We want to inform the campus Zoom community of an upcoming required Zoom functionality update. To prepare for this update, please read this notice to be aware of ITS changes coming October 22nd.
Zoom Update November 1
Beginning November 1, 2021, customers will be required to update their Zoom software to ensure it is no more than nine months behind the current version at any given time. From that point on, users will be prompted to update their software if their version falls behind this nine-month window. For example, if the latest version of the Zoom client was released in September 2021, customers who try to access Zoom services with a version released before January 2021 will be prompted to update to a more recent version in order to access the full functionality of Zoom.
Customers will be prompted to update the Zoom meeting client to the latest version before they can sign in or join a meeting/webinar if they fall behind the 9-month window, but will be provided the option to join a meeting through the web client instead. Users will only receive a notification if the Zoom client has exceeded the upgrade window. For other products, such as the Zoom Scheduler extensions for Chrome and Firefox or the Zoom Room Scheduler, the scheduling functionality will be disabled and a warning will be displayed. Zoom will not provide troubleshooting support for products running versions outside the nine-month window.
This change is in line with industry practices and designed to help ensure that Zoom users receive the latest Zoom features, as well as any privacy and security enhancements made to the platform. To prepare for the new schedule, Zoom recommends customers update to the latest release supported by their organization or at minimum software version 5.5.0, prior to November 1st, 2021.
This policy will affect the following products (oldest possible version as on November 2021):
- Zoom Client: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android (5.5.0)
- Zoom Rooms (5.5.0)
- Zoom Rooms Controller (5.5.0)
- Zoom Phone Appliances (5.6.0)
- Outlook Plug-in (5.5.1)
- Browser Scheduler Extensions for Chrome (1.6.3) and Firefox (2.1.13)
- VDI Client (5.5.0)
- Virtual Room Connector (4.4.6)
- Meetings Connector (4.6.3)
- Recording Connector (3.8.41)
- Client SDK (5.5.0)
ITS Update October 22
To prevent disruption of any scheduled meetings or events, ITS recommends that any of the aforementioned platforms and plugins connected to the UNC Zoom partnership running the versions listed above (or earlier) be proactively updated. To further prevent disruption, at 6:00AM on October 22, 2021, ITS will set these baseline version levels within Zoom. This will prompt a client update to those who have not met the baseline version criteria at next launch.
Users are encouraged to check their current client versions. See instructions on checking your current Zoom version and upgrading Zoom to the latest version.
Departmental Zoom support staff are encouraged check their relevant endpoints (Zoom Rooms) to ensure they also meet the upcoming change in version standards.
The following disclaimer is enabled a week prior to the October 22, 2021 settings change. This serves as a reminder when starting meetings and will not prohibit access to scheduled meetings or events.
If you have any questions or need guidance on the update process, please call the ITS Service Desk at 919-962-HELP or submit a help request 
.