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Protect your data by building your own secure private cloud

Name: Protect your data by building your own secure private cloud
Rating: 4.7 (74 reviews)

Using Synology Technologies (DSM7)

Created byCraig Young

Last updated 3/2024

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Remove your dependence on Cloud providers by managing your data at your own home, using Synology DSM7
Back up your data offsite to a second, or friend or family members, Synology NAS
Store your data securely, keep your own encryption keys to yourself
Learn how to connect Windows 10 & 11, OSX/Mac, and Ubuntu clients to your own private cloud
Learn how to back up your photos to your own private cloud, using your Android or Apple device (demos are of Android)
Learn how to create a free VPN connection between Synology NASes, using ZeroTier (port forwarding also briefly covered, but VPN recommended)
Learn how to backup your Windows 10 & 11, OSX/Mac and Ubuntu workstations, including how to perform offsite backups
Learn how to synchronise a live file share with your friends NAS so you can share data in a secure way over the interent
Learn the basics of Synology Surviellance Station (CCTV software)

Course content

21 sections • 96 lectures • 9h 14m total length

Introduction - Part 17:41
Learn how to protect your data by building a private, encrypted home cloud with a Synology NAS, control your encryption keys, and securely back up offsite.
Introduction - Part 23:27
Learn how to use Synology NAS devices to create your own secure private cloud storage. Explore DSM features, VPN via Docker, and considerations for entry level versus higher-end models.
Prerequisites2:59
Identify prerequisites for this course, including intermediate computer skills and understanding of networks, plus backup options such as offsite second NAS or encrypted third-party storage.

What will we build?3:53
This lesson outlines what we will build in this course.
What is QuickConnect?4:49
Optional: Synology's QuickConnect will be used wherever possible. What exactly is QuickConnect? This lesson explains what it is and why it is used. The lesson may be considered a bit technical for some and is not mandatory to understand to complete the course.
Let's talk about security5:21
Minimize exposure by avoiding open ports, enforce VPN-based access, and apply multi-factor authentication, HTTPS-only transmission, and encryption at rest and in transit for your private cloud.

Synology Models7:04
Navigate Synology model families by learning the value, j, play, and plus series, differentiating processors, RAM, and expansion capabilities to run Docker and private cloud apps.
Purchase and Assembly3:37
Purchase two synology nas devices and mirror two drives per nas for redundancy, totaling four drives for a secure private cloud; opt for plus series for performance and dockerized vpn.
Demo - Hardware Installation2:55
In this lesson, we will physically add 2 Seagate IronWolf disk drives to a Synology DS220+ NAS, so that you can see that assembling your NAS is generally quite easy.
Important note about DSM 7.2 full volume encryption.1:10
Demo - Installing DSM7 when shipped with DSM610:08
Different Synology NAS models may come pre-loaded with different DSM versions in their onboard flash storage. If your Synology NAS has come preloaded with DSM 6, then you should follow this lesson on how to install DSM 6 on the new hard drives that we have installed in a previous lesson.
Most newer models will come with DSM 7 pre-loaded, so if this is the case, please ignore this lesson and watch the next lesson on installing DSM 7 when shipped with DSM 7.
Demo - Installing DSM7 when shipped with DSM78:17
Different Synology NAS models may come pre-loaded with different DSM versions in their onboard flash storage. If your Synology NAS has come preloaded with DSM 7, then you should follow this lesson on how to install DSM 7 on the new hard drives that we have installed in a previous lesson.

