diff --git a/src/app/Http/Controllers/API/V4/OpenViduController.php b/src/app/Http/Controllers/API/V4/OpenViduController.php
--- a/src/app/Http/Controllers/API/V4/OpenViduController.php
+++ b/src/app/Http/Controllers/API/V4/OpenViduController.php
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 namespace App\Http\Controllers\API\V4;
 
 use App\Http\Controllers\Controller;
+use App\OpenVidu\Connection;
 use App\OpenVidu\Room;
 use Illuminate\Http\Request;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Auth;
@@ -115,22 +116,22 @@
      */
     public function dismissConnection($id, $conn)
     {
-        $room = Room::where('name', $id)->first();
+        $connection = Connection::where('id', $conn)->first();
 
-        // This isn't a room, bye bye
-        if (!$room) {
-            return $this->errorResponse(404, \trans('meet.room-not-found'));
+        // There's no such connection, bye bye
+        if (!$connection || $connection->room->name != $id) {
+            return $this->errorResponse(404, \trans('meet.connection-not-found'));
         }
 
         $user = Auth::guard()->user();
 
-        // Only the room owner can do it
-        if (!$user || $user->id != $room->user_id) {
+        // Only the room owner can do it (for now)
+        if (!$user || $user->id != $connection->room->user_id) {
             return $this->errorResponse(403);
         }
 
-        if (!$room->closeOVConnection($conn)) {
-            return $this->errorResponse(500, \trans('meet.session-dismiss-connection-error'));
+        if (!$connection->dismiss()) {
+            return $this->errorResponse(500, \trans('meet.connection-dismiss-error'));
         }
 
         return response()->json(['status' => 'success']);
@@ -281,28 +282,29 @@
         if ($init) {
             // Choose the connection role
             $canPublish = !empty(request()->input('canPublish'));
-            $reqRole = $canPublish ? Room::ROLE_PUBLISHER : Room::ROLE_SUBSCRIBER;
-            $role = $isOwner ? Room::ROLE_MODERATOR : $reqRole;
+            $role = $canPublish ? Room::ROLE_PUBLISHER : Room::ROLE_SUBSCRIBER;
+            if ($isOwner) {
+                $role |= Room::ROLE_MODERATOR;
+                $role |= Room::ROLE_OWNER;
+            }
 
             // Create session token for the current user/connection
-            $response = $room->getSessionToken($role, ['canPublish' => $canPublish]);
+            $response = $room->getSessionToken($role);
 
             if (empty($response)) {
                 return $this->errorResponse(500, \trans('meet.session-join-error'));
             }
 
             // Create session token for screen sharing connection
-            if ($role != Room::ROLE_SUBSCRIBER && !empty(request()->input('screenShare'))) {
-                $add_token = $room->getSessionToken(Room::ROLE_PUBLISHER, ['canPublish' => true]);
+            if (($role & Room::ROLE_PUBLISHER) && !empty(request()->input('screenShare'))) {
+                $add_token = $room->getSessionToken(Room::ROLE_SCREEN);
 
                 $response['shareToken'] = $add_token['token'];
             }
 
             $response_code = 200;
             $response['role'] = $role;
-            $response['owner'] = $isOwner;
             $response['config'] = $config;
-            $response['canPublish'] = $canPublish;
         } else {
             $response_code = 422;
             $response['code'] = 322;
@@ -393,6 +395,12 @@
                     $room->save();
                 }
 
+                // Remove all connections
+                // Note: We could remove connections one-by-one via the 'participantLeft' event
+                // but that could create many INSERTs when the session (with many participants) ends
+                // So, it is better to remove them all in a single INSERT.
+                Connection::where('session_id', $sessionId)->delete();
+
                 break;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/app/OpenVidu/Connection.php b/src/app/OpenVidu/Connection.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/OpenVidu/Connection.php
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\OpenVidu;
+
+use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
+
+/**
+ * The eloquent definition of a Connection.
+ *
+ * @property string  $id         OpenVidu connection identifier
+ * @property array   $metadata   Connection metadata
+ * @property int     $role       Connection role
+ * @property int     $room_id    Room identifier
+ * @property string  $session_id OpenVidu session identifier
+ */
+class Connection extends Model
+{
+    protected $table = 'openvidu_connections';
+
+    public $incrementing = false;
+    protected $keyType = 'string';
+
+    /**
+     * The attributes that should be cast.
+     *
+     * @var array
+     */
+    protected $casts = [
+        'metadata' => 'array',
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * Dismiss (close) the connection.
+     *
+     * @return bool True on success, False on failure
+     */
+    public function dismiss()
+    {
+        if ($this->room->closeOVConnection($this->id)) {
+            $this->delete();
+
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * The room to which this connection belongs.
+     *
+     * @return \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Relations\BelongsTo
+     */
+    public function room()
+    {
+        return $this->belongsTo(Room::class, 'room_id', 'id');
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/app/OpenVidu/Room.php b/src/app/OpenVidu/Room.php
--- a/src/app/OpenVidu/Room.php
+++ b/src/app/OpenVidu/Room.php
@@ -18,13 +18,19 @@
 {
     use SettingsTrait;
 
