Hi all,
this is a note to explain Webex Meetings licensing.
Webex Meetings licensing is based on the concept of named hosts.
First of all, what is a named host?
A named host is a user that has been entitled by their Webex admin to host/organize Webex meetings. Webex Admin assigns named hosts via their email address in Webex Control Hub (management portal for Webex Meetings admin).
What a Webex Meeting named host can do?
a) schedule the meeting (via outlook or via webex page)
b) invite participants (again via outlook or via webex page)
c) start the meeting (from browser or from Webex Desktop App or from a Video endpoint)
IMPORTANT NOTE: meetings do not start without the host. Participants can not start the meeting - only host can start the meeting. If host starts from browser or Webex Desktop App, he/she is identified by login credentials. If host starts the meeting from a video endpoint (without using his/her laptop/smartphone) then he/she is identified by the Host PIN (when video endpoint dials the Webex Meetings, you are asked if you are the host of the meeting and if you select Yes, you need to provide a Host PIN to start the meeting).
d) during meeting has some advanced meeting controls like recording, expel participants, etc. (these options are not available to other participants)
e) can sign-in in webex page (company1.webex.com) and set his/her preferences (Personal room name, Host PIN, other settings) and also access recordings from his/her previous sessions
f) can download and use Webex Desktop App to easily start meetings, see scheduled meetings, etc.
(I will soon create another community post on what a Webex Meetings named host can do providing more details)
Recommended approach (for licensing and ordering):
Based on the above, a company needs to check how many users are the ones that need to organize Webex Meetings and order the appropriate number of Webex Meeting named hosts. Each named host can have one active meeting at a time and does not have any dependency on other named hosts. Each named host has access to his/her own recording sessions and can setup their own preferences (Personal room name, host PIN, etc.)
So if 10 users need this service (organize/host Webex meetings) then company needs to order 10 x Webex Meetings named hosts and assign them to these 10 users. Participants do not need any licensing.
Sidenote: for cases with medium/large number of hosts, there are models like Enterprise-Agreement or Active User offers but I am covering these in other posts.
What about Video endpoints in meeting rooms?
Normally, if users that need to host Webex Meetings have their Webex Meetings named host accounts (recommended approach), then all meetings will be organized/hosted by these named hosts. In these meetings, Video endpoints could participate or not.
For example, company has 20 Webex Meeting named hosts and 5 Video endpoints in meeting rooms. The 20 named hosts are the ones that will organize all meetings and, off course, any of the Video endpoints could participate without problem. So recommended approach above (one Webex Meetings named host for all people that need to potentially host Webex Meetings) covers also fine the Video endpoints/meeting rooms.
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please rate if you find helpful
rgds
Alkiviadis
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DISCLAIMER: this post was created in order to provide useful info to Cisco partners and customers in my area (Greece/Cyprus and Malta). For official and updated information, please consult cisco documentation, datasheets and ordering guides.
