Topic: Pydio vs Owncloud vs plain Webdav vs Shared Folders?

[guest22]

Hi,

I just would like to pick your (experienced) brain on the usage of either Pydio, Owncloud, plain Webdav or Shared Folders with respect to file storage only! (No other apps).

Aspects that I would liek to take into considerations:
- File storage type (mysql or flat file/file system dirs)
- Default SME server backup mechanisms or established contrib
- Sync possibilities with mobile devices (iOS and Android)
- Secure Webdav access from all devices
- Security and access privileges based on default SME mechanisms or established contribs
- Easy UI or apps to access data

What would be the preferred contrib in your view and why pls?

TIA
guest

[mmccarn]

I'm currently using Owncloud because:
1) It's easy to install
2) It's easy to update (most of the time)
3) I can create a temporary, password-protected link to any file on my system to share with vendors.  I like that these links can be created with an expiration date, so I don't have to go back and remove files from my server to avoid long term data leakage.
4) I can "sync" a local windows folder with my owncloud server.  So far I have 'synced' files up to 2GB.
5) I can use IMAP authentication, which is important to me because my internal mail server hosts email for two organizations, one of which I don't administer.  Using IMAP allows me to let the other organization's users also use owncloud.

To address your points:
- file storage uses the server file system - I can use scp to put files into my folder on the server and they appear in the web interface and in my locally sync'd windows folder.
- I have put the file storage into the Primary ibay /files folder -- so it will be included in backups
- There is a paid iphone app ($.99), and probably an android app.  I have not tested these. The web interface works OK from my iPhone
- I haven't tested webdav, unless that's what the owncloud sync client is using.
- With my IMAP Authentication config, users are automatically added to a group based on their email domain.  I think the LDAP auth method supports ldap group membership.

[guest22]

I'm currently using Owncloud because:

mmccarn,

thank you, excellent valuable response!

guest
 

[stephdl]

- I haven't tested webdav, unless that's what the owncloud sync client is using.

Just a popup, The webdav is fully workable exept a warning in the admin panel due to the custom certificate and an url not well defined, but this warning can be removed with the owncloud7
Ditto thanks for your valuable answer, maybe the owncloud's wiki page should be updated.

[guest22]

- I haven't tested webdav, unless that's what the owncloud sync client is using.

Indeed, Owncloud comes with it's own webdav server build right into the core of Owncloud. You can use any webdav compliant client to connect to owncloud. So it is interesting to take a look at e.g. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=dk.tacit.android.foldersync.lite&hl=en for an Android device too.

I used FolderSync on an android device syncing with SharedFolders. And if you have a rooted android device it will sync all data including Whatsapp pictures etc... Handy when your phone is lost/stolen, at least you have your data in sync and ready to be synced back on a new device.

guest

[guest22]

...maybe the owncloud's wiki page should be updated.

That whole page needs a rework to reflect what we know today and versions that can be used. I'll get to that.

[guest22]

Hi,

here's my current take on things;

- I like the small footprint/overhead of shared folders
- I like the integration within server manager of shared folders
- I like the default user integration and ACL of shared folders at OS level, with no dependency on LDAP
- I like the ownCloud GUI, but on top of shared folders there is the Pydio contrib

- I dislike the overhead of owncloud and dependencies on ownCloud software itself and the 'extra' (sabre) webdav server
- I dislike maintaining another webapp like ownCloud, security and maintenance releases, and with lack of maintenance possible issues
- I dislike that uploaded files through webDAV are not taken into account for the user quota with shared folders

all of course is depending on your needs. What do you think?

guest

[hanscees]

I take a different approach these days.

I have a vmware esxi setup with multiple machines and use a seperate owncloud vm and a seperate sme vm. For owncloud I usually begin with a turnkey linux and then install owncloud on that.

Though the years I found out installing all kinds of stuff on SME always became a nusanse during upgrades.

So now I have:
- sme firewall / MTA
- turnkey linux nginx as reverse proxy listening on port 80 and 443 (http://www.turnkeylinux.org/nginx-php-fastcgi)
- several different types of CMS websites behind the nginx
- owncloud behind the nginx
- seperate bind caching dns-firewall and dnssec resolver (see http://www.isc.org/community/tools/ under bind firewall)

this way I can more easily upgrade machines individually

However, many ways are possible.

[Daniel B.]

As the author of both shared folders and Pydio contribs I'm completely biased of course, but, IMHO, the combo shared folders + pydio is much better than owncloud. In fact, Owncloud isn't reliable enough in my experience. It tries to do too much things, without being very good anywhere. Its sync client is interesting, but Pydio will have its own soon....
Native webdav feature (using mod_dav) in shared folders will give much better performance than the PHP based one in Owncloud. SF also integrate nicely with SME, with user and group based ACL, make the data available using samba, http/webdav, FTP, rsyncd, support encryption using encfs. Pydio brings what's missing: a nice web interface you can use to access your data remotely, and lets you share files/folders easily.
Long story short: SF is what I'd suggest (easy to backup, stores everything on the FS, can be accessed using a lot of ways etc...)