Neha Patil (Editor)

GoToMeeting

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Developer(s)
  
Citrix

License
  
Proprietary

Type
  
Video conferencing

Website
  
www.gotomeeting.com

GoToMeeting is a web-hosted service created and marketed by the Online Services division of Citrix Systems. It is an online meeting, desktop sharing, and video conferencing software that enables the user to meet with other computer users, customers, clients or colleagues via the Internet in real time. In late 2015, Citrix announced plans to spin-off the GoToMeeting business as a stand-alone subsidiary with a market value around $4 billion.

Contents

Technology

GoToMeeting is designed to broadcast the desktop view of a host computer to a group of computers connected to the host through the Internet. Transmissions are protected with high-security encryption and optional passwords. By combining a web-hosted subscription service with software installed on the host computer, transmissions can be passed through highly restrictive firewalls.

History

GoToMeeting was developed in July 2004 by the Online Services division of Citrix in Santa Barbara, California, using the remote access and screen sharing technology from GoToMyPC and GoToAssist to allow web conferencing. The later release of GoToWebinar in 2006 and GoToTraining in 2010 expanded GoToMeeting capabilities to accommodate larger audiences.

Editions and features

GoToMeeting is sold in two editions. Single-user accounts, originally called GoToMeeting Personal, first launched with desktop sharing, chat and integrated audio conferencing. Multi-user accounts, previously GoToMeeting Corporate, also included management and central administration services for teams and enterprise users. Later versions added support for VoIP, session recording, and annotation tools to both editions. GoToMeeting features now include:

  • Mobile apps for iPad, iPhone and Android devices
  • Encryption and authentication security provided by a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Web site with end-to-end 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption and optional passwords
  • Specific application sharing for showing only selected programs with attendees
  • Multi-monitor support for a client PC
  • Meeting recording and playback for recording and saving meetings to a user desktop for later review
  • Total audio package provides toll based phone or conferencing via VoIP.
  • GoToMeeting hosts up to 25 users and one organizer while GoToMeeting Corporate offers up to 100 users with multiple organizer option.

    • Online Meetings

    Online meetings are the most basic of functionalities that web conferencing tools provide. GoToMeeting has standard online meeting functionalities such as desktop sharing. This is mainly used when a presenter has information to share, e.g., a Power Point slide show. The presenter may perform a task in real time so the attendees can watch the necessary steps to perform the task.

    GoToMeeting:

  • Does not work on Linux, as many other web conferencing systems do
  • Does not support the conferencing of in-room systems or bridges to its meetings; organizations with a traditional video conferencing infrastructure (SIP/h.323 codecs) must instead connect via a mobile device or PC/laptop with a webcam

    • GoToMeeting with HDFaces

    In 2011, Citrix released GoToMeeting with HDFaces, adding high-definition video conferencing support to the web conferencing service. Up to six users can show their webcam streams at a time.

    Awards

  • 2011 About.com Reader's Choice for Best Web Conferencing Solution
  • 2012 Edison Award for Best Media/Visual Communication
  • 2012 Internet Telephony Product of the Year

    • References

    GoToMeeting Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA