Pydio is a free cloud solution

Slashdot it! Delicious Share on Facebook Tweet! Digg!
kokoroyuki, 123RF.com

kokoroyuki, 123RF.com

Clear Skies

Most cloud solutions for small networks are based on ownCloud or, less frequently, Seafile. Pydio is the third open source product trying to gain a foothold as a cloud solution.

Most users only know about products like ownCloud and Seafile when the subject of local cloud solutions comes up. Pydio [1] has been scraping by like a wallflower, unnoticed by many. Even so, this software, like the more familiar solutions, has been under development for a considerable period of time, and it is based on similar underlying concepts.

Previously known as AjaXplorer, this product, which has intuitive operation via the web browser, is looking to win over small- and mid-sized working groups who are trying to figure out whether it is a good idea to use centralized data storage in the cloud.

Preparations

Preconditions for using a Pydio server include installation of a web server and database system. For purposes of testing, Pydio can be operated with out a database backend. However, the developers recommend explicitly that the user set up a database management system (DBMS) solution. Therefore it is a good idea to use an Apache web server, a MySQL database, and PHP. The Pydio server is written in PHP and also supports PostgreSQL and SQLite as a database backend. Additionally, the server can interact with other web servers such as NGINX and lighttpd. Using these two servers is far less well documented however, thus making configuration difficult especially for beginners.

The Pydio project provides its server in the form of a usable, distribution-independent tarball and as a ZIP archive. The project also has various packages for RPM- and DEB-based Linux distributions. The website contains a short set of instructions for installing the cloud server under diverse distributions. There are also instructions for integrating the Pydio package sources in the user's Linux system [2].

Installing on Ubuntu 14.xx

If you are using an older version of Ubuntu or Linux Mint all you have to do is to include the relevant repository into the /etc/apt/sources.list file. Working from the terminal in a text editor, open this file with root rights and add the line from Listing 1 at the end of the file. After saving the modified file, import the public key. Then update the package list and install the cloud software. The installation routine automatically resolves the necessary dependencies (Listing 2).

Listing 1

Adding the Repository

deb https://download.pydio.com/pub/linux/debian jessie-backports main

Listing 2

Importing the Public Key

$ wget -qO - https://download.pydio.com/pub/linux/debian/key/pubkey | sudo apt-key add -
$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt install pydio mysql-server php5-mysql

Pydio installs both the Apache web server and PHP 5 at the same time. Additionally, the user should have the package manager install the MySQL server and the interface for PHP. At this point, the user should also set a special root password for the database.

Buy this article as PDF

Express-Checkout as PDF

Pages: 7

Price $0.99
(incl. VAT)

Buy Ubuntu User

SINGLE ISSUES
 
SUBSCRIPTIONS
 
TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS
Get it on Google Play

US / Canada

Get it on Google Play

UK / Australia

Related content

  • Installing and testing Nextcloud

    Leading ownCloud developers, including the project founder Frank Karlitschek, became dissatisfied with the direction of the project, so they started Nextcloud, a fork of the code and a new company. The goal is to create a better balance among the company, clients, and users. We take a look at how Nextcloud is faring.

  • Perfect setup and installation of ownCloud 9

    ownCloud makes it possible to operate a private cloud on an intranet of almost any size. All you need is a standard LAMP environment, which comes with almost every Linux server.

  • Convenient private cloud with Seafile

    After the Prism and Tempora revelations, the writing's on the wall: Your data stored on public clouds isn't safe from the clutches of security agencies. Help can come only from a self-administered solution – yet Seafile provides a simple and ingenious approach.

  • The very fast QupZilla web browser put to the test

    QupZilla is a new Linux web browser that enters in an already crowded arena. But, QupZilla holds its own when it comes to speed and ergonomics.

  • Overview: CMS systems without databases

    When you think of CMS and blogs, names such as WordPress, Typo3, and Joomla come up. But often, much leaner solutions will suffice.