What's new in version 31?

Pexip's conference layouts have been enhanced:

• The multiscreen participant display feature, which allows SIP and H.323 endpoints with dual screens to display conference participants across both screens, is now generally available. It was a technology preview feature in previous releases. Enhancements in this release include support for the Adaptive Composition layout, H.323 endpoints, and calls into Google Meet conferences.
• Pexip's Adaptive Composition layout is now fully supported (generally available) for Google Meet calls (previously this was a technology preview feature).
• Streaming participants can now view the presentation stream as part of the layout mix with the video stream of the active speaker shown alongside the presentation, if the main conference is using Adaptive composition layout. This option is enabled by default and can be configured using the ac_presentation_in_mix parameter in the transform_layout function of Pexip client REST API or PexRTC JavaScript client API.

Controlling the layout during a conference

Conference layout

Pexip client REST API

PexRTC JavaScript client API

Google Meet is transitioning to a new method of authenticating third-party systems that join a Google Meet conference via Pexip's interoperability gateway.

The new method uses the JWT (JSON Web Token) standard. To use JWT as your authentication method you need to upload to your Pexip Infinity system a token that has been signed by Pexip. This token then provides the authentication between your Pexip Infinity system and Google Meet whenever a third-party device uses Pexip's interoperability gateway to join a Google Meet conference.

If you do not upload a gateway token you will still be able to use Pexip's interoperability gateway in the short term, but we expect Google Meet to enforce JWT authentication in the near future. You must obtain and install your gateway token as soon as practicable after upgrading to version 31.

Configuring Exchange on-premises for scheduling

Configuring Exchange on-premises for One-Touch Join

Connect web app branding and customizations are now applied using unique URL paths. For each path, you can configure which web app version and branding users are offered when accessing the web app via that path, and you can create and configure additional paths to offer users a variety of differently-branded web app experiences within your environment.

Note that this new feature will require you to change any existing branding packages. For more information, see Branding of previous web app "Webapp2".

Content classification indicators can be displayed within a conference to, for example, display the current security classification level to meeting participants.

When content classifications are configured in a theme, the specified classification text is overlaid (similar to a watermark) onto the video layout and splash screens during a conference. It is displayed in white text on a dark background by default, but the colors can be customized. In classic layouts it is positioned at the top of the screen, and in Adaptive Composition it is placed in the bottom-right corner.

• Classification indicators are text only.
• They are not included in the base theme. You must create and upload your own theme that includes your classification text strings.
• You cannot configure the position, font or size of the message.

The classification indicator can be dynamically changed during the conference to display a different message. To change the classification level, you must use the new set_classification_level client API conference control function (/api/client/v2/conferences/<conference>/set_classification_level).

Rules and requirements for customized themes

Pexip client REST API

Pexip's Cloud Video Interop (CVI) integration with Microsoft Teams has been enhanced:

• The Teams-like layout has been improved:

  • A microphone muted icon is shown next to a participant's name if that person is muted.
  • If an off-screen video participant (shown as an audio avatar) starts speaking they are now promoted into the video layout.

  Note that this layout is still a technology preview feature, and is only recommended for use with Teams gateway calls.

• Other administrative changes to the installation/upgrade scripts and variables include new settings that optionally allow you to deploy the Teams Connector with dedicated hosting plans for Azure functions and with VNet integration.

Note that version 31 of the Teams Connector contains updates that necessitate an upgrade to your Pexip platform to ensure compatibility with the latest updates to the Microsoft Teams APIs and to the Teams Connector's latest features. We strongly recommend that you upgrade your Pexip deployment — both the Pexip Infinity platform and the Pexip Teams Connector — to version 31 as soon as practicable.

A new configuration item has been added to themes to support the new content classification features:

• A new classification object can be defined with a theme to specify the content classification messages and the default classification level. Note that this object is not included in the base theme. You must create and upload your own theme that includes this object.

New configuration items have been added to version 2 themes to support the new direct media features:

• Five new splash screens: "direct_media_welcome", "direct_media_waiting_for_host", "direct_media_other_participants_audio_only", "direct_media_escalate" and "direct_media_deescalate".
• Two new labels: "direct_media_escalate" and "direct_media_deescalate".

The option to enable media relay on TCP port 443 is now generally available. It was a technology preview feature in previous releases.

This setting (Platform > Global Settings > Enable media relay on TCP port 443) enables media relay on TCP port 443 on all Conferencing Nodes. It is intended as a fallback mechanism for use by WebRTC clients that are behind strict firewalls that block RTP media to Pexip's standard ports.

Pexip's direct media feature, which enables end-to-end encrypted calls, is now generally available. It was a technology preview feature in previous releases.

When enabled in a VMR, it provides non-transcoded, encrypted, point-to-point calls between any two WebRTC participants.

Enhancements in this release include:

• Welcome screen and notification messages can be customized via themes.
• Full configuration support in local and external policy, VMR provisioning via LDAP, and bulk CSV import/export of VMR data.
• Perceived call quality statistics are available in the Administrator interface.

Pexip's Voice Focus feature, which provides improved voice activity detection, is now generally available. It was a technology preview feature in previous releases.

When enabled (Platform > Global Settings > Enable Voice Focus), this feature applies to all Virtual Meeting Rooms and Virtual Auditoriums.

This release contains the following administrative improvements:

• When the Softmute* Technology preview only feature is enabled at the global level (Platform > Global settings > Tech preview features > Enable Softmute), it can now be individually enabled or disabled at the VMR level (Services > Virtual Meeting Rooms > Advanced options > Softmute).

Additional Host actions

• Host participants can now prevent a participant who is waiting in the lobby from joining a meeting, by using the new Deny button.
• Host participants are now able to change the role of other participants from Host to Guest, or from Guest to Host.

Additional customization options

The following options are now customizable via the branding manifest file:

• adding support for languages in addition to those supported natively
• the link to the terms and conditions of use can now be customized globally or per language.
• masking the meeting alias in the URL after a participant has joined the meeting.

The directory structure of the ZIP file containing the branding customizations for the previous version of the Connect web app, "Webapp2", has changed.

Any existing custom branding applied to Webapp2 prior to upgrade will be automatically ported to the new structure (although you must associate it with a web app path in order to use it).

Any v30 or earlier Webapp2 branding packages generated by the Pexip Branding Portal, downloaded from a v30 or earlier deployment, or created manually, will need to be restructured before being uploaded to the Management Node. For full details, see Using a pre-v31 Webapp2 branding package.

Pexip Smart Scale will be deprecated from Pexip Infinity version 32. Customers currently using this feature should contact your Pexip authorized support representative for information about a replacement offering.