Hackers frequently attack popular cloud storage, such as Dropbox or iCloud. For security reasons, you might want to create your own cloud storage where you can keep your contacts, calendars, files, and other data. In this article, we’ll explain how to create a cloud storage with ownCloud — please make sure to find cheap cloud server hosting for it in advance. The process is very straightforward, and you should be able to cope with it even if you have little technical experience.
What Is ownCloud and Why Should You Choose It?
ownCloud is open source software that you can use at no cost. It enables you to quickly and easily set up your own syncing, Dropbox-like cloud storage system on your own server or website.
ownCloud features a lot of useful in-built functionality:
- Music player
- Simple place to store contacts
- Task manager
- Syncing calendar
- Bookmarking service
- Photo gallery
Apart from file syncing, you can create and share apps that run on ownCloud. You’ll be able to reach the contents of your cloud from any device and location.
What Will You Need?
To make and host your own cloud storage, you need only three basic elements:
- A web host that supports PHP5 and MySQL (or SQLite). Maybe, you have already signed up for some service — and if not, feel free to do so right now (check out cloudways.com, as their hosting plans support multiple versions of PHP and MySQL). The best thing about the ownCloud installation is that you won’t need to deal with PHP and MySQL yourself. This software will do everything automatically and you’ll just need to wait for a couple of minutes.
- A copy of ownCloud Server 5. Using the web installer is not the only possible method of installing ownCloud but the simplest one. You’ll be able to cope with it if you have enough expertise to put a file onto a website. You just upload the file to your web host, and that’s it.
- A URL for remote access. You need a URL to be able to reach the contents of your cloud storage from anywhere. You should either register a new domain name through a web host or choose one of those that you might have registered before. Or, if you already have a website, you can set up ownCloud in its subdirectory.
Your personal ownCloud storage should be compatible with any server. The main drawback of using the web installer is that it won’t give you maximum control over your cloud. If you would like to have greater control, you might consider installing the storage on a Linux machine in your house. Some service providers might support one-click installs. Many hosting providers offer their own comprehensive installation guides. It would be wise to check your web host’s Terms of Service: most companies would allow you to set up cloud storage on their servers, but some might prohibit it.
How to Set Up and Install an ownCloud Storage?
Here, we’d like to share the simplest step-by-step guide on the ownCloud setup and installation. It suggests that you should use the web installer. The software will automatically create everything you need. You might want to do just one thing manually: create a database. You’ll need it if you’re planning to share access to your storage with some other people.
So, here is the step-by-step guide:
- Download and save the web installer to your computer.
- Upload the setup-owncloud.php file to your webspace using your host’s web interface or an FTP app.
- Enter the URL of the setup file into your browser. Here is an example of how it might look: http://www.yourdomainname.com/setup-owncloud.php.
- Install ownCloud according to the instructions on the screen. The system should redirect you to the login page in a couple of minutes.
As you see, the process is genuinely simple, and it’s close to impossible to make a mistake. If something goes wrong, it might mean that your web server fails to meet the basic requirements that we’ve mentioned earlier.
What to Do Next?
Once your cloud storage is set up and ready to use, you should fill it with content. You can sync your contacts, calendars, music, and other types of files with it. You can carry out desktop and mobile sync, add apps and extend ownCloud’s power. We won’t focus on all these processes in this article, but you should be able to easily find tutorials on the Internet.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this article came in handy, and now you better understand how to build and host your own cloud storage with the help of ownCloud. Even if you have never done it before, you’ll probably cope with this task from the first attempt. Your personal cloud storage can securely keep all the information that is important for you. You can access it from any device or location and invite other people to use it too.
