Automated call launching

A computer program product stored on computer readable media for automated conference call launching from a Multipoint Conference Unit (MCU) among networked MCUs, wherein the computer program product is running on each of the MCUs, the computer program product comprising:

• code executing on the MCU;
• the code receiving a place call request from a user, the place call request including a number of designated participants;
• code executing on the MCU, the code contacting computer program products on MCUs and locating among a plurality of MCUs an available MCU having an available virtual conference room with a number of ports at least as great as the number of designated participants;
• code executing on the MCU, the code receiving an availability response from the available MCU;
• and
• code executing on the MCU, the code initiating a call launch by the available MCU, wherein the available MCU calls each of the number of designated participants with an invitation to join a call, wherein the code initiating a call launch comprises computer executable code remotely logging into the available MCU and operating the available MCU as a slave.

A distributed call management system comprising:

• a plurality of Multipoint Conference Units (MCUs) connected by a network, each one of the plurality of MCUs having capability characteristics and availability characteristics;
• wherein each MCU having a middleware program executing on each of the MCUs exposing capability characteristics and availability characteristics to each other one of the plurality of MCUs;
• wherein the MCU having a user interface, receiving a call request from a user and submitting the call request to the middleware program, the call request including a request for user-defined capability characteristics and user-defined availability characteristics, the middleware program responding to the call request by locating an available MCU having capabilities and availabilities consistent with the call request;
• wherein the available MCU initiates a call launch for remotely logging into the available MCU and operating the available MCU and operating the available MCU as a slave.