Demo - A quick tour2:48
Explore a quick tour of the DSM interface, opening the top-left menu to access applications like control panel, file station, package center, resource manager, storage manager, and log center.
Demo - Control Panel - A quick look4:06
Explore the control panel highlights, including shared folders, file services, user and group applet, external access, notifications, and update options to manage your secure private cloud.
Storage Overview17:33
Configure raid groups and storage pools with Synology hybrid raid to mirror data, separate personal from backups, and enable encrypted, bidirectional synchronization and offsite backups.
Demo - Storage Manager - Creating your disks6:45
Create a storage pool and volumes in a Synology NAS, selecting hybrid RAID options like mirror, RAID 5 with parity, Gibbard, or RAID zero, and allocate a backup volume.
Demo - Storage Manager - A Quick Look5:54
Explore the storage manager to monitor your local NAS, review disk health and volumes, run SMART tests, and schedule data scrubbing and notifications.
Demo - Your Settings2:46
Learn to customize your private cloud settings, including account descriptions, sign-in options, two-factor authentication, display preferences, background image or color, and email delivery configurations with testing and saving steps.
Demo - Widgets3:04
Learn to use and customize widgets, including the storage widget, to monitor NAS performance and storage, reorder and dock the widget panel, and manage visibility with pins and icons.
Demo - File Services2:45
Explore file services in the control panel, including smb for network file browsing and drive mapping, and note afp, nfs, and ftp options, plus logs, discovery, and linux-style arcing replication.
Demo - Package Center and updating packages2:30
Discover how to manage apps with the package center, install and update packages, including beta options, and keep your DSM up to date through the control panel.
Demo - Antivirus4:51
Install antivirus on your NAS, update virus definitions, and run full, system, or custom scans to protect data and backups from viruses and ransomware in your private cloud.
Demo - Security5:36
Tune the NAS security settings by configuring account protection, restricting login attempts, enabling two-factor authentication, and establishing trusted networks to block brute-force attempts and protect your private cloud.
Demo - Firewall5:11
Configure the NAS built-in firewall to expose only necessary services, creating rules for local network access and Australian connections on port 5001, with a default deny.
Demo - Hardware and Power3:24
Configure hardware and power settings in the control panel to optimize performance and protection, including memory compression, wake on lan, led brightness schedules, hdd hibernation, and ups options.
Demo - External Access3:31
Explore external access options for your nas, balancing security and ease of use, configure quick connect IDs, dynamic DNS, and certificates, and compare quick connect relay with port forwarding.
Demo - Notifications3:39
Configure the DSM notification system to monitor your private cloud with email, SMS, and push alerts, using customizable rules and test emails for reliable notifications.
Demo - DS Finder3:24
Install the DS Finder app to enable push notifications for your private cloud, pair your mobile device with DSMB, and verify the setup with a test message and notification history.

Demo - 2-Factor Authentication (2FA)8:36
Enforce two-factor authentication to require a rolling code from a mobile device after password entry, via the DSM wizard and Synology secure sign in app.
Demo - Creating Users12:09
Create and manage NAS user accounts to secure private data, link devices, and assign permissions, then enable encryption and two-factor authentication across home drives and shared folders.
User Home Services2:28
Compare the user home service and the underscore personal folder method for files on the NAS, and decide when to use a home drive versus a shared folder for consistency.

Demo - Creating Shared Drives8:18
Demonstrates creating per-user personal folders and shared folders on the NAS, enabling encryption, data integrity, and group-based access, with device-wide synchronization and offline access.
Demo - Key Manager7:59
Learn how to secure encrypted shared folders with the built-in key manager, choosing between system partition or USB key storage, and why machine cipher enables auto mount.
Demo - Recycling Bin Schedules (Optional)2:48
Create recycle bin emptying schedules to automate deletion across shared and general folders, using the control panel to set weekly Sunday midnight and apply retention rules and exclusions.

Demo - Installing and configuring Synology Drive Server5:59
Install and configure the Synology Drive Server on the NAS to sync devices, enable the Intel Versioning Rotation policy, and secure sharing with passwords and HTTPS.
Introduction to Synology Drive Client2:33
Install and configure the Synology Drive client on Windows, macOS, and Ubuntu to sync files with the NAS, with one-way or two-way backups; explore mobile app for Android and iOS.
Demo - Installing Synology Drive Client on Windows 1011:46
Install and configure the Synology Drive client on windows 10, create two sync tasks for personal and shared folders, enable two-factor authentication, and adjust sync settings for two-way replication.
Demo - Installing Synology Drive Client on Windows 1111:50
Install the Synology Drive Client on Windows 11, configure two sync tasks for personal and shared folders, enable two-factor authentication, and verify two-way replication with the NAS.
Demo - Installing Synology Drive Client on a Mac10:06
Learn to install the Synology Drive Client on macOS 11, enable two-factor authentication, and configure two-way sync for personal and shared NAS folders.
Demo - Installing Synology Drive Client on Ubuntu 20.049:47
Install the Synology Drive client on Ubuntu 20.04, set up two sync tasks for personal and shared folders, enable two factor authentication, and verify two way replication with NAS.
Installing Synology Drive Client on Android (8+)10:28
Install the Synology Drive Client on Android by downloading apk and signing in with two-factor authentication. Configure two-way sync for personal and shared folders with wifi-only transfers and background operation.
Demo - All Synchronising together4:55
See how five Synology Drive clients across Windows, Mac OS X, Ubuntu, and Android synchronize folders and files with the NAS in real time across shared and personal folders.
Demo - Previous Versions4:57
Learn how Synology Drive preserves multiple file versions in shared and personal folders, and retrieve older copies with browse previous versions and orange download icons on Windows 11.

Demo - Configuring backup shared folders4:58
Create per-user backup folders on the NAS, configure encryption and data integrity checks, and enable versioning to securely back up data and prepare for offsite replication.
Demo - Backing up Windows 106:52
Configure backups of non-synced data on Windows 10 using the Synology Drive Client, selecting specific user folders (contacts, documents, favorites, links, pictures, videos) to back up to the NAS.
Demo - Backing up Windows 116:46
Configure backups on Windows 11 with the synology drive client by selecting non-synced folders (contacts, documents, music, pictures, videos) and choosing continuous, manual, or scheduled backups to the nas.
Demo - Backing up Mac (OSX 11)6:37
Configure Mac backup with the Synology Drive client, selecting specific folders to back up, choosing a backup destination, and enabling continuous backups for automatic data protection.
Demo - Backing up a Mac - Time machine (optional)7:04
Learn how to back up a Mac using Time Machine, including configuring a Mac to back up over the network to a NAS shared folder and encrypting backups.
Demo - Backing up Ubuntu 20.046:31
Back up non-synchronized folders on Ubuntu 20.04 using the Synology Drive client to the NAS, enabling continuous backups for a secure private cloud.

Demo - Sharing Files - Desktop Client6:37
Shares a file using the Synology Drive desktop client on Windows 11, creating a public link with password and expiration, and configuring who can view or edit.
Demo - Sharing Files - Mobile2:46
Demonstrate sharing files from the mobile app, set public links with privacy options and expiration, copy the link, and test it in a browser using quick connect to a NAS.
Demo - Creating a file request (public upload)4:45
Create a guest file request to securely receive external uploads on your NAS, using password protection and a date-range for access that places files in a per-user folder.

Demo - Mapping a drive on Windows6:39
Map a network drive to your network attached storage using the unc path and ip address, enabling access to shared folders via smb with automatic reconnect on reboot.
Demo - Mapping a drive on a Mac6:08
Map a drive on Mac by connecting to nas over smb or afp, browse shares with Finder, create an alias for access, and configure login items for automatic mounting.
Demo - Mapping a drive on Ubuntu4:16
Map a drive to the NAS from Ubuntu to edit files directly via SMB or AFP, bypassing local synchronization and learning to mount, bookmark, and eject file shares.

Requirements

An intermediate level of computer literacy is needed.
Familiarity with your own home network, including the ability to make changes on your own network infrastructure.
A basic knowledge on firewalls and routers, and how they work.
A basic understanding of security and its importance.

Description

Learn how to remove your dependence on Cloud providers such as Google, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon, and store your data yourself securely using Synology DSM7 technology.

This course will take you through how to configure your own secure private cloud using Synology NASes - from a basic introduction to why we should care where our data is stored, to what to look for when purchasing your Synology NAS(es), to how to build and connect to your own private cloud, to how to backup your data offsite automatically each night.

The course covers the basics of the Synology NAS, though the course is not aimed at explaining everything about Synology, rather, the Synology NAS hardware is being used to achieve the outcome of own secure private cloud, accessible while outside of your network through your laptop, tablet or phone, in a secure way.

It will cover how to share files with others - both members of your family, or friends that do not have a connection into your private network. The course will also cover how you can create a location on your NAS where people from outside of your network can upload files to, without having direct access into your network.

Security is at the forefront of everything that is discussed in this course. The order of preference to access the NAS from outside of your private network is through a VPN, then using Synology's QuickConnect technology, to lastly port forwarding and dynamic DNS. The pros and cons of these access methods are discussed so that you can make an informed decision on the level of security that will be appropriate and acceptable to you.

Support for this course is through Udemy's messaging system, and the aim is always to respond to any queries within 24hrs.

Who this course is for:

This course is for intermediately IT skilled people that want to remove their reliance on Cloud providers like Google, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon, by managing their data themselves in a secure and private way.

Protect your data by building your own secure private cloud

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction3 lectures • 14min

Some Basics to Start With3 lectures • 14min

Purchase, Assembly, and Installation6 lectures • 33min

Synology DSM7 Overview and Security16 lectures • 1hr 18min

Users3 lectures • 23min

Shared Folders3 lectures • 19min

Synology Drive Server9 lectures • 1hr 12min

Backing Up Your Workstations6 lectures • 39min

Sharing Files with Others3 lectures • 14min

Mapping Network Drives3 lectures • 17min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: