I'm planning to move away from Microsoft services and would like to replace OneDrive with something I can host myself. I'm new to self-hosting, but I have a technical background and have been using computers for many years.
My idea is to run a storage server at my home and an identical server at my parents' house, possibly with a third copy at my brother's home. The servers would synchronize periodically, perhaps once a day, so our files and photos would remain available even if one location suffered fire, theft, or hardware failure.
I'd like to access and upload files from Linux and Windows computers, as well as Android and iPhone devices. Ideally, the system would support separate users or storage areas so my parents and brother could use the same infrastructure while keeping their files private from one another.
I'm looking for recommendations for the software, suitable low-power hardware such as a NAS, Raspberry Pi, or small server, and any important security, backup, synchronization, or maintenance issues I should understand before starting. Is this a sensible project for a beginner?
4 Answers
A Synology NAS may be the simplest route if you prefer an appliance rather than building everything yourself. It supports user accounts, shared folders, remote access, synchronization, and mobile clients. You’ll still need an off-site backup or replica, and it’s worth checking exactly how the vendor’s sync and remote-access features work before buying multiple units.
Nextcloud on a Debian server is probably the closest fit. It provides desktop clients for Linux and Windows, mobile apps for Android and iPhone, browser access, user accounts, and separate file permissions. You can run it on a small home server or a NAS, though storage, database, and backup planning matter more than raw processing power.
OpenMediaVault is a good option if you mainly want a NAS. You can create separate shared folders and users with different permissions, and access them as mapped network drives from computers. It can also handle media storage and streaming, while a separate service such as Nextcloud can provide the OneDrive-style web and mobile experience.
Consider Nextcloud or ownCloud for the file platform, with OnlyOffice if editing Microsoft Office-compatible documents is important. For multiple homes, don’t treat synchronization as your only backup: accidental deletions or ransomware can propagate to every copy. Keep at least one versioned, offline or otherwise protected backup, use encrypted connections, enable two-factor authentication, and test restoring files regularly.
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