Multi-Point Control Units
A Multi-Point Control Unit (MCU) serves as a center for video-conferencing
communications and infrastructure. It serves as a single point of control governing
the establishment, joining, and termination of video transmissions.An
MCU is needed whenever three or more participants need access to the same
real-time video conference.A single MCU can also control several different video
conferences simultaneously.
Currently, Cisco offers the IPVC 3510 MCU and IPVC 3540 Multipoint
Conference Unit (MCU module) platforms to fill this role.The 3510 can support
up to 15 participants in either a single conference or multiple conferences,
whereas the 3540 can support up to 100 users in either a single conference or
multiple conferences.