Pexip Infinity

Pexip Infinity is the program virtualized and distributed multipoint infrastructure of video conference.

On December 16, 2013 the Pexip company announced a release of the virtualized platform for the organization of video conference of HD quality.

Description

The platform helps the organizations to provide each employee with video conference of HD quality on any device. The virtualized solution Pexip Infinity entered the Russian market.

Pexip Infinity can both replace, and to add the hardware infrastructure operating in the organization. Use of the platform helps to avoid considerable initial investments into video conference, simplifies management, deployment and use of a visual communication system.

The program basis of Pexip Infinity does not depend on the updates of the equipment connected with need of performance improvement or installation of additional functionality. The Pexip Infinity platform acts on virtual servers of VMware of ESXi or Microsoft Hyper-V.

Advantages

Completely virtualized Pexip platform has a number of the unique features allowing to build solutions VIDEOCONFERENCING which cannot be implemented on other equipment or the software. It is quite unusual situation, especially for the market of VKS where solutions of the main vendors have more or less identical functionality and, in fact, a little in what differ from each other.

Main characteristics and advantages of the Pexip Infinity V3 platform:

• gives an opportunity to communicate according to video in the HD format;
• works at a basis of virtual servers of VMware or Hyper-V;
• completely supports migration on vMotion;
• it is compatible to all corporate hardware and program end devices of video conference;
• the Pexip App application gives to users the chance to completely control video conference process;
• supports H.323, SIP, H.239, BFCP, H.264, H.264SVC, G.729 protocols and others;
• complete readiness to WebRTC and guarantees to VP8 a HD quality video conferencing using browsers Firefox, Google Chrome and does not require installation of any plug-ins.

From the most interesting technical features it is possible to note a unique distributed architecture of MCU Pexip (from engl. Multipoint Control Unit – the server of a multipoint conference). The Pexip Infinity platform gives the chance to organize multipoint conferences in several geographically remote locations and is transparent to integrate them in one big video conference. It allows to hold video meetings with very large number of participants, saves the bandwidth of IP channels and also increases reliability and stability of system operation. So, at loss of communication with other locations, the local conference will continue to work and at recovery of the channel will automatically be connected back to the general video conference. It is extremely relevant for the Russian market with wide geography and a large number of participants of meetings.

The flexible price model of the Pexip platform which does not have analogs belongs to commercial advantages: not only the number of ports – simultaneous participants as it occurs at other vendors can "be licensed". The client is given the chance to select the most optimal for itself the price scheme, depending on the scenario of use of a system. Besides, the customer can determine duration of ownership of MCU whereas at other producers of the server of multipoint conference communication it is possible to purchase only for permanent use. Purchase of expensive hardware MCU server which functionality and performance will become outdated for few years is not always economically justified. Therefore for many clients it will be more reasonable to spend much the smaller amount for the software solution, to use its some time and then to make the decision on its expansion, upgrade or even replacement, depending on the current situation in the market and internal needs of the customer. It significantly reduces the cost of ownership and increases efficiency of investments in infrastructure.

The Pexip Infinity platform will be interesting, first of all, to the large geographically distributed enterprises and the state organizations having points of presence in all regions of Russia and regularly holding meetings. Can attract Pexip Infinity mid-size companies with the low price and low cost of ownership.

2014

Pexip integrates means of Microsoft Lync

On February 6, 2014 the company Pexip announced integration of functions Microsoft Lync 2013 and 2010 into the product Pexip Infinity.

Integration is implemented by the Pexip Infinity platform, without additional gateways of third-party producers or other binding software. Pexip Infinity is completely compatible to the compression standard of video signal Microsoft Lync H.264SVC and provides its compatibility with H.263, H.264 and VP8 video codecs.

The solution Pexip Infinity guarantees video conference of HD quality, irrespective of the number of conferees.

Employees of IT departments, departments have no need to use the proprietary equipment of video conference, protocols and infrastructure. The Lync installation is also not required.

Pexip Infinity 4.0

On March 31, 2014 the Pexip company submits the fourth version of the program virtualized and distributed multipoint infrastructure of video conference of Pexip Infinity.

Description

The new version of Pexip Infinity has the improved properties of integration into Microsoft Lync, function of full control of video conferences via any browser with WebRTC appeared. The built-in possibility of complete branding of the solution does it more interesting to service providers and the large organizations with strong corporate culture.

Developers consider main advantage of Pexip Infinity full compatibility of software practically with all terminal and program systems of video conference by means of use of original protocols.

In plans of the company quarterly updates of the Pexip Infinity platform.

Description of new opportunities of the Pexip Infinity platform:

• Implementation of the proprietary remote desktop protocol RDP will allow users of Lync and Lync Online not only to receive, but also to transfer different content, for example, to the presentation.
• Thanks to implementation of the Microsoft RTVideo codec all users of Lync irrespective of the fact which they use the version of the client, will be able to communicate according to video of HD quality. The video conferences organized by means of the Pexip Infinity platform can support any set of codecs as the solution is capable to transcode any of them (RTV, RDP, VP8, H.263, H.264, SVC), and absolutely seamlessly and without use of any gateways.
• Even more distributed architecture gives the chance to perform video calls, without thinking of what solution is used by interlocutors. Thus, each video conference Pexip Infinity node actually performs function of the gateway which can be quickly developed in any place and at any time.
• The "virtual reception" function allows to connect users to a conference after introduction of the identification number by them. This opportunity is most relevant for the participants who are connected to a conference on audio communication.
• The option "virtual negotiation" allows lecturers to see at the same time up to 22 students or colleague lecturers, and to students – only some lecturers or up to 22 students/lecturers. Such function is demanded during distance learning or big meetings when it is necessary to control accurately who will be seen by all participants. For example, students need to see the lecturer in the full-screen mode throughout all video conference.
• An opportunity to brand the Pexip Infinity interface will allow service providers to customize completely the platform for the subsequent provision of services of video conference. Such option will allow to change large enterprises the Pexip Infinity interface under corporate design.
• Pexip acquired the right to use the super-broadband G.722.1 (C) and Siren14 codecs developed by Polycom company. Thus, Pexip considerably improved quality of audio communication with end devices of such producers as Lifesize, Radvision and Polycom.
• In the latest version of Pexip Infinity the possibility of full control of video conferences via the web browser is implemented: browse the participant list, disconnect and connect a sound and video by any participant and to perform calls. Thus, any browser supporting WebRTC becomes the full-fledged device of video conference.
• Preserving of participant lists of complete video meetings gives the chance to browse who was at meetings (especially relevant for large-scale video conferences) and also to find in the list of any participant and to call it.
• The feature for shutdown of a sound at all participants is added at once by one click which is extremely necessary for distance learning and big corporate meetings. If necessary the lecturer can add to video conference of any student, for example, during the Q&A session.

Pexip Infinity implements bidirectional RDP exchange

On October 2, 2014 the company Pexip announced a possibility of double bidirectional stream ^[1] content between users Microsoft Lync (versions Microsoft Lync 2010 and 2013) and Lync Online and the systems of a video conferencing using the SIP or H.323 standards.

The new feature expands possibilities of a video conferencing between clients of Lync and traditional video systems.

Demonstration of a bidirectional public flow of content in Microsoft Lync

Up to recent time users of Lync should select: browse the presentation or the image of the speaker. It was impossible to make it at the same time.

The new feature will be available to users of Pexip Infinity as a free software update, in the fourth quarter 2014. Double bidirectional stream RDP exchange of content will become a part of architecture of Pexip Infinity after release of the new version in 2014.

Pexip Infinity – 100% of the virtualized and distributed multipoint infrastructure audio-, a video conferencing and data exchange

On November 10, 2014 the Pexip company submitted the version of the main product of Pexip Infinity – 100% of the virtualized and distributed multipoint infrastructure audio-, a video conferencing and data exchange. The web interface of the seventh version of Pexip Infinity is translated into Russian – in addition simplified Chinese and English.

Also the version of the revolutionary platform of conference communication allows users to work jointly on different content, seeing at the same time participants of a meeting, to add participants simple drag and drop of contacts directly during calls and to connect even more external users thanks to technology of work with firewalls.

