FAQ

What is Ocelot-Cloud? Ocelot-Cloud is a infrastructure management platform that allows you to set up and maintain your own secure digital infrastructure. It automates tasks like installing apps, backups, and updates, making self-hosting accessible without requiring extensive technical expertise.
Who is Ocelot-Cloud for? Ocelot-Cloud is designed for individuals and small to medium-sized organizations that want control over their own digital infrastructure.
How difficult is it to install Ocelot-Cloud? Ocelot-Cloud can be installed on any device that supports a widely used technology called ‘Docker’, making it largely hardware and operating system independent. Installation requires only a single Docker command on the command line. All server maintenance tasks are done automatically by Ocelot-Cloud in the background.
What does self-hosted mean? Self-hosted means you run the software on your own hardware, giving you complete control over your data and infrastructure. This is in contrast to external hosting, where your data and apps are managed by a third party. This is usually more convenient because hardware maintenance is outsourced, but it can expose you to risks such as unauthorized data access and vendor lock-in.
Is Ocelot-Cloud secure? Practically, yes. Security is a top priority for Ocelot-Cloud, and we’ve built in extensive protections, see “Threat Model” article. While we prioritize minimizing risk through a security-by-design approach, it’s technically impossible to achieve 100% security, and no system is completely immune. We remain committed to ongoing efforts to keep our platform as secure as possible.
Will Ocelot-Cloud collect my data? No. You can also run Ocelot-Cloud on your own hardware, giving you full control over your data. While any software, could theoretically hide harder to detect spyware, doing so would contradict our core values and destroy the trust we’ve built.
How does Ocelot-Cloud compare to Nextcloud? Nextcloud is an app focused on file storage and collaboration. Ocelot-Cloud, on the other hand, is a generic platform that allows you to install and manage multiple apps, including Nextcloud, but also many others. Ocelot-Cloud also handles administrative tasks such as updates, backups, and more, making it much more versatile and powerful than a standalone Nextcloud.
How does Ocelot-Cloud compare to traditional cloud providers? By hosting your own cloud with Ocelot-Cloud, you eliminate the need to trust external providers with your data. This reduces risks of unauthorized access, surveillance, and vendor lock-in. You have full control over your data and can customize your infrastructure to meet your specific needs without worrying about changing terms or excessive fees.
How does Ocelot-Cloud compare to Proton?

Proton offers services that allow users to upload data to its servers in an end-to-end encrypted form, ensuring that only the user, not even Proton, can read the data. Proton provides open source client software that transparently manages encryption and decryption on the user’s device, as well as uploading and downloading data to the external Proton servers. Although Proton offers better privacy than traditional cloud providers, it does pose certain risks compared to self-hosting.

  • Metadata Collection: Proton can still collect metadata about user activity, such as timestamps, IP addresses, and interaction patterns, which can provide insight into usage even when content remains private.
  • Internet Exposure: Proton’s servers are accessible via the Internet, creating potential attack vectors. In contrast, self-hosted infrastructure can be installed in a private network, reducing exposure to Internet-based threats.
  • Limited Features and Customization: Because Proton manages its own servers, users cannot customize the infrastructure or integrate additional apps. Self-hosting provides full control over software, configurations, and custom integrations.
I prefer SaaS over self-hosting. Can I still use Ocelot-Cloud?

Yes, Ocelot-Cloud can be used as SaaS, but we recommend self-hosting (see the ‘Proton’ question). Running it as SaaS introduces risks you should be aware of. If you still want to use Ocelot-Cloud in a SaaS setup, we recommend to install apps that support end-to-end encryption. For example:

That way, your data cannot be directly accessed by the provider, similar to how ‘Proton’ works.

What hardware do I need to run Ocelot-Cloud?

The processor must be AMD64 (x86-64). Ocelot-Cloud is engineered for resource efficiency and can run comfortably on low-end or legacy systems. Actual requirements depend on the apps you deploy. Check each app’s CPU, memory, and storage needs before sizing your hardware. When in doubt, choose a machine with extra headroom, or opt for explicitly resource-efficient apps in constrained environments.

Some of Ocelot-Cloud’s competitors deploy apps using virtual machines, which require hardware virtualization features like VT-x or AMD-V. These capabilities are sometimes missing in older systems or rented servers. Since Ocelot-Cloud uses Docker instead of virtual machines, it can run on a broader range of hardware without relying on virtualization support.