New features and improvements in this release

The new features and enhancements included in Pexip Infinity version 34 are described below.

This topic covers the Pexip Infinity platform; for new features in the latest release of the Connect web app see the Connect web app release notes.

Pexip Infinity platform

Feature Description More information
Custom layouts improvements

Custom layouts has the following improvements:

  • You can define presentation modes for defining the layout when a presentation is in progress and the client is receiving the presentation as part of the layout mix.
  • You can specify the background color for the custom layout.
  • The base theme includes a new custom 1+9 layout which has one large main speaker and up to 9 other participants, and includes support for receiving the presentation stream as part of the layout mix.

  • Connect Webapp3 users can now select any of the custom layouts that are available to the current conference when changing the layout via the Meeting layout tab.
  • Custom layouts is now a fully supported feature (it was a technology preview feature in previous releases).
Rules and requirements for customized themes (custom layouts)
Breakout rooms* improvements

Breakout rooms have been enhanced with the following additional features:

Request assistance

Guests in breakout rooms can now request assistance from the Host. When someone asks for help then all Hosts who are not already in that room see a message and can join the room requesting assistance.

Guests can directly rejoin the main room

A new optional configuration setting when opening breakout rooms can give Guests using the web app the ability to return to the main room from the breakout room via a Return to main room button.

Note that this does not prevent guests leaving a breakout room by disconnecting and then redialing the same conference and rejoining the main room.

Bypass locked conference state

There is a new bypass_lock configuration option in participant policy which allows a participant to bypass the locked state of a conference and enter the conference as if it was not locked.

Virtual Auditoriums support

Breakout rooms can now be enabled for Virtual Auditoriums. Previously only VMRs could be enabled for breakout rooms. You can also use the new Guests can see other guests configuration option to control the behavior when no Hosts are present in the Virtual Auditorium.

Host chat message visibility

Hosts can no longer see all chat messages from all breakout rooms at all times. They must now join the breakout room to see chat messages belonging to that room.

Note that breakout rooms are still a technology preview feature and can be enabled via Platform > Global settings > Tech preview features > Enable Breakout Rooms.

Breakout rooms

Configuring Virtual Auditoriums

Participant configuration responses

Pexip client REST API

Writing local policy scripts

Raised hand indicator in Adaptive Composition layout

The indicator bar at the top of the Adaptive Composition layout now shows the number of participants with a raised hand.

The indicator bar also alternates every 5 seconds to show a message containing the name of the first participant in the list of participants with a raised hand.

Adaptive Composition layout
Portrait mode support for WebRTC devices in all layouts *

Any WebRTC device with a portrait aspect ratio (such as 9:16) can now receive a layout specifically designed for a portrait display in all layouts (previously this was limited to the Adaptive Composition layout).

This is still a technology preview feature and can be enabled via Platform > Global settings > Tech preview features > Enable portrait layouts.

Enabling portrait layouts
Teams Connector enhancements: scheduled scaling termination rebalancing, "Fit to frame" support, new default instance type, CBA is default behavior, custom VNET support, more precise PowerShell module requirements

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

  • Scheduled scaling termination rebalancing: previously, an instance that was selected for termination was only stopped when all calls on that instance had drained. Now, to increase efficiency and to reduce compute costs, if another instance becomes empty in the meantime then that other instance is terminated instead.
  • You can use local or external policy to enable the "Fit to frame" option within Teams for a VTC participant.
  • Changes to the installation process and upgrade scripts are:

    • The default VM size for the Teams Connector has changed from Standard_F4s to Standard_D4s_v5, which is a more modern instance type.

      The supported instance types are now Standard_D4s_v5 (Intel), Standard_D4as_v5 (AMD), and Standard_F4s (old), and is now specified through a new $PxAzureVmSize variable and associated parameter in the installation/redeployment scripts.

      When selecting your instance type you should consider your VM quota, availability in the region you’re deploying to and pricing. The price and availability of Standard_D4s_v5 is very similar to Standard_F4s.

      You should review your VM quota and ensure that any requested increase is approved before performing the upgrade.

    • Certificate-based authentication (CBA) is the now the default behavior to authenticate the Teams Connector CVI application towards MS Graph.
    • If you need more control over the Teams Connector VNET, you can now deploy and use your own customized VNET.
    • Private routing is now a fully supported feature.
    • PowerShell 5.x, Powershell 7.x or PowerShell ISE using PowerShell 5.1.x are supported.
    • The documented installation and upgrade processes now require you to import specific required versions of Az Powershell and Microsoft.Graph Powershell modules.

    When upgrading to version 34 you can continue to use your existing Teams Connector API app that you have previously deployed.

Note that version 34 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 34 as soon as practicable.

Local and external policy: improved scope of the service_config variable in local policy, and rejection reasons for participant policy

When using local policy, the service_config variable (which holds any existing service configuration data) can now be used in scripts run as service configuration, participant and media policy. Previously it could only be used in service configuration policy scripts.

When using participant policy (local or external) you can now specify a reason for rejecting a call, which is then subsequently shown to any Connect app users.

Writing local policy scripts
Control the Guest experience at the end of a conference in a Virtual Auditorium

You can now control whether Guests see other Guests when the last Host leaves the conference in a Virtual Auditorium via a new Guests can see other guests setting.

Note that this does not effect the behavior at the start of a meeting — Guests always still see the "Waiting for the host" screen.

Configuring Virtual Auditoriums
Support Far-End Camera Control (FECC) from SIP/H.323 devices SIP and H.323 endpoints that are in a gateway call can now send Far-End Camera Control (FECC) signals to supporting endpoints, in order to pan, tilt and zoom the device's camera. Global settings: Connectivity
Management API access using OAuth2

You can now allow administrator accounts connecting to the Pexip Infinity management API to authenticate using OAuth instead of, or in addition to, LDAP credentials. Doing so removes the need for every API request to first send an authentication request to the LDAP server.

Managing API access via OAuth2
Improvements to content sharing Improvements to the way in which presentation quality adapts based on the motion and sharpness of the content being shared.  
Administrative improvements: SSH keys, TLS certificate uploads, AWS improvements

This release contains the following administrative improvements:

 
  • SSH keys can now be used for the admin account for authorized SSH access to your Management Node and Conferencing Nodes.
  • X.509 certificates signed using ED25519/ED448 signature schemes can now be uploaded to the Management Node as TLS certificates.
  • AWS EC2 instances now support IMDSv2.
  • When configuring a Conferencing Node, the SIP TLS FQDN field has been renamed Configured FQDN. This is a label/name change only — the field still functions in the same manner as before.

Configuring SSH authorized keys

Managing TLS and trusted CA certificates

AWS security blog

* Technology preview only