The developer turned on in the seventh version of Pexip Infinity a line of the latest software clients which are established on operating systems Windows, OS X, and Linux and are completely supported by the browsers compatible to WebRTC – Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox and Opera™ (for the browsers which are not supporting WebRTC such Internet Explorer as well as Apple Safari, function works in a demo mode). In new clients of Pexip Infinity ample user opportunities on exchange of the presentations, call management, adding and shutdown of participants, etc. are implemented. To organize a virtual meeting in real time, the organizer needs just to send the link to participants who will be able to be connected to a meeting, using any means of communication having at them near at hand.

"The version of Pexip Infinity is available to all commercial and state organizations of Russia already today, – Stein Ramsli, the vice president for sales to Pexip company notes. – It is possible to purchase the solution at our Russian partners – Beltel, Softline, Legion Group, ICL (Kazan) and I-Teco and also through any preferable to operation of system integrators".

List of additional opportunities of the seventh version of Pexip Infinity:

• Support of Microsoft C3P. Support of the protocol, native for Microsoft, allows users of Pexip Infinity to add to the Lync conference of users of standard end devices based on H.323/SIP, to initiate a call "point-to-point" between Lync and the VIDEOCONFERENCING traditional systems.
• The gateway which is completely adapted to Lync. Pexip Infinity works as the gateway between Lync and traditional end devices VIDEOCONFERENCING and servers of multipoint video conference, including support of DTMF.

In case of exhaustion of computing powers in a location (a local cluster), new participants will be automatically connected to conference nodes in other locations imperceptibly for users.

Support of full HD 1080p. Supports resolutions to 1080p (1920х1080) with a speed up to 30 frames per second (the technical preview).

The improved stability of a signal. Resistance of connection to errors and breaks of network between locations is increased and at connection to Chrome using WebRTC. Support of FEC (Forward Error Correction is an error correction system with excess coding) for VP8.

Pexip Infinity 7.0

Since the end of 2014 in the beta of Pexip Infinity 7.0 all opportunities of the platform, including an unprecedented innovation of this fall – double bidirectional RDP exchange of content with users of Lync are available. The Russian companies will be able to test Pexip Infinty as at own capacities (we will remind that Pexip Infinity is started also on specialized servers of video conference, and on servers of standard architecture – Dell, HP, IBM, etc.), and at Pexip capacities – using any browser.

In the test version such opportunities of Pexip as personal video negotiation (Pexip Video Meeting Room), a distributed infrastructure, a low expense of the channel at HD image quality are available and full compatibility with any other hardware or software solution of audio-and video conference open source. For example, by means of the free version of Pexip Infinity it will be possible to hold a full-fledged session of video conference between solutions of Cisco, Polycom and Microsoft Lync. At the same time it is unimportant what device will be selected by the user: it can be the video system in the meeting room or the smartphone. Also an opportunity to use the platform on WebRTC technology without installation of any additional software – enough Internet connection and the standard browser will be available.

"We expect that the free version will attract the greatest interest of integrators and employees of IT departments of the Russian companies whom the task to integrate users of Lync and traditional solutions VIDEOCONFERENCING in one video conference faces, – Steyn Ramsli, the vice president of Pexip company for emerging markets, the former CEO of Tandberg in Russia, the CIS and Eastern Europe and also the former head of department of TelePresence of Cisco Systems company in Russia and the CIS considers. – Today became Microsoft Lync a peculiar standard of corporate communications, but at the same time the companies are not ready to refuse video systems at all based on the SIP and H.323 protocols in which they already made impressive investments. The output is obvious to us – the technologies allowing to arrange cross-platform meetings between Lync and the VIDEOCONFERENCING traditional systems without any limit are necessary for the market".

One of such technologies to Pexip was provided not so long ago, it is double bidirectional RDP exchange of content between users of Lync and the systems of a video conferencing using the SIP or H.323 standards. Function allows to show at the same time the presentations and at the same time to see interlocutors. This fall it became a part of standard architecture of Pexip Infinity.

