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Setting up an ownCloud Server on Debian 10 (Buster)

Benhcmark Administrator

01/09/2025

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A Complete Guide to Setting Up ownCloud on Debian 10 (Buster)

In an era where data privacy is paramount, relying on third-party cloud services can feel like a compromise. Taking control of your digital files by creating a private, self-hosted cloud server is a powerful solution. ownCloud is a leading open-source platform that allows you to do just that, offering a suite of tools for file syncing, sharing, and collaboration that you manage entirely on your own hardware.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step of installing and configuring a secure ownCloud server on Debian 10 (Buster). By the end, you will have a fully operational, private cloud ready to protect and serve your data.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure you have the following ready:

• A server running a fresh installation of Debian 10 (Buster).
• Root or non-root sudo user access to the server.
• A domain name pointed to your server’s IP address (highly recommended for security and accessibility).

Step 1: Update Your System and Install Dependencies

First, it’s crucial to start with an up-to-date system. This ensures all packages are current and security patches are applied. Open your terminal and run the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

With the system updated, we can install the core components ownCloud relies on: the LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MariaDB, PHP) and other required PHP modules.

Install Apache, MariaDB, and PHP with a single command:

sudo apt install apache2 mariadb-server libapache2-mod-php7.3 php7.3-gd php7.3-json php7.3-mysql php7.3-curl php7.3-mbstring php7.3-intl php7.3-imagick php7.3-xml php7.3-zip -y

This command installs the Apache webserver, the MariaDB database server, and all the specific PHP extensions that ownCloud needs to function correctly.

Step 2: Secure Your MariaDB Database

A default MariaDB installation is not secure. Fortunately, it includes a simple script to lock it down. Run the security script and follow the prompts:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

You will be asked to set a root password, remove anonymous users, disallow remote root login, and remove the test database. It is highly recommended that you answer “Y” (yes) to all of these prompts. This is a critical step for securing the database that will hold your ownCloud information.

Step 3: Create a Dedicated Database for ownCloud

For better security and management, ownCloud should have its own database and user, rather than using the root database user.

1. Log into the MariaDB shell as the root user:

   sudo mysql -u root -p
   

2. Enter the root password you just set. Once inside the shell, run the following SQL commands one by one. Replace 'your-strong-password' with a secure password of your own choosing.

   CREATE DATABASE ownclouddb;
   GRANT ALL ON ownclouddb.* TO 'ownclouduser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your-strong-password';
   FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
   EXIT;
   

   These commands create a database named ownclouddb, a user named ownclouduser, and grant that user full permissions on the new database. Make sure to save the database name, username, and password, as you will need them later.

Step 4: Add the ownCloud Repository and Install

ownCloud provides an official repository to ensure you get the latest stable version. We need to add its GPG key to verify the packages and then add the repository itself.

1. Import the ownCloud release key:

   curl https://download.owncloud.org/download/repositories/10.8/Debian_10/Release.key | sudo apt-key add -
   

2. Add the ownCloud repository to your system’s sources list:

   echo 'deb http://download.owncloud.org/download/repositories/10.8/Debian_10/ /' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/owncloud.list
   

3. Finally, update your package list and install the owncloud-files package:
   bash
sudo apt update
sudo apt install owncloud-files -y

   This command downloads and places all the necessary ownCloud web files into the /var/www/owncloud directory.

Step 5: Configure Apache to Serve ownCloud

Next, we need to tell Apache how to serve the ownCloud files. We’ll do this by creating a dedicated virtual host configuration file.

1. Create a new Apache configuration file for ownCloud:

   sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/owncloud.conf
   

2. Paste the following configuration into the file. Be sure to replace your-domain.com with your actual domain name.

   <VirtualHost *:80>
       ServerAdmin [email protected]
       DocumentRoot "/var/www/owncloud/"
       ServerName your-domain.com
   &lt;Directory "/var/www/owncloud/"&gt;
       Options +FollowSymlinks
       AllowOverride All
       Require all granted
       &lt;IfModule mod_dav.c&gt;
           Dav off
       &lt;/IfModule&gt;
       SetEnv HOME /var/www/owncloud
       SetEnv HTTP_HOME /var/www/owncloud
   &lt;/Directory&gt;
   
   ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
   CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
   </VirtualHost>
   
   

3. Save and close the file (CTRL+X, then Y, then Enter).

4. Now, enable the new ownCloud site configuration and required Apache modules:

   sudo a2ensite owncloud.conf
   sudo a2enmod rewrite headers env dir mime
   

5. Restart Apache for the changes to take effect:
   bash
sudo systemctl restart apache2


Step 6: Finalize Installation via the Web Interface

The command-line work is done! The final configuration is completed through ownCloud’s user-friendly web wizard.

1. Open your web browser and navigate to http://your-domain.com.
2. You will be greeted with the ownCloud setup page.
3. Create an admin account: Choose a secure username and password for your main administrator account.
4. Click on “Storage & database”.
5. Select “MySQL/MariaDB” as the database type.
6. Enter the database details you created in Step 3:
   • Database User: ownclouduser
   • Database Password: your-strong-password
   • Database Name: ownclouddb
   • Database Host: localhost
7. Click “Finish setup”.

After a few moments, you will be logged into your new ownCloud dashboard. Your private cloud is now operational!

Security Best Practices: Enabling HTTPS

Running a cloud server over unencrypted HTTP is highly insecure. Securing your server with an SSL/TLS certificate is not optional—it’s essential. The easiest way to do this is with a free certificate from Let’s Encrypt.

1. Install the Certbot client for Apache:

   sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache -y
   

2. Run Certbot to automatically obtain and configure a certificate for your domain:
   bash
sudo certbot --apache -d your-domain.com

   Follow the on-screen prompts. Certbot will handle the verification process and automatically update your Apache configuration to enforce HTTPS. When asked, choose the option to redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS.

Your connection to your ownCloud server is now fully encrypted and secure. You have successfully built a private, self-hosted cloud platform, giving you complete control over your most valuable digital assets.

Source: https://kifarunix.com/install-owncloud-server-on-debian-10-buster/