Managing Google Compute Engine VM instances

This section describes the common maintenance tasks for stopping, restarting and permanently removing Conferencing Node Google Compute Engine (GCE) VM instances on the Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

Temporarily removing (stopping) a Conferencing Node instance

At any time you can temporarily remove a Conferencing Node instance from your Pexip Infinity platform if, for example, you do not need all of your current conferencing capacity.

To temporarily remove a Conferencing Node instance:

  1. Put the Conferencing Node into maintenance mode via the Pexip Infinity Administrator interface on the Management Node:
    1. Go to Platform > Conferencing Nodes.
    2. Select the Conferencing Node(s).
    3. From the Action menu at the top left of the screen, select Enable maintenance mode and then select Go.

      While maintenance mode is enabled, this Conferencing Node will not accept any new conference instances.

    4. Wait until any existing conferences on that Conferencing Node have finished. To check, go to Status > Live View.
  2. Stop the Conferencing Node instance on GCP:
    1. From the GCP project console, select Virtual machines to see the status of all of your instances.
    2. Select the instance you want to shut down.
    3. At the top of the VM instances page, select Stop.

Reinstating (restarting) a stopped Conferencing Node instance

You can reinstate a Conferencing Node instance that has already been installed but has been temporarily shut down.

To restart a Conferencing Node instance:

  1. Restart the Conferencing Node instance on GCP:
    1. From the GCP project console, select Virtual machines to see the status of all of your instances.
    2. Select the instance you want to restart.
    3. At the top right-hand of the page, select Start to restart the instance.
  2. Take the Conferencing Node out of maintenance mode via the Pexip Infinity Administrator interface on the Management Node:

    1. Go to Platform > Conferencing Nodes.
    2. Select the Conferencing Node.
    3. Clear the Enable maintenance mode check box and select Save.

After reinstating a Conferencing Node, it takes approximately 5 minutes for the node to reboot and be available for conference hosting, and for its last contacted status to be updated on the Management Node.

Permanently removing a Conferencing Node instance

If you no longer need a Conferencing Node instance, you can permanently delete it from your Pexip Infinity platform.

To remove a Conferencing Node instance:

  1. If you have not already done so, put the Conferencing Node into maintenance mode via the Pexip Infinity Administrator interface on the Management Node:
    1. Go to Platform > Conferencing Nodes.
    2. Select the Conferencing Node(s).
    3. From the Action menu at the top left of the screen, select Enable maintenance mode and then select Go.

      While maintenance mode is enabled, this Conferencing Node will not accept any new conference instances.

    4. Wait until any existing conferences on that Conferencing Node have finished. To check, go to Status > Live View.
  2. Delete the Conferencing Node from the Management Node:

    1. Go to Platform > Conferencing Nodes and select the Conferencing Node.
    2. Select the check box next to the node you want to delete, and then from the Action drop-down menu, select Delete selected Conferencing Nodes and then select Go.
  3. Delete the Conferencing Node instance on GCP:

    1. From the GCP project console, go to Compute engine > VM instances.
    2. Check the instance you want to permanently remove.
    3. Select Delete to remove the instance.