-    public const ROLE_MODERATOR = 'MODERATOR';
-    public const ROLE_PUBLISHER = 'PUBLISHER';
-    public const ROLE_SUBSCRIBER = 'SUBSCRIBER';
+    public const ROLE_SUBSCRIBER = 1 << 0;
+    public const ROLE_PUBLISHER = 1 << 1;
+    public const ROLE_MODERATOR = 1 << 2;
+    public const ROLE_SCREEN = 1 << 3;
+    public const ROLE_OWNER = 1 << 4;
 
     public const REQUEST_ACCEPTED = 'accepted';
     public const REQUEST_DENIED = 'denied';
 
+    private const OV_ROLE_MODERATOR = 'MODERATOR';
+    private const OV_ROLE_PUBLISHER = 'PUBLISHER';
+    private const OV_ROLE_SUBSCRIBER = 'SUBSCRIBER';
+
     protected $fillable = [
         'user_id',
         'name'
@@ -169,14 +175,12 @@
     /**
      * Create a OpenVidu session (connection) token
      *
-     * @param string $role User role
-     * @param array  $data User data to attach to the connection.
-     *                     It will be available client-side for everybody.
+     * @param int $role User role (see self::ROLE_* constants)
      *
      * @return array|null Token data on success, NULL otherwise
      * @throws \Exception if session does not exist
      */
-    public function getSessionToken($role = self::ROLE_PUBLISHER, $data = []): ?array
+    public function getSessionToken($role = self::ROLE_SUBSCRIBER): ?array
     {
         if (!$this->session_id) {
             throw new \Exception("The room session does not exist");
@@ -186,16 +190,12 @@
         // to make it visible for everyone in a room. So, for example we can
         // handle/style subscribers/publishers/moderators differently on the
         // client-side. Is this a security issue?
-        if (!empty($data)) {
-            $data += ['role' => $role];
-        } else {
-            $data = ['role' => $role];
-        }
+        $data = ['role' => $role];
 
         $url = 'sessions/' . $this->session_id . '/connection';
         $post = [
             'json' => [
-                'role' => $role,
+                'role' => self::OV_ROLE_PUBLISHER,
                 'data' => json_encode($data)
             ]
         ];
@@ -205,11 +205,26 @@
         if ($response->getStatusCode() == 200) {
             $json = json_decode($response->getBody(), true);
 
+            // Extract the 'token' part of the token, it will be used to authenticate the connection.
+            // It will be needed in next iterations e.g. to authenticate moderators that aren't
+            // Kolab4 users (or are just not logged in to Kolab4).
+            // FIXME: we could as well generate our own token for auth purposes
+            parse_str(parse_url($json['token'], PHP_URL_QUERY), $url);
+
+            // Create the connection reference in our database
+            $conn = new Connection();
+            $conn->id = $json['id'];
+            $conn->session_id = $this->session_id;
+            $conn->room_id = $this->id;
+            $conn->role = $role;
+            $conn->metadata = ['token' => $url['token']];
+            $conn->save();
+
             return [
                 'session' => $this->session_id,
                 'token' => $json['token'],
-                'role' => $json['role'],
                 'connectionId' => $json['id'],
+                'role' => $role,
             ];
         }
 
@@ -324,10 +339,10 @@
     /**
      * Send a OpenVidu signal to the session participants (connections)
      *
-     * @param string       $name   Signal name (type)
-     * @param array        $data   Signal data array
-     * @param array|string $target List of target connections, Null for all connections.
-     *                             It can be also a participant role.
+     * @param string            $name   Signal name (type)
+     * @param array             $data   Signal data array
+     * @param null|int|string[] $target List of target connections, Null for all connections.
+     *                                  It can be also a participant role.
      *
      * @return bool True on success, False on failure
      * @throws \Exception if session does not exist
@@ -345,26 +360,11 @@
         ];
 
