Beware: on site renaming, initial Url preserved as ReadOnly site collection

Last year Microsoft delivered the long-requested capability to change the address of a SharePoint Online site collection. One of the features is that any request to the original / initial site address, is seamless mapped to the renamed site address. An unexpected side-effect is that on SharePoint tenant level a placeholder site collection is created to deliver this site mapping / redirection.

Visualization of the effect: before + after

Before Renaming	After Renaming

Things to be aware of when embedding video play in Teams Meeting

In the Microsoft Mechanics video how to present videos in microsoft teams meetings WITHOUT lag,

the presenter clarifies the multiple hop issue that may result for the audience in non-optimal experience when embedding a video play in the Teams meetings.

Awareness 1: Recording misses the video if embedded via PowerPoint live

In this video he also introduces the Microsoft recommendation how to resolve this; namely by uploading the video via PowerPoint already in the Microsoft cloud. With this approach the first 2 hops are avoided. This works like a charm for the people live in the meeting. But a caveat I noticed is that when you need a recording of the meeting for afterwards (re)watch, then the video play is missing.

Include the video play via PowerPoint Live in the Teams Meeting presentation

Video is playing in the Teams Meeting, audience can live watch it

Video play is missing in the recording of the Teams Meeting

Awareness 2: Embed the video as shared content - video play stops on ANY mouseclick

If you need to meetings to be recorded; then you must share the video ‘as content’. The first of the 3 hops can be avoided by storing the video first local on your workstation, and play it from there on a 2nd monitor. Select this 2nd monitor on which playing for sharing in the Teams, and don’t forget to turn on ‘Include computer sound’ ! The video playing is then both visible for the audience 'live' in the meeting, and also included in the Teams meeting recording. Caveat with this setup is that during video play, you must take care not to click your mouse at all. If you do so, it doesn't matter whether in other screen or application; the video play immediate stops, resulting in disrupted experience. If you want to rule out this risk, then the trick is to play the video on another system then the one used for sharing in Teams Meeting (or Live Event). This setup is described in detail by Chris Stegh in his excellent article Sharing Video in Microsoft Teams Meetings.

Include the video play via shared content in the Teams Meeting presentation

Video play is included in the recording of the Teams Meeting

Awareness 3: Reporter layout not propagated into recording

A nice recent addition to Teams Meeting is multiple layout-options for the presenter, contributing to more professional appearance to the audience. However, only the 'live' audience can enjoy it; in the recording the presenter mode is ignored and it always in side-by-side layout. This holds for both approaches: whether including the video via PowerPoint (but this is current a no-go if video AND need recording) and on including as shared content.

Reporter layout for the presenter in the 'live' meeting

Side-by-Side layout for the presenter in the recording of meeting