Idea
Self-hosting internet services means
- running your own internet services
- on hardware you possess
- at a location you control
You own what you use, you can change it or not and always have total control over your data.
Taking Back Control over the Internet
Originally the internet began as a loose collection of individuals and organizations, each realizing their own place on the world wide web. Over time increasing complexity of protocols, regulations and architectures resulted in but a handful of big corporations dominating the internet as we now know it, turning it into services with billions of users and monopolistic control over search and interaction.
The notion of a decentralized internet however lives on, especially at times when surveillance, censorship and increasing scrutiny have created widespread mistrust in politics, government and business, each with its own stakes in large internet platforms.
Self-hosting is a practice that pretty much describes itself:
- running your own internet services
- typically on hardware you possess
- at a location you control
Essentially self-hosting entails full control over all configurations of hardware and software used. It brings immunity and empowerment: you own what you use, you can change it or not and always have your data in your own hands.
Pragmatics
Self-hosting is the practice of running and maintaining internet services using private servers, giving more control over data, privacy and computing infrastructure. It is based on cloud computing and virtualization technologies, enabling the managed running of servers on virtual machines, and largely feasible because of open source and thus free web-based services and applications, such as file storage, password management, media streaming and home automation.
The main reasons for considering self-hosting are:
- hardware availability and adequate mainstream open-source software
- ownership, privacy and libertarian concerns and considerations
- looking for better alternatives
Some of the potential benefits of self-hosting are:
- complete control over data and over deciding how and where data are hosted
- ability to customize site design and functionality according to preferences and needs
- avoiding relying on third-party providers that may have privacy issues, security breaches, outages or changes in policies
Some of the real challenges of self-hosting are:
- running, maintaining and updating servers and services as well as identifying, using and upgrading reliable and affordable hosting provider software, with the features and resources needed, demand technical skills, perseverance and a clear perspective on information and computing
- ensuring that servers and services are secure and compliant with relevant laws and regulations is far from trivial
- hardware failures, network problems, power outages or malicious attacks require ongoing focus and strong commitment
Business Case
Individuals, organizations or businesses interested in self-hosting internet services should carry out an in-depth investigation into feasibility, constraints and imponderables. In this context a thorough SHIPS technology assessment and security appraisal has to be undertaken, in order to establish well how to conceive, plan and implement sound and secure connections, systems and operations.
Disclaimer
Interested parties not sufficiently disposing of the appropriate technical skills (know-how) or perspectives on information and computing (know-what) are explicitly informed that full realization of self-hosted internet services may – as a consequence – involve appreciable scarce resources.