         // Get connection IDs by participant role
-        if (is_string($target)) {
-            // TODO: We should probably store this in our database/redis. I foresee a use-case
-            //       for such a connections store on our side, e.g. keeping participant
-            //       metadata, e.g. selected language, extra roles like a "language interpreter", etc.
-
-            $response = $this->client()->request('GET', 'sessions/' . $this->session_id);
-
-            if ($response->getStatusCode() !== 200) {
-                return false;
-            }
-
-            $json = json_decode($response->getBody(), true);
-            $connections = [];
-
-            foreach ($json['connections']['content'] as $connection) {
-                if ($connection['role'] === $target) {
-                    $connections[] = $connection['id'];
-                    break;
-                }
-            }
+        if (is_int($target)) {
+            $connections = Connection::where('session_id', $this->session_id)
+                ->whereRaw("(role & $target)")
+                ->pluck('id')
+                ->all();
 
             if (empty($connections)) {
                 return false;
diff --git a/src/database/migrations/2021_01_13_120000_create_openvidu_connections_table.php b/src/database/migrations/2021_01_13_120000_create_openvidu_connections_table.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/database/migrations/2021_01_13_120000_create_openvidu_connections_table.php
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+<?php
+
+use Illuminate\Database\Migrations\Migration;
+use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;
+
+// phpcs:ignore
+class CreateOpenviduConnectionsTable extends Migration
+{
+    /**
+     * Run the migrations.
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function up()
+    {
+        Schema::create(
+            'openvidu_connections',
+            function (Blueprint $table) {
+                // I'm not sure about the max. length of the OpenVidu identifiers
+                // In examples they have 14 characters, so 16 should be enough, but
+                // let's be on the safe side with 24.
+                $table->string('id', 24);
+                $table->string('session_id', 24);
+                $table->bigInteger('room_id')->unsigned();
+                $table->smallInteger('role')->default(0);
+                $table->text('metadata')->nullable(); // should be json, but mariadb
+                $table->timestamps();
+
+                $table->primary('id');
+                $table->index('session_id');
+                $table->foreign('room_id')->references('id')->on('openvidu_rooms')->onDelete('cascade');
+            }
+        );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Reverse the migrations.
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function down()
+    {
+        Schema::dropIfExists('openvidu_connections');
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/resources/js/meet/app.js b/src/resources/js/meet/app.js
--- a/src/resources/js/meet/app.js
+++ b/src/resources/js/meet/app.js
@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@
 import { library } from '@fortawesome/fontawesome-svg-core'
 import { OpenVidu } from 'openvidu-browser'
 
+class Roles {
+    static get SUBSCRIBER() { return 1 << 0; }
+    static get PUBLISHER() { return 1 << 1; }
+    static get MODERATOR() { return 1 << 2; }
+    static get SCREEN() { return 1 << 3; }
+    static get OWNER() { return 1 << 4; }
+}
 
 function Meet(container)
 {
@@ -14,7 +21,6 @@
     let audioSource = ''        // Currently selected microphone
     let videoSource = ''        // Currently selected camera
     let sessionData             // Room session metadata
-    let role                    // Current user role
 
     let screenOV                // OpenVidu object to initialize a screen sharing session
     let screenSession           // Session object where the user will connect for screen sharing
@@ -67,12 +73,11 @@
     this.switchVideo = switchVideo
     this.updateSession = updateSession
 
-
     /**
      * Join the room session
      *
-     * @param data Session metadata and event handlers (session, token, shareToken, nickname,
-     *             canPublish, chatElement, menuElement, onDestroy, onJoinRequest)
+     * @param data Session metadata and event handlers (session, token, shareToken, nickname, role,
+     *             chatElement, menuElement, onDestroy, onJoinRequest)
      */
     function joinRoom(data) {
         resize();
@@ -97,7 +102,6 @@
         session.on('connectionCreated', event => {
             // Ignore the current user connection
             if (event.connection.role) {
-                role = event.connection.role
                 return
             }
 
