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I currently have two file servers to store all my files. One is at my home and the other one is at my parents home. The hard disks on both servers are synced, meaning that if I add/change/delete a file on one server, once a day the servers sync themselves to have the same files on both sides.

The problem is that this solution is a bit configuration heavy. If I want to add another server, I'd have to create a kind of 3-way sync, or something similar.

So I searched for an alternative and found Seafile. It promises private cloud storage and also integrates with the local file managers like Explorer/Finder/Nautilus etc.

The thing I am not quite understanding is what exactly is meant with "cloud storage". My idea is to create a mini-cloud with my two servers. Hence, install Seafile on both and have them sync the files automatically without me interfering too much. I could not find such an option in Seafile though. Hence, my questions are:

  • What exactly is meant by cloud storage in Seafile? As far as I understand it, it is no cloud storage. It just is an app on "one" server storing files.
  • Are there alternatives to Seafile in terms of cloud storage?
Socrates
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  • I think, this question should be better asked in Super User (https://superuser.com/) or Server Fault (https://serverfault.com/). – Tolbxela Apr 16 '19 at 15:12

3 Answers3

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It does exactly what you're asking for.

It's called cloud storage because there are hosted options where they will host your Seafile server and storage, but the local deployment version acts as you want.

Install it on you devices, run the service and it will keep files between all connected devices synced.

As for the actual process of this I'm not sure, e.g if there is a service designated as the "master" Seafile server or if they all act as distributed and none has priority over the other.

There are lots of alternatives (Dropbox,Google Drive) but those are all offsite hosted, not sure what other options you have in terms of self-hosted.

Prodigle
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  • The main focus for me is the privacy of my files. Hence, Dropbox and Google Drive are out of question, as they only host at their site. Seafile does both and as they also offer the private self-hosted version, they are of interest. I did not find a server-sync of files between more than one Seafile file server. Do you have a link that describes syncing multiple Seafile nodes? – Socrates Feb 05 '19 at 12:08
  • Syncing files between two server is not exactly what Seafile was created for. You need something like rsync for this. – Tolbxela Apr 16 '19 at 15:02
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I am using Seafile private and for business needs for years and being a big fan of the solution.

Seafile is a great private cloud alternative to Dropbox/Box/Google Drive.
But, your requirement is not exactly what Seafile was created for.

It is possible to achieve you goal using Seafile but there are some drawbacks:

  • syncing works only when Seafile Client is started on the PC
  • there is no solution for a background sync on the server (I don't know any)
  • there must be a "cloud server"/master instance (means at least +1 copy of your data somewhere)
  • the installation is not quite easy to do and requires some Linux experience (Windows Server Version is deprecated)

Like with Dropbox and co., you can sync two PCs from Cloud Server. But you need a running Seafile Client on both PCs. So, you need to log in on the PC to have the Seafile client running. After restarting you have to login again. I don't know, if there is a background sync solution for Seafile. Seafile is great way to have your folders/files auto synced on many PCs and access they from mobile devices. It supports also encrypted libraries.

Tolbxela
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Check following interessting solutions for syncing:

Tolbxela
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