TrueConf Server Admin Guide

# Description of the video conferencing server and its features

# Why do I need a video conferencing server?

TrueConf Server is a software-based video conferencing and team messaging platform. With TrueConf Server, your employees can communicate and collaborate remotely, organize webinars and remote training.

This guide is intended for administrators of TrueConf Server. For information on the personal area, call strings, and other helpful features for the users and guests of your video conferencing server, please refer to the TrueConf Server user guide.

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TrueConf Server operates in LAN/VPN and can be used as a unified communication system that connects users of your local network, remote employees, and SIP.H.323/RTSP devices:

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# Features

TrueConf Server core features can be extended by the following TrueConf solutions:

# Supported protocols and codecs

# Protocols

  • Proprietary SVC-based TrueConf protocol used by all client applications.

  • H.323 protocol set: H.239 for content sharing; H.281, H.224, Q.922 for camera control; H.235 for media stream encryption; H.225, H.241, H.245 signaling protocols.

  • SIP protocol set: BFCP for content sharing; FECC for camera control; SRTP for media stream encryption; TLS for signaling protocol protection.

  • WebRTC: SRTP and DTLS for media stream encryption.

  • RTSP video calls.

  • QoS support: DSCP, DiffServ.

  • Work with TrueConf API using OAuth 2.0 protocol.

# Supported video codecs

  • VP8 SVC, VP8, H.264, H.264 AVC, H.264 SVC, X-H264UC, H.263, H.263+, H.263++

# Supported audio codecs

  • Opus, G.711, G.722, G.722.1, G.722.1C, G.723, G.728, G.729A, Speex, MP3, AAC

# Modules of the video conferencing server and their functionality

TrueConf Server is a software-based solution with several components that can be deployed on Windows and Linux.

You can also expand your video conferencing capabilities with the help of TrueConf software development kit (SDK).

You can find the main features of each component below.

# System services

This component is a software video server. It is installed as multiple operating system services and provides:

  • user authentication and authorization: multilogin is also supported which means that it is possible to work in several client applications under the same account

  • support for multi-point video conferences and point-to-point video calls

  • events logging (call history, usage stats, chat messages, etc)

  • NAT traversal and proxy servers to connect users

  • media stream processing with scalable video coding (SVC)

  • Compatibility of conferences with third-party protocols and systems (SIP/H.323, RTSP, WebRTC, LDAP, DLP systems)

  • federation with other TrueConf Server instances

  • connecting multiple TrueConf Server instances in a unified communications platform with TrueConf Enterprise.

# Administrator control panel

This component is used to control and modify TrueConf Server configuration during its operation. The control panel provides the following capabilities:

  • Manage user accounts and personal settings.

  • Create, edit and delete groups, change group rights.

  • Store TrueConf Server user account data either locally or using a third-party service via LDAP protocol.

  • Configure authentication in the video conferencing system (by login/password, via SSO, with the help of two-factor authentication providers, for example, AD FS, Keycloak)

  • Add aliases for SIP/H.323/RTSP devices or for users from another TrueConf Server instance to make it easier to call them.

  • Create webinars for guest connections.

  • Schedule conferences with weekly recurrence on specific days.

  • PIN-protected conferences to prevent unauthorized access.

  • Customize registration settings for public conferences (webinars)

  • Create a general layout for all participants, for SIP/H.323/WebRTC participants or individual layout for each user.

  • Manage cameras and microphones of active conference participants, change their devices remotely.

  • Add and remove participants from ongoing conferences.

  • Stream conferences via CDNvideo, Wowza Streaming Engine, Wowza Streaming Cloud, YouTube, etc. (Streaming extension required).

  • Send email invitations and newsletters to users via external SMTP server.

  • Set up media transmission between conference participants bypassing the server (UDP Multicast Conferences extension required).

  • Store and access conference recordings in the TrueConf Server control panel, view records with video and chat synchronized, download and delete them.

  • Store the files shared in conferences on the server side.

  • Create backups and restore server settings.

  • Customize your guest page and indicate administrator’s contact info.

  • Limit access to the TrueConf Server control panel for certain admin roles or using IP filters.

  • Monitor server performance both in real time and for a certain time range.

  • View server reports (log files) and all user actions (call history, message history, connection history, etc.).

  • Check information about the mail plugins that can be used to create conferences when adding new events to the calendar (MS Outlook and Thunderbird are supported)

  • Configure access to the TrueConf Server API.

# Control panel of the administrator with the Security Admin role

You can add individual administrators to the TrueConf Server Security Admin group. They will be able to view information about the server operation in the control panel but will not have access to TrueConf Server settings.

TrueConf Server Security Admin Role gives access to:

  • information about the current server state

  • the list of addresses for administrative access

  • history of settings changes

  • server operation logs

  • call and conference history

  • current connections to the server

  • chat history.

# User’s personal area

Personal area is a web page accessible to every user who is registered on your TrueConf Server instance. In the personal area, users can:

  • view features available to them

  • access their address book

  • use different conferencing modes to create meetings, launch and end conferences

  • invite new users to ongoing conferences

  • set different layouts when creating or holding meetings

  • manage users’ devices

  • view detailed analytics about ongoing and past conferences

  • download conference recordings saved on the video conferencing server

  • save conference templates for further use

  • edit their profiles (if LDAP/AD extension is enabled, users can only change their avatars).

# Guest page

TrueConf Server guest page is a web page which your users can access to download client applications and connect to your TrueConf Server instance. You can share your guest page link with your employees and guests who are going to attend meetings hosted on your server.

On the guest page, users can:

  • log in to their personal area

  • download client applications for various operating systems

  • schedule a meeting (authorization required)

  • connect to the conference with conference ID

  • read user manual

  • view contact details of your TrueConf Server administrator.

# Choose your license

You can choose one of the available licensing options: TrueConf Server Free, TrueConf Server, and a free 3-week trial version. You can find a detailed license comparison here or calculate your license price on our website.

If you would like to request a 3-week trial version of TrueConf Server, please contact us, we will be happy to help.

TrueConf Server Free provides basic features for video conferencing; however, it also has certain limitations. TrueConf Server Free is a great solution for small and medium-sized businesses to get acquainted with TrueConf benefits and deploy a self-hosted video conferencing system.

# Advantages

TrueConf Server video conferencing system provides a number of advantages and unique technologies.

# Relatively low system requirements

You do not need a powerful server to deploy TrueConf Server. Instead, you can use a PC based on a modern Intel or AMD CPU and choose between Microsoft Windows Server or Linux operating systems. You can find system requirements for common configurations in our article.

# Working in a closed network

TrueConf Server is a secure solution that allows you to conduct video conferences within a corporate (closed) network without an Internet connection.

Advantages of working in a closed local network:

  • complete independence from external providers and guaranteed protection from the unavailability of external services due to reasons beyond your control;

  • Super fast operating speed thanks to local infrastructure

  • Your server is fully managed by your system administrator

  • Independence from Internet connection quality

  • Fast troubleshooting

  • Additional levels of data protection.

# Convenient administration

TrueConf Server has a number of features that can simplify its administration:

  • TrueConf’s proprietary protocol that works with TrueConf client applications using a single TCP port.

  • Operation in LAN/VPN of any configurations, including satellite communication channels.

  • Synchronization with user and group directories via LDAP protocol.

  • Endpoints (PC, browsers and mobile devices) do not need to have a direct IP address for communication.

  • Works through NAT, Firewall and Proxy.

# Advanced data transmission technologies

TrueConf Server uses the following technologies to improve the quality and reliability of video communication:

  • dynamic adjustment of data transmission rate

  • scalable video coding (SVC)

  • direct connection priority using Hole punching technology

  • automatic connection restoring if the connection fails

  • adaptive buffer for incoming audio and video data streams.

# 4K video conferencing

With TrueConf Server and TrueConf Server Free, you can organize UltraHD (3840x2160, 4K) video meetings. In group conferences, total image resolution can be up to 7680×4320 (Ultra HD 8K).

Read more about UltraHD video calls and system requirements for user devices in our articles.

# Collaboration tools

TrueConf Server provides a number of collaboration tools:

Do you want to organize a video conference and stream it for a broad audience in real time? With TrueConf, you can stream your meetings using the built-in RTSP gateway. TrueConf Server supports the following popular services:

You can also manually set up conference streaming to other third-party services, for example, Facebook.

# Managing video layouts and participants’ devices

TrueConf Server users can configure video layouts, manage devices of conference participants, and use other options for streamlining meetings:

# Useful guides

We offer administrators and TrueConf users plenty of helpful links to our resources and communities:

User types →