@@ -182,7 +186,7 @@
         session.connect(data.token, data.params)
             .then(() => {
                 let wrapper
-                let params = { self: true, canPublish: data.canPublish, audioActive, videoActive }
+                let params = { self: true, role: data.role, audioActive, videoActive }
                 params = Object.assign({}, data.params, params)
 
                 publisher.on('videoElementCreated', event => {
@@ -196,7 +200,7 @@
 
                 wrapper = participantCreate(params)
 
-                if (data.canPublish) {
+                if (data.role & Roles.PUBLISHER) {
                     publisher.createVideoElement(wrapper, 'PREPEND')
                     session.publish(publisher)
                 }
@@ -654,7 +658,7 @@
     }
 
     /**
-     * Create a participant element in the matrix. Depending on the `canPublish`
+     * Create a participant element in the matrix. Depending on the connection role
      * parameter it will be a video element wrapper inside the matrix or a simple
      * tag-like element on the subscribers list.
      *
@@ -663,7 +667,7 @@
      * @return The element
      */
     function participantCreate(params) {
-        if (params.canPublish) {
+        if (params.role & Roles.PUBLISHER || params.role & Roles.SCREEN) {
             return publisherCreate(params)
         }
 
@@ -760,7 +764,7 @@
             $element.addClass('self')
         }
 
-        if (role == 'MODERATOR') {
+        if (sessionData.role & Roles.MODERATOR) {
             $element.addClass('moderated')
         }
     }
@@ -827,7 +831,7 @@
                         return false
                     }
                 })
-        } else if (role == 'MODERATOR') {
+        } else if (sessionData.role & Roles.MODERATOR) {
             nickname.attr({title: 'Options', 'data-toggle': 'dropdown'})
                 .dropdown({boundary: container})
 
@@ -1071,4 +1075,4 @@
     }
 }
 
-export default Meet
+export { Meet, Roles }
diff --git a/src/resources/lang/en/meet.php b/src/resources/lang/en/meet.php
--- a/src/resources/lang/en/meet.php
+++ b/src/resources/lang/en/meet.php
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
     |
     */
 
+    'connection-not-found' => 'The connection does not exist.',
+    'connection-dismiss-error' => 'Failed to dismiss the connection.',
     'room-not-found' => 'The room does not exist.',
     'room-setconfig-success' => 'Room configuration updated successfully.',
     'room-unsupported-option-error' => 'Invalid room configuration option.',
@@ -21,7 +23,6 @@
     'session-join-error' => 'Failed to join the session.',
     'session-close-error' => 'Failed to close the session.',
     'session-close-success' => 'The session has been closed successfully.',
-    'session-dismiss-connection-error' => 'Failed to dismiss the connection.',
     'session-password-error' => 'Failed to join the session. Invalid password.',
     'session-request-accept-error' => 'Failed to accept the join request.',
     'session-request-deny-error' => 'Failed to deny the join request.',
diff --git a/src/resources/vue/Meet/Room.vue b/src/resources/vue/Meet/Room.vue
--- a/src/resources/vue/Meet/Room.vue
+++ b/src/resources/vue/Meet/Room.vue
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
                 <button class="btn btn-link link-fullscreen open hidden" @click="switchFullscreen" title="Full screen">
                     <svg-icon icon="compress"></svg-icon>
                 </button>
-                <button class="btn btn-link link-security" v-if="session && session.owner" @click="securityOptions" title="Security options">
+                <button class="btn btn-link link-security" v-if="isRoomOwner()" @click="securityOptions" title="Security options">
                     <svg-icon icon="shield-alt"></svg-icon>
                 </button>
                 <button class="btn btn-link link-logout" @click="logout" title="Leave session">
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@
 </template>
 
 <script>
-    import Meet from '../../js/meet/app.js'
+    import { Meet, Roles } from '../../js/meet/app.js'
     import StatusMessage from '../Widgets/StatusMessage'
     import LogonForm from '../Login'
     import SessionSecurityOptions from './SessionSecurityOptions'
@@ -317,7 +317,10 @@
                 }
             },
             isPublisher() {
-                return this.session && this.session.canPublish
+                return !!this.session.role && (this.session.role & Roles.PUBLISHER) > 0
+            },
+            isRoomOwner() {
+                return !!this.session.role && (this.session.role & Roles.OWNER) > 0
             },
             isRoomReady() {
                 return ['ready', 322, 324, 325, 326, 327].includes(this.roomState)
@@ -402,7 +405,7 @@
                 this.session.onDestroy = event => {
                     // TODO: Display different message for each reason: forceDisconnectByUser,
                     //       forceDisconnectByServer, sessionClosedByServer?
-                    if (event.reason != 'disconnect' && event.reason != 'networkDisconnect' && !this.session.owner) {
+                    if (event.reason != 'disconnect' && event.reason != 'networkDisconnect' && !this.isRoomOwner()) {
                         $('#leave-dialog').on('hide.bs.modal', () => {
                             // FIXME: Where exactly the user should land? Currently he'll land
                             //        on dashboard (if he's logged in) or login form (if he's not).
@@ -414,7 +417,7 @@
 
