Cisco rolls out business video package

Cisco on Tuesday unveiled its business video product for enterprise customers, providing video production, distribution and usage over Cisco's IP network for streaming and video-on-demand.

Cisco’s Business Video Solution combines the company’s Content Engine hardware and Content Networking System (ACNS) software with Interactive Video Technologies' (IVT’s) MediaPlatform 3.0. The package also includes guides for setting up studios to whether those being filmed should wear makeup or not, says Mike Mitchell, director of the Internet Learning Solutions Group at Cisco.

IVT’s MediaPlatform is used to create both live and on-demand content, allowing users to combine video, audio, slides, polls and Flash animation into a single package. It’s also used to track usage of the resulting content and produce reports.

Cisco is leveraging its internal knowledgebase of streaming, tapping the systems, technologies and best practices it uses for delivering its own streaming media content to employees. “Customers have been coming to us and want to know what [Cisco CEO John] Chambers is talking about [in various public appearances] and how can they do it?” Mitchell says of the impetus to make public the system the company uses internally for corporate communications.

While Cisco and IVT are partnering to help push the Business Video Solution, the companies have not entered a reseller or OEM agreement. Both will still sell their own technology.

Pricing varies depending on the size of the implementation and components used.