Zoom meetings can be a good remote option to host an interactive networking event for both the U of M community and non-UMN participants. This article discusses ways to adapt the functionality of Zoom and other OIT-supported technologies to tailor to the needs of a networking event.
In this article:
- Determining the Best Way to Secure Your Networking Event
- Determining the Best Way to Host Your Event: One Meeting or Many Meetings?
- Free Event Support Consultation
- Related Articles
Determining the Best Way to Secure Your Networking Event
Security Against Zoombombing
The University of Minnesota Office of Information Technology (OIT) is unable to track down anonymous Zoombombers, so Hosts are strongly encouraged to have a plan to safeguard their event.
- If the event is open only to UMN participants, high security settings are recommended
- Refer to Zoom: Secure Your Zoom Meetings under Only authenticated users can join meetings for details about enabling authentication
- Settings must be modified for the Host account
- A passcode is optional (but recommended)
- If the event is open to the public, consider the following alternative security settings, arranged from least to most secure
Option 1: Restricting Anonymous Participants (Least Secure)
- Under Meeting Authentication Options of the authentication settings, set Sign in to Zoom as default
- This will block anonymous users from joining
- Since Zoom accounts can be traced by Zoom, Zoombombers are less likely to disrupt your event
Option 2: Turning On Waiting Room for All
- Enable Waiting Room in the Host's Zoom global setting (log in to umn.zoom.us), and set Waiting Room Options to Everyone will go in the waiting room
- This allows the Host and Alternative Hosts to screen participants by name before admitting them
- Choose this option if you:
- Do not wish to force participants to create a Zoom account
- Do not wish to add non-UMN users as authentication exceptions (discussed in Option 4 on this page)
- Will maintain a list of participants (by using a Google form to register attendees, for example) so you can screen participants by name
- The list should not be shared with the public
- This is different from enabling Registration for a meeting, which is an option
- Refer to Setting up registration for a meeting for details
Option 3: Combining Options 1 & 2
- If you enable both Sign in to Zoom authentication and Waiting Room, you can achieve both outcomes (restrict anonymous participants & screen participants)
Option 4: Adding Authentication Exceptions (Most Secure)
- Allow authentication exception should be enabled by default for UMN Zoom users
- This global setting allows external participants to join with non-UMN email addresses once they have been added as exceptions
- Adding exceptions in the meeting settings of the Host's profile at umn.zoom.us
- Select the name of the meeting
- Scroll to the bottom and select Edit
- Next to Authentication Exceptions, select Add
- Select Add Participant; name and email address fields appear
- Enter the name and email address of the participant you wish to add in the two mandatory fields that appear
- Select Add Participant again to add more exceptions
- Select Save
- Select the name of the meeting
NOTE: An external participant must create a Zoom account with their non-UMN email address AND be logged into Zoom (refer to Zoom: Login to Your UMN Zoom account or Zoom's website) for the participant to join the meeting.
Determining the Best Way to Host Your Event: One Meeting or Many Meetings?
Due to the limited interactive options available in a webinar, a meeting is the preferred method for hosting a networking event. See Meetings and webinars comparison from Zoom Support.
Option 1: One Large Meeting, Many Breakout Rooms
For the best experience, participants should have a Zoom account and use the latest version of the Zoom desktop client or the Zoom mobile app so they can self-select breakout rooms per Zoom: Manage Breakout Rooms.
Pros:
- Straightforward for Host to manage
- One stop for participants to reach the Host in the main Zoom meeting
- Participants can focus on networking
- With Waiting Room enabled, a passcode or authentication are optional and a Zoom account is not required
- With authentication enabled, breakout rooms for known participants can be pre-assigned per Zoom: Create and Manage Pre-assigned Breakout Rooms
- This results in fewer management tasks for the Host during the event
- You can only pre-assign a maximum of 200 participants in any given meeting
Cons:
- With Waiting Room enabled without authentication, a registration process is necessary for security against Zoombombing
- Unregistered users will need Host's assistance to attend at the last minute
- With Sign in to Zoom authentication enabled, participants must have a Zoom account associated with their registered email
- With UMN-only authentication enabled, non-UMN Zoom users need to be added to exception list AND need to be logged in to Zoom to join the meeting
- Participants must have the latest Zoom desktop client or mobile app to be able to self-select a breakout room (self-select is currently unavailable when meeting is joined through web browser)
- Performance of the Zoom event can be affected if there are a large number of breakout rooms
Option 2: Many Meetings, Optional Breakout Rooms
Having multiple meetings instead of just one can work well if the Host wishes to delegate hosting tasks to colleagues in each meeting. The Host can retain Host privilege by scheduling each meeting with the Host account, then adding colleagues as alternative hosts (see Zoom: Designate an Alternative Host) to maximize freedom of movement for other hosts.
- NOTE: Each Zoom account can only have up to two meetings running concurrently
- A confidential shared resource must be created with meeting links or meeting details, and all participants must be able to access the resource
- The Host can have a separate "lobby meeting" available to answer participant questions, or use another chat application (such as the OIT-supported Google Meet) to communicate with participants
- If the Host wishes to move between meetings regularly, having a secondary chat application open for communication can be helpful
Pros:
- Decentralized management; each meeting is managed by designated participants with alternative host role, and hosting/screening responsibilities are shared
- Breakout rooms remain available (but optional) for more private conversations
- With Waiting Room enabled, a Zoom account is not required if registration with the Host is mandatory
- Every meeting can be joined through the Zoom web client
- Participants do not need to leave a Zoom meeting to reach the Host if a secondary chat application is used
- Minimal Host involvement in managing the participants
Cons:
- The Host must plan for and schedule all meetings ahead of time and add alternative hosts to every meeting for ease of movement between meetings
- Multiple Host accounts may be necessary to run more than two concurrent meetings
- Non-UMN participants must keep the list of meetings handy so they can move between meetings
- All participants must either have the Host's "lobby meeting" link available, or have a secondary chat app to reach the Host
Free Event Support Consultation
If you are still deciding how to host your event, please review the following resources:
- Video Event Online Support
- Video Event Onsite Support
- Video Support for Events: Costs
- Zoom: Pre-Webinar Checklist for Hosts (review this only if you believe a Zoom meeting will not meet your needs)
After reviewing those resources, if you'd like to discuss your options with our event support team, please submit a free consultation request:
- Select Request Service
- Fill out the request form with as much information as you can