Recording web conferences

1. A method of conference recording, comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of virtual conferences being operated by a conferencing system connected to a communications network, the virtual conferences having human participants;

executing a plurality of virtual participant processes in a processor;

registering the virtual participant processes with the conferencing system as co-participants in the virtual conferences by using a recorder component of the virtual participant processes to emulate human interactions with a user interface of the conferencing system;

recording information streams of the human participants using the virtual participant processes;

executing a recording component process, wherein the recording component process is cooperative with the virtual participant processes to receive the information streams, wherein the virtual participant processes are operative to record an event occurring in the virtual conferences and to communicate with one or more of the human participants responsively to the event; and

during the virtual conferences transmitting an output of the recording component process to one or more of the human participants, wherein the output of the recording component process is accessible during the virtual conferences to entities that are not participants in the virtual conferences.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein executing a plurality of virtual participant processes comprises:

spawning a virtual machine in the processor; and

executing the virtual participant processes in the virtual machine.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the steps of registering the virtual participant processes and transmitting an output of the recording component are performed via a communication on a wired or mobile telephone connection between the conferencing system and the human participants.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the virtual participant processes are operative to execute a response to commands from one of the human participants.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the response comprises a transmission of at least one of a sound notification, a textual notification, and a report of requested information.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the transmission is performed via a communication on a wired or mobile telephone connection between the conferencing system and the human participants.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the human participants include a dynamically selected active speaker, the method further comprising the steps of:

with the virtual participant processes identifying the active speaker; and

associating a current one of the information streams with the active speaker.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the conferencing system is operative to generate an indication of the active speaker, and identifying the active speaker comprises recognizing the indication.

9. A method of conference recording, comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of virtual conferences being operated by a conferencing system connected to a communications network, the virtual conferences having human participants;

executing a plurality of virtual participant processes in a processor;

registering the virtual participant processes with the conferencing system as co-participants in the virtual conferences; and

recording information streams of the human participants using the virtual participant processes, wherein registering the virtual participant processes is performed by modifying at least one of a registry entry, a configuration file, and an internal database in the conferencing system.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the virtual participant processes are operative for recording information streams in a plurality of multimedia channels, further comprising combining the recorded information streams into a common stream.

11. A system comprising:

a server connected to a communications network;

a recording component linked to the server, the server operative for:

identifying a plurality of virtual conferences being operated by a conference server connected to the communications network, the virtual conferences having human participants;

spawning a virtual machine;

executing a plurality of virtual participant processes in the virtual machine; and

registering the virtual participant processes with the conference server as co-participants in the virtual conferences, wherein the recording component is cooperative with the server for recording information streams of the human participants using the virtual participant processes, and wherein an output of the recording component is accessible during the virtual conferences to entities that are not participants in the virtual conferences.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the steps of registering the virtual participant processes and recording information streams are performed via a communication on a wired or mobile telephone connection between the server and the human participants.

13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the server is operative during the virtual conferences for transmitting an output of the recording component to one or more of the human participants.

14. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the server is operative for:

obtaining a schedule of the virtual conferences;

spawning respective virtual machines to provide virtual participant processes for a portion of the virtual conferences in the schedule;

monitoring performance of the virtual machines during the virtual conferences to detect flaws in the virtual machines; and

responsively to a detection of a failure of one of the virtual machines to perform in accordance with a predefined standard, terminating the one virtual machine and launching a replacement virtual machine.

15. The system according to claim 14 wherein the server is operative for:

determining that one of the virtual conferences has completed; and

thereafter reassigning the virtual machine thereof to a new conference.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein executing a plurality of virtual participant processes comprises:

spawning a virtual machine in the processor, the virtual machine comprising an instance of a virtual operating system, and

executing the virtual participant processes in the virtual machine.

17. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the server is configured for registering the virtual participant processes by emulating human interactions with a user interface of the conference server.

18. The method according to claim 9 , wherein registering the virtual participant processes is performed by emulating human interactions with a user interface of the conferencing system.