Build your personal cloud in 3 easy steps

BANGALORE, INDIA: In this article, we will build a personal cloud for file-sharing and PIM sync purposes using OwnCloud. The base used is Knoppix 7.0.4 in an out-of-the-box (OOTB) environment, available in the the PCQuest Oct 2012 DVD.

1. Obtaining packages

In an OOTB installation of Knoppix 7.0.4, no packages other than those already installed will be listed in Synaptic. Hence, you will need to reload package information in Synaptic by using either the menubar or the toolbar button or pressing Ctrl+R, so that you can install packages from online repositories using Synaptic. This step may take a while depending on your internet connection and the state of the repositories at the time of reloading package information. Once done, you will get a list of packages available from the repositories which Knoppix was able to contact. One of the packages will be named OwnCloud.

Mark the package for installation. Since we are using Synaptic, it will automatically resolve dependencies on a best-efforts basis. As of the time of writing, OwnCloud 4.0.4 Debian 2-3 was listed in Synaptic, whose installation resulted in the installation and upgradation of several related packages in addition to the removal of MySQL 5.1(both client and server). Once the packages are downloaded by applying the marked changes, the installation will begin. Shortly, you will be presented with a window to set the root password for the MySQL 5.5 server which you will use in conjunction with OwnCloud. Enter your chosen password here and remember it carefully.

You will confirm the chosen password in the next screen. At a couple of instances, DebConf will also notify you that a configuration file has been modified. On both the occasions, choose to keep the locally installed version. Once the package installation has finished and all necessary services have been started, close the installation dialog and leave Synaptic.

2. Configuring OwnCloud

Launch the browser and point it to http://localhost/owncloud/. We used IceWeasel provided in Knoppix for this task. If everything goes by successfully, you will be greeted with the OwnCloud setup screen, as shown here:

Here, you will create credentials for the administrator, specify where the data to be shared will be stored on the system and set up connectivity with MySQL. We left the path for the data to be at it's default value and proceeded by filling in other values.

3. Use your own cloud!

Subject to valid information being entered at the setup screen, the next screen will take you to the upload area, where you can begin to share files and do a host of other activities.

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