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5 Linux servers that let you ditch the public cloud and reclaim your privacy - for free

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With these ready-to-run home/SMB Linux servers, you can preserve your privacy and improve your security.

There are three kinds of servers: SaaS and apps, storage, and a Windows Server replacement

All require some technical expertise, but you don't need to be a system administrator.

You may have noticed that many European Union (EU) governments and agencies, worried about ceding control to untrustworthy US companies, have been embracing digital sovereignty. Those bodies are turning to running their own cloud and services instead of relying on, say, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. If you prize your privacy and want to control your own services, you can take that approach as well.

Of course, if you're a techie's techie, you could always run your own cloud. I've been running my own servers for decades. These days, I use AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, and Ubuntu on my machines.

Also: Why even a US tech giant is launching 'sovereign support' for Europe now

However, most people don't have many years of Unix/Linux system administration behind them. Fortunately, there are pre-built Linux servers suitable for home and small-business users. With these servers, you still need to be a power user to get the most out of them, but they don't require you to be a Linux expert.

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