We’ve released version 4.3 of the Z-Series software for the RSP-Z2 and the Z-Series Controller.

All users can download software version 4.3 for the RSP-Z2 and Z-Series Controller completely free of charge.

Key Features

This release of the Z-Series software adds key features like HTTPS, refines wide area distributed system capabilities with Unity, pays special attention to permissions, adds Favorites to the Z-Series Controller, and – of course – fixes bugs and makes other improvements to the user experience.

One of engineers was so excited, we let him write the blog!

HTTPS Made Easy
That little lock icon in your browser means something – that the web page you’re visiting is encrypted and your data is safe from hackers. Starting in version 4.3, the RSP-Z2 and Z-Series Controller support secure HTTPS browsing when accessing the user interface.

You’ve probably heard that setting up HTTPS requires getting a certificate from a third-party service for each web server. Also, those certificates can’t be issued for an IP address. That can be complex, problematic, and sometimes costly for network appliances like gateways. Fortunately, there is an alternative – self-signed certificates.

What’s a self-signed certificate? Essentially, when you turn on HTTPS, the Z-Series devices will generate a certificate for you and automatically use it. This makes enabling the encrypted user interface just about as easy as it could possibly be – a few mouse clicks, wait less than 10 seconds, log back in, and you’re done! This is perfect for the vast majority of people that use our Z-Series products.

If there’s a downside, it’s that your browser will warn you it can’t verify the origin of the certificate. That’s normal and expected with self-signed certificates. Don’t worry, the communication is still encrypted and secure. Not a bad trade-off for allowing HTTPS to work with a raw IP address and being so simple to set up!

You can find the HTTPS settings on the General settings page of your Z-Series device. As always, there’s plenty of built-in help documentation to explain how everything works.

Unity – Seamless Distributed Connectivity
Long-time fans of JPS’ products are aware of our focus on distributed communication. That’s why the RSP-Z2 and Z-Series Controller work together so effortlessly when forming a wide area communication system. Version 4.3.0 brings additional refinement to this feature suite, which finally gets an official name: Unity.

Unity makes it easy for you to build the system you want. This update concentrates on simplifying the setup and maintenance of all the disparate systems in your Z-Series arsenal.

In a recent release, JPS introduced performing software updates using Unity – update the software on one or more of your RSP-Z2s from your Z-Series Controller. Version 4.3.0 brings more user interface refinement to this and other Unity-related features.

Notably, you can now view the release notes for the RSP-Z2 software on the Z-Series Controller before performing the software update, and you can get logs from any connected RSP-Z2 using the Z-Series Controller. The latter allows JPS support to help you more quickly and effectively if you are encountering a problem.

Permissions – Control Who Does What
Many of our customers use their Z-Series device straight out of the box without worrying about multiple people using their system on a day-to-day basis. Once it’s set up, the system just facilitates your audio connectivity silently, effectively, and reliably.

However, some customers have more dynamic scenarios – multiple users actively using the system at any given moment. Not all of those users need or want access to everything in the system.

The Z-Series devices have always let you create different types of users and user accounts. User type permissions control what specific users are allowed to see and do.

Version 4.3.0 brings significant refinement to these user permissions – better integrating them in the user interface, making them easier to set up by automatically correcting permission configuration mistakes, and adding a few new important permissions to further refine what individual user types can see and do.

Everybody Has a Favorite
Some Z-Series deployments can be quite large – particularly Unity-managed systems with lots of distributed gateways. When you have a large setup like that, organization and efficiency are everything.

Now, on the Z-Series Controller, each user account has its own list of Favorite resources. Right-click a resource, select Add Favorite, and boom! – the resource is now elevated to the top of the resource list making it super easy to locate quickly. It also retains its original spot. Since each user gets their own Favorites list, different users can focus on whichever resources they care about without impacting anybody else.

Favorites are saved across login sessions and power cycles – you can have the same ones ready to go as soon as you log in every day. However, since adding and removing favorites is so fast and easy, users could even change what they’re focusing on dynamically throughout the day – e.g., to help them handle a specific incident more effectively.

Lots of Other Stuff, Too
Version 4.2.1 brought a lot of refinement to the Z-Series without introducing too many exciting new features. Version 4.3 builds on that refinement with several minor features, user interface enhancements, updated documentation, and behind-the-scenes improvements.

We hope you enjoy this free upgrade, and suggest keeping an eye out for the next one! We’re always looking for ways to enhance your Z-Series experience!

You can download software version 4.3.0 for the RSP-Z2 and Z-Series Controller completely free of charge.