There Are Many Great Ways To Set Up Private Cloud Storage For Businesses Of All Sizes. Storing Files In The Cloud Has Never Been So Easy And Cheap. However, Using Private Cloud Storage Has Many Advantages Over “Normal” services.
With private cloud storage, you have complete control over who can access your files and internal policies.
This article will focus more on the benefits of private cloud storage. We will then show you how to set up your private cloud storage for your business using Webuzo and Nextcloud.
Why does your business need private cloud storage?
These cloud storage methods are straightforward and cheap to set up. However, using methods such as Dropbox and Google Drive has its drawbacks.
When you use a third-party cloud storage infrastructure, you never have complete control over your files. In fact, they determine what you can or cannot do or which services you can use. When you sign up for this infrastructure, you sign the terms of use.
Do not worry if your cloud storage service provider does not provide adequate security. By setting up and using private cloud storage, you can configure your storage.
Additionally, using a private method, you never have a service provider who can decide when to close your account or delete your saved files.
The main reason for the low usage of private cloud memory is that it is much easier to use third-party infrastructure.
However, managing and configuring a private server is not as complicated as you think. If you have system management experience, most web hosts will provide you with many tools that make it very easy to use virtual private servers (VPS).
Why use VPS to set up private cloud storage?
Technically, you can use any server to set up private cloud storage for your business. But when it comes to filing storage, VPS is the best solution. Let’s analyze:
- VPS is scalable. You can easily set up a cloud storage solution using VPS and scale it as your needs grow.
- It can be cheap. VPS can be much cheaper than other cloud hosting and storage types depending on your application.
- You have complete control over every setting. You can set up the server configuration and cloud storage method with VPS.
- You can choose a cloud storage method. There are several software options you can choose from to set up and set up private cloud storage for your business.
We think the ideal settings for private cloud storage include uncontrolled VPS and open-source software. Using open-source cloud storage software is precisely configured according to your needs.
The downside of using an uncontrolled VPS is that you need system management experience. Also, you can follow a complete tutorial. Tutorials teach you how to set up private cloud storage on your server. This is exactly what we will do in the next section.
How to set up private cloud storage for your business (6 steps)
This section will guide you from choosing a VPS application to setting up and configuring open-source cloud storage software.
Step 1: Choose a VPS plan.
The choice of each hosting provider is up to you, but we recommend choosing one of the premium server VPS plans. These plans provide you with the space you need at a reasonable price:
Although 75 GB may not be enough for enterprise-level storage, this is a good start for a small business. When setting up private cloud storage for the first time, it is best to use a cheap VPS.
The great thing about VPS is that you can usually scale resources as needed. Our hosts enable you to do just that. With the growth of cloud memory, you can always upgrade to a better plan.
Many instructions involve using the command line, which means that you must use a server to which you have full access (i.e., shared hosting will not interrupt it).
Step 2: Connect to your VPS via Secure Shell (SSH).
Because we use VPS, you must connect to it via SSH to use the command line. Connecting to a VPS via SSH is relatively simple.
Using a UNIX-based operating system, you can connect to your VPS using SSH’s command line. For Windows, you need to use software such as PuTTy, which allows you to establish SSH connections to remote servers.
Set up and use software to use PuTTy. After launching the program, you will see the option to enter the hostname and select the type of communication you want to establish:
Usually, when you create a VPS, your web host creates a root account and password. You will also receive a dedicated IP address that you can use to connect to a VPS.
Step 3: Install Webuzo on your VPS. Enter your VPS address, select SSH as the connection type, and click Open. PuTTy launches a terminal window and asks you for a login username:
Enter root and enter your root account password. You will then have full access to your server via SSH:
Now it’s time for the fun part, configuring your private cloud.
At this point, you have a blank screen VPS. Before installing cloud storage, we need to select and configure stacking software.
stack
We use the term stack for all the software to power certain programs. One of the most common stack software is LAMP software which includes the following software:
- Apache. It is part of the webserver stack that enables external users to connect to your server.
- MySQL. Other applications can store data on your server using this comprehensive database system with MySQL.
- PHP. This programming language is the mainstay of much popular software.
You now have the L component, which is the Linux operating system. Now we want to continue the rest of the process using Webuzo.
