How to Install Openmeetings on Arch Linux

Openmeetings is a video conferencing and collaboration software that enables users to conduct online meetings, webinars, and virtual training sessions. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to install Openmeetings on your Arch Linux system.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure that you have the following prerequisites:

  • A running Arch Linux server
  • Root privileges or a user with sudo access
  • Basic knowledge of Linux commands

Step 1: Install Java JDK

Openmeetings requires Java Development Kit (JDK) 8 or later to run. Follow the instructions below to install JDK 8:

  1. Open the terminal and update the package repository:
$ sudo pacman -Syu
  1. Install the JDK 8 package:
$ sudo pacman -S jdk8-openjdk
  1. Verify the installation by checking the Java version:
$ java -version

The output should show the version number of JDK 8.

Step 2: Install Apache Tomcat

Openmeetings runs on Apache Tomcat, a web server that provides a Java Servlet container. Follow the instructions below to install Apache Tomcat:

  1. Open the terminal and update the package repository:
$ sudo pacman -Syu
  1. Install the Apache Tomcat package:
$ sudo pacman -S tomcat9
  1. Start the Apache Tomcat service:
$ sudo systemctl start tomcat9
  1. Verify that Apache Tomcat is running by accessing the default page at http://localhost:8080

If Apache Tomcat is running correctly, you should see the Apache Tomcat default homepage.

Step 3: Download and Install Openmeetings

Now that Java and Apache Tomcat are installed, it's time to download and install Openmeetings. Follow the instructions below:

  1. Download the latest version of Openmeetings from the official website at https://openmeetings.apache.org/index.html

  2. Extract the downloaded file:

$ tar -xzf apache-openmeetings-X.X.X.tar.gz

Where X.X.X is the version number of Openmeetings that you downloaded.

  1. Move the extracted folder to the Tomcat webapps directory:
$ sudo mv apache-openmeetings-X.X.X /usr/share/tomcat/webapps/openmeetings
  1. Change the owner of the Openmeetings folder to the Tomcat user:
$ sudo chown -R tomcat:tomcat /usr/share/tomcat/webapps/openmeetings
  1. Restart the Apache Tomcat service to apply the changes:
$ sudo systemctl restart tomcat9

Step 4: Access Openmeetings

Open a web browser and access Openmeetings at http://localhost:8080/openmeetings

You should see the Openmeetings homepage, and you can now create an account and start using the software for online meetings, webinars, and virtual training sessions.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Openmeetings on your Arch Linux system.