Host a Seal-Vault Node

A node is storage for the network. You don't need to run one to use Seal-Vault — but if you'd like to lend space to the mesh, and keep your own data closer to home, this is what it takes.

What it takes

A small Linux VPS, NAS, or PC. A node runs comfortably on a low-cost box — what matters is the disk you give it.
Docker with the Compose plugin.
Disk space — you decide how much. You set a cap; the node lends exactly that much to the network and never exceeds it.
A domain name you can point a DNS record at — the node lives at vault.yourdomain.com.
nginx in front for TLS. An example config and a one-line certbot command come in the package.

The node never sees your files. Seal-Vault encrypts everything on the owner's device before it leaves. A node only ever holds encrypted shards, addressed by their content hash. It cannot read what it stores, and it holds no keys — yours or anyone else's.

Where to run it

A node's one real need is disk, so a low-cost VPS with room to grow covers it well. The Seal-Vault nodes run on Contabo — their entry Cloud VPS starts around $5 a month^*, and extra storage is inexpensive to add as your node grows.

Get a VPS at Contabo

* Approximate — see Contabo for current pricing.

How you set it up

Unpack the package on your server One folder: the node, a docker-compose file, an example nginx config, a setup script, and a full README.

Set your storage cap and run the setup script Choose how much disk to lend, then sh setup.sh builds the container and starts it on loopback.

Point a domain and add the reverse proxy Copy the example nginx config, drop in your domain, reload nginx.

Turn on HTTPS One certbot command issues a free certificate and switches the node to HTTPS. Done — your node joins the mesh.

Download Node Package

The self-host node package is in active development — this download goes live with the first release. The README will walk every step.