Webuzo
Using Webuzo, you can configure the entire software stack and use Softaculous within your VPS. If you have not used Softaculous before, this solution lets you install hundreds of web applications on your server using a simple interface.
To do this, go back to the SSH terminal window you opened earlier and type the following commands:
wget -N http://files.webuzo.com/install.sh
chmod 0755 install.sh
./install.sh
These commands install Webuzo alongside other LAMP software stacks such as DNS and FTP servers. The installation process may take some time. You may not see any changes or updates to your terminal during this time:
Be patient and wait until your installation message is complete to see:
If you look closely, you will see that the installer provides you with a direct URL to install Softaculous. Copy that URL and access it from a browser.
You will need to fill out some additional information to complete the installation process. Including setting your username, password, email address, and entering your domain and server names:
If you have not set up a domain for your private cloud storage, do not worry. You can go ahead and enter your VPS IP address and fill in the server name fields with dummy information. This software will work even in this case.
Once the installation is complete, Webuzo will share instructions on how to log in to the Softaculous admin panel and dashboard:
Go ahead and access the Webuzo cursor URL to start installing apps. In the next section, we will look at how to set up the private cloud memory that you are going to use
Step 4: Install NextCloud.
Open the File Manager section and select NextCloud. At this point, you should have access to the admin dashboard:
If you have used Softaculous before, this dashboard should be familiar. On the left, you have a list of programs to choose from.
NextCloud is an open-source file synchronization and storage method that you can set up on your cloud. This is a very scalable application, meaning that it works both as a private approach and for companies:
Using NextCloud, you can share and upload files to your cloud storage server from your computer. Other users can download the NextCloud app on their laptops or mobile phones to access those files.
This is almost how most cloud storage methods work. The difference is that you can use NextCloud for free. The following describes the installation steps:
Nextcloud installation steps:
Webuzo asks you to enter an installation URL for NextCloud. Click the Install Now button. You must also enter your admin username and password:
You can also select another language for your Nextcloud settings. After filling in all the required fields, click the Install button at the bottom of the page.
Once the installation is complete, Nextcloud will launch in your browser. You can sign in using the account you created. This will give you access to the NextCloud dashboard:
NextCloud asks you to download apps that you can use to sync files from your PC or mobile with your cloud.
At this point, you can download the programs you want to use. After downloading, NextCloud will ask you which server to connect to and request your credentials. It also asks you to specify the files and folders you want to sync with your cloud:
You can specify in which folder NextCloud syncs those files, which is the end of the step.
Step 5: Configure NextCloud.
NextCloud gives you a wide range of settings that you can use to configure your cloud. Go to your account menu in the upper right corner of the page and select Settings. You will have access to all the NextCloud configuration options from this page.
For example, if you click on Monitoring, you will see a complete analysis of server usage, active users, etc.:
In the Sharing section, you can specify whether users can share files from the cloud. With NextCloud, you can share files publicly. Also, set it so that strangers will need to enter a password to access it.
By going to security settings, this section lets you set encryption policies. You can add clients who can access your cloud and list the IP addresses they can connect to:
If you go to the Encryption page, you can enable server-side encryption by clicking on an option. Keep in mind that forcing server-side encryption may affect your server performance, but it’s worth it to ensure the security of your files.
Finally, if you go to the Activity tab, you can choose what events NextCloud will record for you:
By default, NextCloud will record almost everything that happens in the app. If you want to keep a close eye on user activity, we recommend enabling most of the tracking options you see here.
At this point, your private cloud storage is almost ready. You must now add users.
Step 6: Add users to NextCloud.
Open your account options menu again and select “Users” this time. You will see a list of all the accounts to install your NextCloud. It should look something like this now:
You can create new user accounts using the menu at the top of the page. Type your username and password.
NextCloud allows you to assign users to groups. Even give them administrator privileges for specific groups and even specify storage space for individual files.
Once created, you can share login details with your team members. They can connect to NextCloud through their browsers or any available apps.
If the user wants to sync files locally, each user decides which NextCloud application to use. Keep in mind that users must connect to the server and enter their login information through each application. You may need to explain this information to them.
Result
Setting up private cloud storage for your business may seem daunting. However, the process is much simpler than you think. By combining VPS with Webuzo, you can install cloud storage applications such as NextCloud in minutes. With this article, you can easily secure your business cloud memory.