Step-by-Step Guide to Installing ownCloud on Fedora Linux

In the era of cloud computing, having your own private cloud storage is not just a luxury but a necessity for many. ownCloud offers a flexible, open-source solution for file sharing and data synchronization. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of installing ownCloud on Fedora Linux, a popular and powerful Linux distribution.

Prerequisites

Before we start, ensure you have the following:

• A system running Fedora Linux.
• Basic knowledge of Linux command line.
• Sudo or root privileges on your system.

Step 1: System Update

First, update your Fedora system to ensure all packages are up to date. Open your terminal and execute:

sudo dnf update 

Step 2: Install Apache Web Server

ownCloud runs on a web server, and Apache is a popular choice. Install Apache using the following command:

sudo dnf install httpd 

Once installed, start and enable Apache to run on system boot:

sudo systemctl start httpd 
sudo systemctl enable httpd 

Step 3: Install PHP

ownCloud is a PHP application, so you need to install PHP along with several required PHP modules. Use the following command:

sudo dnf install php php-gd php-json php-mbstring php-curl php-xml php-zip php-dom php-pdo 

Step 4: Install MariaDB

ownCloud requires a database to store administrative data. MariaDB is a popular choice. Install it using:

sudo dnf install mariadb-server

After installation, start and enable MariaDB:

sudo systemctl start mariadb 
sudo systemctl enable mariadb 

Secure your MariaDB installation:

sudo mysql_secure_installation 

Step 5: Create a Database for ownCloud

Log in to MariaDB and create a database for ownCloud:

sudo mysql -u root -p 

Once logged in, create a new database and user:

CREATE DATABASE owncloud;
GRANT ALL ON owncloud.* TO 'owncloud_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Step 6: Download and Install ownCloud

Navigate to the official ownCloud website to get the latest version or use wget:

wget https://download.owncloud.com/server/stable/owncloud-complete-20231213.zip 

Unzip the downloaded file and move it to your web server’s root directory:

unzip owncloud-complete-latest.zip 
sudo mv owncloud /var/www/html/ 

Set the proper permissions for the ownCloud directory:

sudo chown -R apache:apache /var/www/html/owncloud 

Step 7: Configure Apache for ownCloud

Create an Apache configuration file for ownCloud:

sudo nano /etc/httpd/conf.d/owncloud.conf 

Add the following configuration:

Alias /owncloud "/var/www/html/owncloud/"

<Directory "/var/www/html/owncloud/">
  Require all granted
  AllowOverride All
  Options FollowSymLinks MultiViews

  <IfModule mod_dav.c>
    Dav off
  </IfModule>

</Directory>

Restart Apache to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart httpd 

Step 8: Finalizing the Installation

Open your web browser and navigate to http://your-server-ip/owncloud. You will be greeted with the ownCloud setup page. Enter your desired admin username and password, and fill in the database details you created earlier.

Now slide your page down and input the database credentials and click on Finish Setup.

After completing the setup you will get the admin dashboard. Where you can create users, groups assigned them permissions, etc.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully installed ownCloud on your Fedora Linux system. You can now start uploading files, sharing documents, and enjoying your private cloud storage. Remember, always keep your system and applications updated for security and performance improvements.