IDigBio Virtual Appliances
Biology collection management software tools typically depends upon multiple software packages, such as databases, web servers, image manipulation libraries, among others. This complexity makes it difficult for end users to install and deploy these applications in use cases including training, technology evaluation, and management of small collections. To remove the burden on installing multiple software dependencies and facilitating the deployment of bio-collections software, the iDigBio IT team works with the community to package and make available pre-configured virtual appliances. Appliances leverage virtualization technologies to provide a user with a turnkey solution to run collections software (on their desktops, local servers, or cloud servers); users simply download the appliance and run it without the need to worry about installing and configuring additional software. An appliances runs web server inside so that you can connect to it through web browser.
Below is a list of iDigBio virtual appliances. These appliances are currently aimed at technology evaluation and training use cases, and gathering feedback from the community.
- [Specify Appliance] - Arthropod Easy Capture Virtual Appliance - Georeferencing Calculator
iDigBio welcomes proposals from the community to create virtual appliances. To submit a proposal, please visit https://www.idigbio.org/content/appliance-proposal
Required software for using a virtual appliance
To run virtual appliance, you need one of VMware player (Windows and Linux), VMware fusion(Mac) or VirtualBox(Windows, Linux and Mac) . Below is the links for download. We call this program Hypervisor.
VMware workstation (Windows and Linux)
http://www.vmware.com/support/download-player
VMware fusion (Mac)
Note that, it is 30 days trial only. For the long-term free usage, use VirtualBox instead. http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads
Messages you may encounter using Hypervisor
If you are not aware of what the message say, we suggest below selection. File:Aaaa.png
Specify Appliance
Packaged software
- MySQL - Java Runtime Environment - Specify 6.5 - Specify Thin Client - VNCServer - GNOME - Configuration Console
The Specify Appliance contains Specify software with web server and remote access software for GUI interface. Specify thin client runs a web server so that users can access Specify through web browser. The thin client is currently under active development, planning to release with Specify 7 and has only frequently used features such as data entry and query. The thick client is a full-featured Specify, meaning that there are no functional restriction. But it does require the GUI interface so that you need to access java-applet either through the web browser or VNC viewer.
Appliance download link
http://www.acis.ufl.edu/~xetron/Downloads/Specify_v2.1.zip
Instructions for thin client
Download from above link, extract it, then double click the Specify appliance file. File:A.png
Start the appliance by clicking play button. This will take several minutes depending on your computer's performance.
File:Bb.png
Now the appliance shows the IP addresses. File:Cc.png
Type the address shown on appliance into your web browser. Now you can use Specify thin client. User ID and password for demo database is shown on the appliance. File:Ff.png
Instructions for thick client
Optionally, you can run thick client on web browser with the same address with different port number. You can use the full features of Specify 6.5. Password for VNC is shown on the appliance screen. File:Specify thick.png
Double click the Specify icon, then you can start Specify. You may encounter update but we suggest you ignore it. Simply click "cancel" and "exit". Then Specify runs and you enter the username and password from the Specify screen.
The other way to run Specify thick client is through VNCviewer.
You can download VNC viewer at below site.
http://www.realvnc.com/download/viewer/
Arthropod Easy Capture Appliance
Packaged software
- Apache server - MySQL - PHP - Configuration Console - Arthropod Easy Capture
Arthropod Easy Capture Appliance
For VMware
http://www.acis.ufl.edu/~xetron/Downloads/ArthropodEasyCaptureAppliance_vmware_v0.2.zip
For VirtualBox
http://www.acis.ufl.edu/~xetron/Downloads/ArthropodEasyCaptureAppliance_virtualbox_v0.2.zip
Instructions
Download from above link and run it through VMWare player. Then, IP address and port number is shown on VMWare player. Finally you enter the address on your browser address bar.
Georeferencing Calculator
Packaged software
- Georeferencing Calculator - Apache server - Confuration Console - VNCServer - GNOME
Download links
For VMware
http://www.acis.ufl.edu/~xetron/Downloads/GeoreferencingCalculator_VMware_v0.2.zip
For VirtualBox
http://www.acis.ufl.edu/~xetron/Downloads/GeoreferencingCalculator_VirtualBox_v0.2.zip
Instructions
Download from above link and run it through VMWare player. Then, IP address and port number is shown on VMWare player. Finally you enter the address on your browser address bar.
Appliances under development
- Optical Character Recognition(OCR) appliance