Files and collaboration
Files and collaboration
Store, sync, and share files for a team on a self-hosted Nextcloud instance. You operate shares, sync clients, and storage growth; Quake AI provides the Compute instance, network, and block storage the platform runs on.
What this is for#
Teams that store and share files need sync clients, share links, and access control without per-seat storage pricing. Nextcloud (a self-hosted alternative to Dropbox or the file layer of Google Workspace) gives a team that file layer, running on infrastructure you own. The outcome is a file-sync platform your team uploads to and shares from, deployable from a validated OpenTofu template and its companion tutorial.
Reference architecture#
Download diagram: SVG, PNG, and PDF.
The base is a single validated template: Nextcloud files and collaboration provisions the instance, network, and volume Nextcloud runs on.
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Team members. Developers and teammates upload, sync, and share files through Nextcloud's web UI and desktop or mobile sync clients.
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Reverse proxy. The edge reverse proxy template terminates HTTPS on a floating IP and forwards to Nextcloud on the private subnet, since Nextcloud rejects requests for hosts not on its trusted-domain list.
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Nextcloud app. The Nextcloud files and collaboration template runs Nextcloud's app container in Docker on a Compute instance, alongside a bundled MariaDB and Redis.
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Bundled datastore. MariaDB stores file metadata and share configuration; Redis handles caching and file locking. Both run as containers on the same instance, backed by a Block Storage volume that also holds the Nextcloud html/data directory.
Services involved#
| Service | Role in this architecture | Docs |
|---|---|---|
| Compute | Hosts Nextcloud and its bundled MariaDB and Redis | Compute |
| Network | Private network, security group, and floating IP for public access | Network |
| Block Storage | Volume backing the database and the Nextcloud data directory; grows with file storage usage | Block Storage |
Get started#
- Nextcloud files and collaboration template: OpenTofu pattern that provisions the instance, network, and volume, and generates the MariaDB and Redis passwords on first boot.
- OpenTofu template library: browse validated IaC starting points for other self-hosted team tools.
Estimate the cost#
Monthly cost estimate
Pricing calculator ↗Sized as a custom package on shared vCPU.
Monthly total for the required template above. Use the configurator below to add optional pieces and see the total update.
What each resource is for
Nextcloud files/collaboration host
s1a.medium · 4 shared vCPU, 4 GiB RAM, 0.5 Gbps
Runs Nextcloud's app container alongside a bundled MariaDB and Redis, with the database data and the Nextcloud html/data directory on an attached volume.
Nextcloud plus its bundled MariaDB and Redis runs on 4 vCPU and 4 GiB RAM for a small team. Nextcloud's entire purpose is storing user files, so its storage footprint grows with usage: plan to grow the attached volume over time.
Compute shown per role at custom-package rates ($29/dedicated vCPU, $7.25/shared vCPU, $1/GiB RAM). The headline above is the billed total: the cheaper of a named plan and the custom package, plus add-ons.
Included in baseline
s1a.medium
4 shared vCPU, 4 GiB RAM, 0.5 Gbps
Compute + RAM rate basis
4 vCPU + 4 GiB RAM at $29/dedicated vCPU, $7.25/shared vCPU, $1/GiB RAM (regular). Totals apply the flat −$5/mo package promotion.
Block storage (70 GiB)
70 GiB at $0.08/GiB/mo
Public IP (included)
1 included with the custom package
Package promotional discount
Flat −$5.00/mo on the custom package (same promotion as named plans).
Included at no charge
These line items are zero on Quake AI. Many other providers meter them separately.
Data transfer (inbound and outbound)
Unlimited data transfer on every plan; Quake AI does not meter per-GB egress.
AWS, GCP, and Azure meter outbound transfer per GB. DigitalOcean and Hetzner include an allowance on compute plans, then charge overage.
Learn morePrivate networking
Private networks, subnets, Neutron routers, and security groups are included with the plan.
VPC objects are usually free to create elsewhere, but NAT gateways bill hourly plus per-GB processed. Quake AI uses router SNAT with no separate NAT line item.
Control-plane API requests
OpenStack API calls for provisioning and management are included.
Some managed services on other clouds meter API calls or charge for premium control-plane features.
Configure your estimate
Check the add-ons you plan to deploy to build a monthly total. Nothing is selected to start, so the total below begins at the baseline.
Starting template
The required baseline, always included.
Pricing data last validated: . For current rates, check quake.ai/pricing.
Considerations and limits#
- You operate share policy and sync clients. Quake AI provisions the instance; sharing permissions, sync-client rollout, and app installs are yours under the shared responsibility model.
- Storage usage grows with adoption. The default 40 GiB volume suits a small team at launch; plan to grow
volume_sizeover time as your team uploads files. - Single-instance bundled datastore. The bundled MariaDB suits a small team. To run the database separately from the start, point
MYSQL_HOSTat a dedicated database instance and remove the bundleddbservice from the compose file. - Flat egress. Quake AI applies a no-egress-fee policy for outbound transfer, which keeps large file syncs and downloads predictable.
- Three US regions. All current regions are in the United States.
- Compliance posture. Quake AI holds SOC 2 Type I and Type II attestations and SOC 3. See Compliance and certifications for the platform scope.