                 this.session.onDismiss = connId => { this.dismissParticipant(connId) }
 
-                if (this.session.owner) {
+                if (this.isRoomOwner()) {
                     this.session.onJoinRequest = data => { this.joinRequest(data) }
                 }
 
@@ -427,7 +430,7 @@
                     this.$router.push({ name: 'dashboard' })
                 }
 
-                if (this.session.owner) {
+                if (this.isRoomOwner()) {
                     axios.post('/api/v4/openvidu/rooms/' + this.room + '/close').then(logout)
                 } else {
                     logout()
diff --git a/src/tests/Feature/Controller/OpenViduTest.php b/src/tests/Feature/Controller/OpenViduTest.php
--- a/src/tests/Feature/Controller/OpenViduTest.php
+++ b/src/tests/Feature/Controller/OpenViduTest.php
@@ -114,9 +114,8 @@
 
         $session_id = $room->fresh()->session_id;
 
-        $this->assertSame(Room::ROLE_MODERATOR, $json['role']);
+        $this->assertSame(Room::ROLE_SUBSCRIBER | Room::ROLE_MODERATOR | Room::ROLE_OWNER, $json['role']);
         $this->assertSame($session_id, $json['session']);
-        $this->assertFalse($json['canPublish']);
         $this->assertTrue(is_string($session_id) && !empty($session_id));
         $this->assertTrue(strpos($json['token'], 'wss://') === 0);
         $this->assertTrue(!array_key_exists('shareToken', $json));
@@ -140,7 +139,6 @@
         $json = $response->json();
 
         $this->assertSame(Room::ROLE_SUBSCRIBER, $json['role']);
-        $this->assertFalse($json['canPublish']);
         $this->assertSame($session_id, $json['session']);
         $this->assertTrue(strpos($json['token'], 'wss://') === 0);
         $this->assertTrue($json['token'] != $john_token);
@@ -155,7 +153,6 @@
 
         $this->assertSame(Room::ROLE_PUBLISHER, $json['role']);
         $this->assertSame($session_id, $json['session']);
-        $this->assertTrue($json['canPublish']);
         $this->assertTrue(strpos($json['token'], 'wss://') === 0);
         $this->assertTrue($json['token'] != $john_token);
         $this->assertTrue(!array_key_exists('shareToken', $json));
@@ -331,7 +328,6 @@
         $json = $response->json();
 
         $this->assertSame(Room::ROLE_PUBLISHER, $json['role']);
-        $this->assertTrue($json['canPublish']);
         $this->assertTrue(strpos($json['token'], 'wss://') === 0);
 
         // TODO: Test a scenario where both password and lock are enabled
@@ -359,7 +355,6 @@
         $json = $response->json();
 
         $this->assertSame(Room::ROLE_PUBLISHER, $json['role']);
-        $this->assertTrue($json['canPublish']);
         $this->assertSame($room->session_id, $json['session']);
         $this->assertTrue(strpos($json['token'], 'wss://') === 0);
         $this->assertTrue(strpos($json['shareToken'], 'wss://') === 0);
@@ -460,13 +455,13 @@
 
         // Non-existing connection
         $response = $this->actingAs($john)->post("api/v4/openvidu/rooms/{$room->name}/connections/123/dismiss");
-        $response->assertStatus(500);
+        $response->assertStatus(404);
 
         $json = $response->json();
 
         $this->assertCount(2, $json);
         $this->assertSame('error', $json['status']);
-        $this->assertSame('Failed to dismiss the connection.', $json['message']);
+        $this->assertSame('The connection does not exist.', $json['message']);
 
         // Non-owner access
         $response = $this->actingAs($jack)->post("api/v4/openvidu/rooms/{$room->name}/connections/{$conn_id}/dismiss");