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 aimed at technology evaluation and training use cases, and gathering feedback from the community.

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 a virtual appliance, you need one of VMware player (Windows and Linux), VMware fusion(Mac) or VirtualBox(Windows, Linux and Mac) . Below are the links for download. We call this program Hypervisor.

Download links

VMware workstation (Windows and Linux)

http://www.vmware.com/support/download-player

VirtualBox(Mac)

Install and configuring instruction for mac

VMware fusion (Mac)

Note that it is 30 days trial only. For the long-term free usage, we recommend VirtualBox above.

http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/

List of iDigBio Appliance

- Specify Appliance

- Specify Appliance virtualbox

- Arthropod Easy Capture Virtual Appliances

Arthropod Easy Capture Appliance

Packaged software

- Apache server
- MySQL
- PHP
- Configuration Console
- Arthropod Easy Capture

Download links

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 Appliance

Packaged software

- Georeferencing Calculator
- Apache server
- Configuration 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 are shown on VMWare player. Finally you enter the address on your browser address bar.

Appliances under development

- Optical Character Recognition(OCR) appliance