Published on March 15, 2005

Penn State's multicasting service — a tool that makes it possible to send data stream information (such as audio or video) to multiple locations on the Internet simultaneously — was used recently to help provide a live Webcast of the student fund raiser, THON to recipients around the world. Multicast technology, which significantly conserves bandwidth during video streaming, can be used for a variety of Webcast interests such as seminars, workshops, special events, meetings, and class lectures. Coincident with this year's THON, ITS staff members performed an upgrade of the local network in most of Penn State's residence halls to allow the event to be viewed live from those locations. In addition, Internet2 sites from Puerto Rico to Hawaii reported clear video and audio from the ITS multicast stream, while children and families at Hershey Medical Center were able to watch THON dancers via a signal broadcast through a joint effort between ITS and Hershey staff. The cumulative broadcast effort (involving ITS, Hershey, the School of Information Sciences and Technology, and students and staff at the College of Communications) enabled alumni to reconnect with the University from all over the world, according to Kerrie Carfagno, an instructor who helped organize the event. To learn more about Penn State's Multicast service, contact ITS Telecommunications and Networking Services at 814-865-6285 or visit http://www.tns.its.psu.edu/services/Networking/multicast.html. For more information on the the recent THON multicast, go to http://live.psu.edu/story/10392.

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