evaluate IBM's Multimedia for LAN Server function and provide feedback. The code in this beta program should NOT be used in production. FUNCTIONAL HIGHLIGHTS _____________________ Computer-based media encompass text, video, sound, binary images, graphics, voice, and practically any output that a computer can generate. Computers can integrate media very well: Authors can use computers to create presentations that include sound, voice, video, text, graphics, animation, and other media. It takes a computer to really use multimedia: People can easily use a computer to control multimedia presentations, and creators of multimedia presentations can use a computer for editing. There are many applications that "playback" recorded multimedia and which are "standalone", meaning that computer networks are not needed for the presentation. Some applications rely on floppy disk or CD-ROM for both distribution and playback on a single computer. Electronic books and hypermedia ________________ __________ applications(1) may come packaged on one or more compact discs. Here the storage and distribution mechanisms are one and the same. (1) Electronic books integrate sound, voice, video and text into a ________________ document with some method of navigation. Hypermedia are electronic books in which the method of navigation is through links. Arguably, the largest set of multimedia applications (and potential applications) require a computer network. Voice mail and some image applications, for example, work well on conventional store-and-forward local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs). Playback of recorded multimedia from large server libraries is possible on local area networks, but limited today to a few concurrent sessions. And "live" human communication applications such as teleconferencing really require new networking technologies. Distributed Multimedia applications with time-sensitive streams need Quality of Service guarantees for throughput, against delay and error from the server computer, disk access and the network. The IBM Multimedia for LAN Server Beta can provide these guarantees for multimedia applications running on Windows, OS/2 and DOS client computers. Resource reservation is used in the server computer to guarantee that multimedia streams can get the disk and network resources required to provide good playback quality for multimedia file elements. On the Token Ring, priority service is used to provide guaranteed service for multimedia file access. The Priority Token Ring(2) is today the only commercially-available reserved bandwidth network. On Ethernet, no such guarantees can be provided, though acceptable delivery can usually be achieved when the number of stations attached to the Ethernet bus is restricted to eight or fewer in number. The Multimedia for LAN Server Beta function permits reliable and predictable play-back of multimedia files over a "single segment" Token Ring. (This means that multimedia client stations cannot be separated from the server by bridges or routers). The Multimedia for LAN Server Beta function contains enhancements to LAN Server. The Token Ring LAN is the only LAN for which quality of service can be guaranteed. The environment is restricted currently to a single LAN Server on a single-segment LAN. Other LANs may be bridged to the LAN Server, but the clients must be on the same segment as the LAN Server which must be connected by a LANStreamer MC 32 adapter. Only one LAN Server is currently supported in the network. The multimedia clients are supported by the NetBIOS communications transport. --------------- (2) The Priority Token Ring is defined to be a Token Ring in which ___________________ access to the priority mechanism is controlled so as to provide Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees for non-zero priority traffic. Ethernet LAN users can get considerable benefit from the use of this beta code, but the quality of service is not guaranteed. If the Ethernet LAN has eight or fewer multimedia stations attached or uses a Dedicated Ethernet hub, quality may be acceptable, but this environment is not as robust and care should be exercised in such cases. Multimedia applications developed for the standalone environment using MMPM/2 or AVK will run unchanged when the file is stored on the LAN Server; and applications using DVI/AVI, Ultimotion, INDEO, SoundBlaster * and other streams are supported for guaranteed Quality of Service on the Token Ring, provided their characteristics are known and appropriate tuning done in the Server. Existing data applications will run concurrently with multimedia applications, but the multimedia applications will get priority. Use of (4) 16 Mbps Token Ring LANs can support 40 ActionMedia II video sessions on OS/2, DOS, or DOS/Windows clients as well as multiple data applications on a single segment Token Ring LAN. A lesser number of ActionMedia ll clients can be supported on a 4 Mbps Token Ring. An Install and Configuration Guide is available to help Network Administrators with tuning tasks. RECOMMENDED PREREQUISITE SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE ---------------------------------------------- LAN Server o 486 33 MHz or faster with at least 2 slots available for disk controllers and at least 1 slot available for a LAN adapter. o SCSI 400 MB or greater devoted to Multimedia files o LANStreamer MC 32 Token Ring adapter or equivalent 32-bit Token-Ring adapter with 2 transmit channels. o OS/2 2.0 & Service Pak XR06100 or higher o LS 3.0 Advanced & Service PAK IP7001 or higher OS/2 Client o 386SX CPU or higher o Hardware for Multimedia application(s) o Any appropriate Token-Ring adapter o OS/2 2.0 + Service Pak; or higher o OS/2 LAN Requester DOS Client o Hardware for Multimedia application(s) o Any appropriate Token-Ring adapter o DOS 5.0 or higher o DOS LAN Requester o Windows 3.1 (for Windows applications) LAN o IBM 16-Mbps Token-Ring ALTERNATIVE HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE (WITH REDUCED CAPACITY) --------------------------------------------------------- Server: o Any IBM 386-based PS/2 or OEM