This week we will introduce OpenX 2.8.2, the latest version of the OpenX Ad Server. We will first launch the new version on OpenX Hosted on Tuesday (update: see 2.8.2 upgrade schedule). We’ll then make it available for download a few days after. It will include a number of improvements to the delivery of contract campaigns, as well as various security updates and bug fixes. You can expect the following enhancements with the new OpenX 2.8.2 release.
- Improvements to ad delivery - With OpenX 2.8.2, we have made a number of changes to the delivery engine to ensure the proper allocation of ads across contract campaigns. The resulting improvements will reduce the occurrence of under-delivery and over-delivery for all contract campaigns.
- Improvements to campaigns using companion positioning - Prior to OpenX 2.8.2, once a “companion” campaign served one ad on a page, it prevented any other campaigns from serving ads on the page, regardless of whether the companion campaign could fill all of the page’s ads itself. In OpenX 2.8.2, we’ve fixed this behavior, so if there are ads on the page that the companion campaign is unable to serve, they will be offered to other campaigns (helping you avoid serving blanks).
- Security updates - We have completed a number of critical security updates to the ad server in OpenX 2.8.2 to reduce any potential vulnerabilities in the software.
In addition to these enhancements, we’ve made numerous additional performance improvements and bug fixes. Be sure to check out the release notes when they’re made available on Thursday.
If you are using OpenX Hosted, there’s more. In addition to upgrading the OpenX Hosted platform to OpenX 2.8.2 on Tuesday, we will be making further improvements throughout the next two weeks to significantly improve your experience on OpenX Hosted (update: see Market Plugin upgrade schedule).
- OpenX Market UI updates - This week, we’ll be updating how OpenX Hosted integrates with OpenX Market. You will be able to use tools like the OpenX Market Quickstart page and the Ad Quality Tool, which we previously launched for downloaded users (see this blog post). You will also be able to view details like your payment history.
- New and improved ad prioritization - Next week, we will be going live with a new process for prioritizing campaigns in OpenX Hosted. We’ve spent a number of months rewriting this process and have already rolled it out to some OpenX Enterprise Hosted clients with great success. With the new process in place, campaigns will deliver more accurately, the admin UI will be faster, and the system will prioritize contract campaigns in near real-time.
- New and improved reporting infrastructure - There will also be a number of updates to the way statistics are processed, making OpenX Hosted more in line with IAB requirements (we are in the final stages of certifying our Hosted platforms as IAB compliant). These changes will set the stage for further performance improvements to all statistics screens down the line.
We’re confident these updates will significantly improve performance and usability for all of you. Be sure to watch for them this coming week and as always we’ll be looking forward to hearing your feedback.
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