How to install IceBear
To install IceBear, you'll download it onto a dedicated server, run a configuration script, then be guided through the set-up process in your web browser.
Please read through the instructions before starting.
Information needed
You'll need the path to your backup storage, as well as the path to IceBear's own storage if you choose not to use the default location at /icebearstore. You can install IceBear without specifying backup storage, but you should only do this if (a) your IT department have another backup system in place, or (b) you're certain that this is a test installation that won't become a real one.
You'll also need to configure the server to use secure HTTP. In a corporate or university environment, this is almost certainly a job for your local IT professionals, who will at least need to provide an SSL certificate (and, ideally, will configure the server for you). In a stand-alone test environment, you can use LetsEncrypt's CertBot to generate an SSL certificate and configure your server to use it.
If you're configuring IceBear to import from Formulatrix imagers with Rock Maker, you will also need the following:
- The fully-qualified machine name of the Formulatrix database server (e.g., server.youruniversity.edu);
- The port on which to connect(e.g., 1433);
- The names of the two databases (usually RockMaker and RockImager);
- The username and password IceBear will use to connect to the databases; and
- The username and password to connect to the Rock Maker image store.
We recommend that you set up a dedicated database user with read-only access to the two Formulatrix databases.
System Requirements
You will need a Linux server, which you'll configure with Apache, MySQL and PHP (known collectively as a LAMP stack). The installation scripts assume that your server runs Ubuntu Server 18.04 LTS, which you can download here: https://ubuntu.com/download/server
If you don't use Ubuntu Server, you'll need to configure the server manually for IceBear using the installation scripts as a guide. You'll need PHP 7.2 or later.
IceBear itself is not a particularly heavy application, but (especially when integrated with automated imagers) it does throw a lot of images around, so you should ensure that the server has both a good network connection and several terabytes of disk space. Those terabytes will also need to be backed up somewhere!
Install Ubuntu Server according to the instructions. You don't need any special configurations here, other than your regional settings at the beginning, so just take the defaults. Remember the username and password that you set!
At the end of the process, the server will reboot.
Configuring for IceBear
Now that you have a working Ubuntu Server installation, it's time to configure it for IceBear. We will install the Apache, PHP and MySQL software, download and unpack the latest version of IceBear, and run a pre-install script. That script will configure Apache and PHP, create the IceBear database tables, and also configure and enable the firewall.
NOTE: You are responsible for the security of your server! Ask your IT department for advice.
After logging in to your server with the credentials you configured during installation, become root:
sudo su
Next, install Apache, MySQL and PHP. The easiest way to do this is with tasksel:
apt-get --assume-yes install tasksel
tasksel install lamp-server
Now download the latest version of IceBear and unpack it into the web directory:
wget https://www.icebear.fi/releases/latesticebear.tar
tar -xf latesticebear.tar -C /var/www/html/
Run the configuration script:
/var/www/html/install/install.sh
This configures Apache and PHP for IceBear, creates the IceBear database, and also creates a default storage location at /icebearstore for the images and uploaded files. Now you can finish the installation process in your web browser. But...
Please read and understand the information written out at the end of the script, in consultation with your local IT support team. In particular:
- A firewall has been configured, but the security of your server is YOUR responsibility.
- You should configure the server for secure HTTP. This is so that passwords, etc., are encrypted over the network. Also, some IceBear features like audio recording won't work unless secure HTTP is configured. You will probably need your IT department to help you with this.
- You should back up your IceBear installation regularly. If you use IceBear's backup mechanism, you will need to mount the backup storage and ensure that it is writable before continuing in your browser.
- If you choose not to use the default storage location /icebearstore, you will need to create your chosen location and ensure that it is writable by the Apache user (www-root) before continuing in your browser.
Installing IceBear
Now that the server has been mostly configured, the rest of the installation process can be completed from your web browser.
Navigate to your IceBear, for example, https://icebear.youruniversity.edu, and follow the instructions there.
You'll configure storage and backup, create a default admin account, and tell IceBear about your Formulatrix imagers, if you have them. If you do connect IceBear to your imagers, you can also import users from there automatically.