2015

Pexip Infinity V8 provides compatibility of Skype with traditional solutions VIDEOCONFERENCING and integrates Internet Explorer and Safari

At the beginning of 2015 the Pexip company released the eighth version of the Pexip Infinity platform which is completely compatible * the Element marked spiskas by browsers Microsoft Internet Explorer and Apple Safari and integrates the software client of video conference Skype used by more than 300 million registered users from around the world. Thus, Pexip maintains compatibility almost with all popular browsers and makes video conference of the corporate level available to unlimited number of users worldwide.

Thanks to the advanced version of Pexip Infinity users of Internet Explorer and Apple Safari which are not supporting WebRTC technology will be able to communicate according to video by means of these browsers, without installing at the same time special plug-ins and software.

Integration of Skype became possible thanks to compatibility of Skype and Lync 2013 what the Microsoft company announced at the end of 2014. Using Pexip Infinity, users of Skype will be able to communicate according to video not only with users of Lync, but also with users of the VIDEOCONFERENCING software clients of other producers and traditional solutions of video conference based on H.323, SIP, WebRTC. At the same time Pexip Infinity executes a gateway role. For testing of compatibility of Pexip Infinity and Lync it is necessary to set virtual negotiation Pexip (VMR – from virtual meeting room) which free beta is already available to the Russian users.

How to integrate Pexip Infinity and Skype:

At the moment this function is available only in Skype to Windows. It is possible to load Skype for Windows here. It is necessary to become authorized, using the account of Microsoft (integration into old accounts does not work). If you have a registration for hotmail.com or for outlook.com, then you are ready to testing. If is not present, create the account, using a login window in Skype for Windows. Configure the camera and so forth, using a setup wizard. Add your virtual negotiation VMR to the contact list. If you use Mac or iPhone, be convinced that you rebooted Skype after adding of your VMR in the contact list. Find your VMR on pexipdemo.com. It will appear as Lync contact. Click on it the right mouse button and call the negotiation. If it does not turn out, check that in an upper part of the Skype window the mail domain @outlook.com or @hotmail.com was displayed. If a name another, so you became authorized not using the account Skype for Windows.

Pexip Infinity allows to broadcast video conferences in YouTube

In February, 2015 the Pexip company represents a possibility of the Pexip Infinity platform to transfer the selected media stream to corporate networks CDN (Content Delivery Network is a content delivery network), to writer devices and public services of reproduction of a streaming video, such as YouTube. Any Pexip conference can be broadcast in real time to an unlimited number of the audience and also to write and save automatically for further use – for example, for VOD (Video on Demand – video on demand) or distribution.

So far service is available in the test mode as a full-fledged opportunity it will be included in standard functionality of the next version of Pexip Infinity.

Streaming of actions in YouTube

Pexip Infinity allows to broadcast online any Pexip conference in HD quality directly in YouTube that allows to attract at the same time unlimited number of the audience. The new feature supports demonstration of the presentations and can be used, for example, for holding the presentations of products or the companies, different announcements and so forth. Upon termination of a session all conference remains for the purpose of further use of content.

Thus, Pexip Infinity liquidates a space between corporate video conferences, broadcasting and video streaming.

Corporate services CDN

Professional services of stream transfer and management of video of development Wowza, Adobe, VBrick and also Microsoft Azure and others can strimit and write video conferences, and after – allow the organizations to use this video content at will. Pexip differs in simple API (Application Programming Interface is the application programming interface) and gives the chance to easily integrate video conference with the existing or new services thanks to what the companies can receive return from the investments as soon as possible.

Main characteristics of function:

• Allows to transmit the selected media stream to an unlimited number of users through YouTube.
• Allows to organize safe streaming in corporate network, using any CDN service.
• Automatically writes and stores video content in YouTube.
• YouTube creates in advance the shared reference which can share at any time.
• Function is available on all mobile and desktop devices.
• The video flow is transferred in HD quality, the possibility of exchange of content is also available.
• Supports a set of CDN services, including YouTube, Azure, Adobe Flash Server, Wowza, VBrick and many others.
• Easy integration thanks to a user-friendly interface of Pexip Infinity API is available.