equivalent with 16MB RAM and sufficient processing power for the intended applications + other recommended hardware and software as specified above o Token-Ring 16/4 or Token-Ring Busmaster adapters Note : Quality of Service can be provided if the Server is dedicated to multimedia applications. A second Server may be used for data applications. LAN: o 4 Mbps Token Ring o Ethernet (with appropriate adapters in Server and Clients) TECHNICAL SUPPORT _________________ All beta participants receive no-charge technical support during this beta program through forums on CompuServe * and the OS/2 Bulletin Board (OS2BBS) or the IBMPC disk. Support will be provided on a 'reasonable efforts' basis. o To communicate via CompuServe, type 'GO PSPBETA' and use the 'MM For LAN Server' access message section to contact IBM. o To communicate via the OS/2 Bulletin Board (OS2BBS), select the topic "IBM Multimedia for LAN Server Beta" from "OS2 Question and Answer Bulletin Boards". o To communicate via IBM's network, select the LSMULTIB CFORUM on the IBMPC disk. ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS _____________________ 1. Customers outside of IBM In the United States and Canada, you can request no charge delivery of diskettes and hardcopy documentation by completing and returning the following beta enrollment application. To obtain beta code and documentation, complete the beta enrollment application and FAX it to (512) 838-4002. Outside of the United States and Canada, please see your IBM marketing representative to obtain beta code and documentation. 2. Customers within IBM You can request no charge electronic delivery of diskettes and documentation via IBM's network by completing and returning the beta enrollment application. You will need to specify your VM Node and ID. The completed beta enrollment application will need to be sent to BETASRUS at AUSVM1. ******************************************************************* * MULTIMEDIA FOR LAN SERVER BETA ENROLLMENT APPLICATION * ******************************************************************* Version C - 10/93 The purpose of this application is to gather information about how Multimedia for LAN Server will be used. After completing and returning the completed form, you will be enrolled in the beta program. Note that IBM may use or distribute (within IBM) the responses to this form without obligation. To return this form: Customers outside of IBM : o Fax it to: DEPT. 459 (512)838-4002 --- OR --- o Mail it to: IBM DEPT. 459 11400 BURNET RD. AUSTIN, TEXAS 78758 9351 Customers within IBM : o Internal IBM VM Network: BETASRUS at AUSVM1 Contact Information: Name:____________________________________________ Title/Job Responsibility:_________________________ Company or Organization:_________________________ Address:_________________________________________ _________________________________________________ Type of Business:________________________________ Fax:_____________________________________________ Telephone:_______________________________________ The best time to reach me is ____________________ If you are a customer within IBM, specify your VM Node and ID: _________________________________________________ Where did you learn about this beta program? (Check Applicable) Trade Show _____ CompuServe _____ IBM Representative _____ Other (specify)____________________ MULTIMEDIA FOR LAN SERVER BETA ENROLLMENT APPLICATION Page 2 of 3 1. What features of the Multimedia for LAN Server Beta prompted you to request participation in this beta test? _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 2. For what purpose do you plan to use Multimedia for LAN Server Beta code? Assessing development of applications ____ Assessing the code in your environment ____ 3. Indicate below which Multimedia application types you intend to run using the Multimedia for LAN Server Beta: ActionMedia II RTV ____ ActionMedia II PLV ____ MMPM/2 ____ Ultimotion ____ Video for Windows ____ M-Audio (ACPA) ____ Still frame plus audio ____ SoundBlaster (*) ____ Other - Please Specify: 4. How many different multimedia applications do you intend to run using the Multimedia for LAN Server Beta? ____ 5. What other applications will be running on your test LAN at the same time Multimedia for LAN Server Beta is active? MULTIMEDIA FOR LAN SERVER BETA ENROLLMENT APPLICATION Page 3 of 3 6. Number of OS/2 LAN Requester multimedia clients that are planned to be tested simultaneously: ____ 7. Number of DOS multimedia clients that are planned to be tested simultaneously: ____ 8. Which best describes your test environment? LAN with mainframes attached ____ LAN without mainframes attached ____ ********************************************************************** IBM, in its sole and absolute discretion, reserves the right to reject any beta applicant from participation in this beta pro- gram. ********************************************************************** THANK YOU Thank you for completing this application. ******************************************************************** ******************************************************************** ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ______________________ IBM does not guarantee this beta program will ever be made generally available. All beta code and documentation are under development and may be modified substantially should there be a generally available product. In addition, the manner in which IBM packages these development materials may differ substantially from any generally available products. IBM reserves the right to modify or withdraw this offering at any time. Your license for the beta code may be terminated by IBM upon 30 days written notice. * CompuServe is a trademark of CompuServe Incorporated. * SoundBlaster is a trademark of Creative Labs Inc. (R) OS/2, Token Ring, NetBIOS, LAN Server, LANStreamer, are trademarks or registered trademarks of the IBM Corporation (R) DVI, INDEO, ActionMedia are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Intel Corporation (R) DOS, Windows are registered trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation