Install and Setup Nextcloud All-In-One (AIO)

https://youtu.be/OCLq62KOqNU

Nextcloud has come a long way over the past few years. It is truly a tool for the self-hoster, the open source enthusiast, and now it is a spectacular tool for the Open Source Businessman. You need a way to communicate with your staff, users, clients, and vendors. You want a tool that can provide you an easy way to communicate in more than one method. NExtcloud provides that all in a package that you can run in Docker.

Nextcloud AIO is a great way to get started with the best Nextcloud has to offer.

You can Set tasks for yourself and your employees using the Tasks and Deck modules, and track progress on projects with clients, users, and even vendors through these great additional features.

You can setup Talk to have chat, audio, and video conversations and meeting with your various contacts. Speaking of Contacts, Nextcloud is a great way to keep up with your contacts and keep them in sync between your devices. Need a calendar to help keep your business and work life scheduled? Nextcloud has it.

What You'll Need

Docker and Docker-Compose installed
a Reverse Proxy (I use NGinX Proxy Manager)
a Domain / Subdomain you own and can set an A-Record for.
About 45 minutes

Installing Docker, Docker-Compose, and NGinX Proxy Manager

Installation via a Simple Script

You can easily install Docker-CE, Docker-Compose, Portainer-CE, and NGinX Proxy manager by using this quick install script I created and maintain on Github. Just use the command:

wget https://gitlab.com/bmcgonag/docker_installs/-/raw/main/install_docker_nproxyman.sh

To download the script to your desired host.

Change the permissions to make the script executable:

chmod +x ./install_docker_nproxyman.sh

and then run the script with the command:

./install_docker_nproxyman.sh

When run, the script will prompt you to select your host operating system, then will ask you which bits of software you want to install.

Simply enter 'y' for each thing you want to install.

At some point, you may be asked for your super user (sudo) password as well.

Allow the script to complete installation.

At this point, you might want to log out and back in, as this will allow you to use the docker and docker-compose commands without the need of sudo in front of them.

Installing Nextcloud AIO Master Container

Nextcloud AIO uses a master (main) container that you install first, and then uses access to the docker socket to then install and setup all of the Nextcloud containers for the full application.

First, let's create our "nextcloud" folder in our folder structure. I like to create a parent "docker" folder, then create all of my various applications in their own folders inside of that. So use the command

mkdir -p docker/nextcloud

That command will make the folders that don't exist, or use the folders if they do exist already.

Next, we'll move into the "nextcloud" folder, and create our "docker-compose.yml" file.

cd docker/nextcloud

nano docker-compose.yml

Now, copy and paste the following code block into that file.

version: "3.8"

volumes:
 nextcloud_aio_mastercontainer:
   name: nextcloud_aio_mastercontainer
services:
 nextcloud:
   image: nextcloud/all-in-one:latest
   restart: unless-stopped
   container_name: nextcloud-aio-mastercontainer
   volumes:
     - nextcloud_aio_mastercontainer:/mnt/docker-aio-config  # DO NOT CHANGE THIS MAPPING
     - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro
   ports:
     - 8080:8080 # change the port on the left side if it's already in use on your host system.
   environment:
     - APACHE_PORT=11000  # change this port number if 11000 is already in use on your host system.
     - APACHE_DISABLE_REWRITE_IP=1
     - NEXTCLOUD_TRUSTED_DOMAINS=< nextcloud.your-super-domain.com > < 192.168.1.129 > # Your domain name + proxy host IP
     - TRUSTED_PROXIES=< 192.168.1.129 > # proxy host IP

In the above compose sample file, you'll need to look at a few things on your host machine to determine if you need to change them in the file. First, make sure that both ports 8080 and 11000 are not currently in use on your host machine. If either of them are in use, then change the corresponding port in the file.

For the port mapping of 8080:8080, only change the port number on the left side of the colon (:). DO NOT CHANGE the right side.

Next, you'll want to change the values surrounded by the less than "<" and greater than ">" signs on the last two lines of the compose file. Here you'll want to put in the subdomain you want for your Nextcloud AIO install.

YOU MUST USE A SUBDOMAIN for this install.

Next, you'll want to change the LAN IP of the proxy to be the proper and correct LAN IP of your reverse proxy host on both of the last two lines of the file as indicated.

Once you've made all of the necessary changes, save the file with CTRL + O, then press Enter to confirm, and CTRL + X to exit the nano editor.

Now we can run the docker-compose file with the following command:

docker-compose up -d

The image for the nextcloud-master-container should now pull down, and start up. After you see the "done" message in the terminal, and are returned tot he prompt, wait about 30 seconds, then in your favorite browser, go to https://<your host machine IP>:8080 (or the port you changed 8080 to in the compose file).

I went to https://192.168.10.42:8080

When the page loads, you'll be greeted by a message, and will be provided a very long password. Copy this password, and store it somewhere secure like a Bitwarden, or Vaultwarden vault. You'll need it in the next step as well, but may also need it in the future.

Once you've copied the password for access later, click the 'Continue' button.

Now, paste the password into the blank provided, and click 'Log In'.

You'll now see a page with a couple of blanks. The first is a blank requesting the FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) of your Nextcloud AIO instance.

Please make sure to create an entry in your reverse proxy for the subdomain / domain you want to use for this instance, and ensure it's pointed to the host IP, and port 11000 (unless you change this port to another number, then use that port number). Additionally, make sure you setup SSL for this subdomain with certificates from a provider, or from LetsEnctrypt.

Once you enter your domain name into the form in the Nextcloud Master Container page, and click the Check URL button, the master conatiner will verify that the domain can be reached as typed on an SSL encrypted connection. If it can't you'll get an error, and have to fix this issue before you can proceed forward. There is an option you can set in the docker-container to disable this check, but I recommend against doing that, as the check should pass if your domain is setup correctly and can be reached.

Installing Nextcloud and All of the Modules

Once you pass the domain check in the Nextcloud Master Container, you'll be presented with a list of modules and a checkbox next to those options. Check each option you would like installed in your Nextcloud instance, then click the 'Start Containers' button.

BE PATIENT! The next part will take anywhere from 5 to 25 or 30 minutes.

Now, we wait. In the background, the Nextcloud Master Container is pulling down all of the images for each of the Nextcloud modules that will run. It then starts those containers (much like Portainer, or Yacht do). This process takes a bit of time, but you should be able to see the status of each container in the user interface of the Master Container. It will usually refresh on it's own, but if you see it stop refreshing for a quite a while (several minutes) there should be a button to refresh / reload the data on the page. Feel free to click it. Once you see the message that all containers are in a 'Running' state, you'll get a button to Open Nextcloud, and you'll be provided a username (usually admin) and a randomly generated, long strong password for your initial login. Make sure to copy that password and use it to login to your Nextcloud install the first time.

What's Next?

Now that you have Nextcloud up and running, I highly recommend logging in with the given admin user, and going immediately to Users, creating a new admin level user with a long strong password, logging out of the given admin user, and logging in with your new user. Then, delete the admin user that was auto-created for you.

Now, go forth and be productive with all of the amazing features you're running on your new Nextcloud All-in-One installation.

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