Abstract: Load balancing in a multimedia conference is disclosed, involving one or more internal terminals and one or more internal nodes separated from one or more external terminals and one or more external nodes by a firewall. Media data is forwarded through the firewall to at least a second one of the nodes, and received media data at the at least a second one of said nodes are processed. At a first event, reconfiguration is performed of said first one of said nodes to process received media data and of said second one of said nodes to forward received media data to said first one of said nodes. At a second event, loading is done of at least a part of said received media data being processed at the first one or second one of said nodes to at least a third one of said nodes.

Abstract: Load balancing in a multimedia conference is disclosed, involving one or more internal terminals (Terminal 3) and one or more internal nodes (Node B) separated from one or more external terminals (Terminal 1, Terminal 2) and one or more external nodes (Node A) by a firewall. Media data from at least one of said terminals received at at least a first one of said nodes are forwarded through the firewall to at least a second one of the nodes, and received media data at the at least a second one of said nodes are processed by the second one of the nodes. At a first event, reconfiguration is performed of said first one of said nodes to process received media data and of said second one of said nodes to forward received media data to said first one of said nodes. At a second event, loading is done of at least a part of said received media data being processed at the first one or second one of said nodes to at least a third one of said nodes.

Abstract: A method for managing media streams including at least video data and audio data in a multi-party video conference involving one or more groups of one or more nodes respectively receiving a media stream from each of a plurality of associated endpoints is provided. In each of the one or more nodes of each of the one or more groups, the loudest audio of the media streams received from the respective plurality of associated endpoints is determined. An indication of the volume of the determined loudest audio and an identification of the node is transmitted to a decision maker. The highest received volume and the associated identification is determined. The node of the identification is instructed to transmit the received media stream of the endpoint to one of: all nodes in the one or more groups and to a proxy.

Abstract: A method for managing media streams including at least video data and audio data in a multi-party video conference involving one or more groups of one or more nodes respectively receiving a media stream from each of a plurality of associated endpoints is provided. In each of the one or more nodes of each of the one or more groups, the loudest audio of the media streams received from the respective plurality of associated endpoints is determined. An indication of the volume of the determined loudest audio and an identification of the node is transmitted to a decision maker. The highest received volume and the associated identification is determined. The node of the identification is instructed to transmit the received media stream of the endpoint to one of: all nodes in the one or more groups and to a proxy.