Your own cloud on CasaOS

Lately, I’ve been thinking more and more about creating my own home cloud. The idea of ​​having a personal, reliable and convenient data storage, accessible from anywhere in the world, seemed increasingly attractive to me. I decided to explore different operating system options specifically designed for home servers. In my search, I looked at several popular solutions such as TrueNAS and OpenMediaVault (OMV), each of which offered their own unique features and capabilities. However, despite their many advantages, I was looking for something even simpler and more flexible to configure. That’s when I came across CasaOS, a lightweight and intuitive operating system that was perfect for my purposes. In this article, I will share my experience with CasaOS, talk about its features, capabilities and advantages that made it an ideal solution for my home cloud.

CasaOS is a simple, lightweight and easy-to-use operating system designed for personal servers and home clouds. This system is based on Linux and is designed to make it easier for the user to manage their data and devices on their home network. CasaOS is fully compatible with Ubuntu, Debian, Raspberry Pi and CentOS OS and installs

Features of CasaOS

1. Lightness and Simplicity: CasaOS requires few resources and is easy to install on a variety of devices, including Raspberry Pi and older computers.

2. User-friendly interface: The user interface of CasaOS is simple and intuitive, making it accessible even to non-tech-savvy users.

3. Data and Device Management: CasaOS makes it easy to manage files, media and other devices on your home network.

4. Docker integration: Docker support provides flexibility and extensibility, allowing you to install and run a variety of applications in containers. This integration is the basis of CasaOS and it would be more correct to say that CasaOS is not an operating system, but software written on top of Linux and Docker.

5. Security and Privacy: CasaOS provides a level of data security and privacy, offering the user complete control over their data.

CasaOS features

1. Creating a Home Cloud: CasaOS allows you to create your own cloud storage, accessible from anywhere in the world.

2. Multimedia Server: It can serve as a multimedia center, providing access to movies, music and photos.

3. Smart House: Integration with various smart home devices allows you to centrally control lighting, temperature and other parameters.

4. Development and Testing: Docker support makes CasaOS a convenient platform for developers to test applications and services.

Benefits of CasaOS

1. Saving Resources: CasaOS makes efficient use of the limited resources of older hardware. Of course, a certain amount of resources is required to keep Docker running, but this is not critical in my opinion.

2. Flexibility: With Docker support, users can easily add and remove applications.

3. Privacy: Unlike cloud services, CasaOS provides complete control over your data without third party intervention.

4. Community: Since CasaOS is an open source project, there is an active community of users and developers who are constantly working to improve the system.

Installing CasaOS on Ubuntu Server

Installing CasaOS

Installing CasaOS begins with installing Ubuntu Server on your computer. To do this you will need:

1. Equipment Preparation: Make sure your old computer meets the minimum requirements to install Ubuntu Server. In general, I think any computer under 15 years old will fit these requirements, no

2. Download Ubuntu Server: Go to the official Ubuntu website and download the image Ubuntu Server. Of course, you can use any suitable operating system, but in this article I will focus on Ubuntu.

3. Creating Bootable Media: Use a tool like Rufus or balenaEtcher to burn the Ubuntu Server image to a USB flash drive.

4. Installing Ubuntu Server:

   • Connect the USB flash drive to your computer and restart it.

   • Enter BIOS and select to boot from USB device.

   • Follow the onscreen instructions to install Ubuntu Server. You will need to select a language, keyboard layout, disk partitions for installation, and configure network settings.

   • Complete the installation and reboot the system.

5. Connecting to an Installed Ubuntu Server:

   • After installing Ubuntu Server, you will need to connect to it via SSH. Make sure SSH is enabled on the server.

   • Use an SSH client from another computer to connect to the server (for example, use the command ssh [имя пользователя]@[IP-адрес сервера]).

6. Installing CasaOS:

   • First, update your package list and install the required dependencies:

     sudo apt update && sudo apt install curl

   • Then use the following command to install CasaOS:

     curl -fsSL https://get.casaos.io | sudo bash

   • This command will automatically download and install CasaOS on your Ubuntu Server. At the time of writing this is what the command looks like, but you can find the command at CasaOS official website

7. Setting up CasaOS:

   • After installing CasaOS, open your web browser and enter http://[IP-адрес сервера]:80 to access the CasaOS web interface.

   • Go through the setup process, which includes creating a user account and basic system settings.

8. Using and Configuring CasaOS:

   • In the CasaOS web interface, you can manage files, install various applications via Docker, and configure integration with smart home devices.

9. Backup and Maintenance:

   • Don’t forget to set up regular backups of your data. To configure backups, you can use rsync, and you can also make software RAID using mdadm

   • Check for updates to Ubuntu Server and CasaOS periodically.

Installing CasaOS on Ubuntu Server is a simple process that opens up many possibilities for creating a home cloud and smart home. By following these steps, you will be able to set up a reliable and functional system. Overall, CasaOS is an attractive option for those looking to set up their own home server or cloud storage, with a focus on ease of use, flexibility, and control over their data.