How to Install Apache OpenMeetings on Ubuntu Linux

This guide explains how to set up Apache OpenMeetings on your Ubuntu system. OpenMeetings is a free, open-source tool for video calls, messaging, and sharing files. It is a great way for teams or friends to work together online.

Why use OpenMeetings? It gives you a private, reliable space for meetings and training without needing expensive software.

What happens when done? You will have a fully functional video conferencing server running on your computer that you can access through your web browser.

For more details, visit the homepage.

Install Java

OpenMeetings needs Java to run. Use these commands to install it. Note: These commands require admin privileges.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/java

Follow the prompts on your screen to accept the license. Next, download the installer.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install oracle-java8-installer

Now, set Java as your default program and define where it lives on your system.

sudo apt install oracle-java8-set-default

sudo nano /etc/environment

Add the following path to your configuration file to save the settings.

PATH="/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games"
JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-8-oracle
export JAVA_HOME

source /etc/environment

Install Dependencies

Run this command to get the extra tools OpenMeetings needs to function. Requires admin privileges.

sudo apt install imagemagick ghostscript jodconverter dnsutils build-essential zlib1g-dev libxt6 libxrender1 ffmpeg sox

Install MariaDB Database

You need a database to store meeting information. Install MariaDB with this command. Requires admin privileges.

sudo apt-get install mariadb-server mariadb-client

Start the service so it runs automatically.

sudo systemctl stop mysql.service
sudo systemctl start mysql.service
sudo systemctl enable mysql.service

sudo systemctl stop mariadb.service
sudo systemctl start mariadb.service
sudo systemctl enable mariadb.service

Secure your database with a password. Requires admin privileges.

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Follow the prompts: press Enter for the current password, type ‘Y’ for all security questions, and create a strong new password.

Create the Database

Now, create a specific database for OpenMeetings. Requires admin privileges.

sudo mysql -u root -p

CREATE DATABASE openmeetings;

CREATE USER 'openmeetingsuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'new_password_here';

GRANT ALL ON openmeetings.* TO 'openmeetingsuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'user_password_here' WITH GRANT OPTION;

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Download and Install OpenMeetings

Download the software package and unzip it. Requires admin privileges.

cd /tmp && wget http://www-eu.apache.org/dist/openmeetings/4.0.4/bin/apache-openmeetings-4.0.4.tar.gz

sudo mkdir -p /opt/openmeetings
sudo tar xvf apache-openmeetings-4.0.4.tar.gz -C /opt/openmeetings

Install the connector so Java can talk to your database.

sudo apt-get install libmysql-java
sudo cp /usr/share/java/mysql-connector-java.jar /opt/openmeetings/webapps/openmeetings/WEB-INF/lib/

Start the OpenMeetings service.

cd /opt/openmeetings
sudo sh red5.sh openmeetings

Your server is now active on port 5080. Open your web browser and go to:

http://localhost:5080/openmeetings/install

Follow the setup wizard on the screen. Select MySQL/MariaDB as your database, enter the details you created earlier, and finish the configuration to create your admin account.

Summary

By following these steps, you have installed Java, set up a secure MariaDB database, and configured the Apache OpenMeetings software. You now have a private video conferencing platform ready for use. You can manage your meetings, users, and documents directly through the web interface.

You may also like the post below:

[Y/n]

[Y/n]

[Y/n]

[Y/n]

[Y/n]