Often, you can come across them without consent or have your nude images shared without consent. This is why it’s essential to have a classifier tool to identify and flag nude or NSFW images effectively.

Prereq: Basics of Image Recognition

Image recognition refers to identifying and detecting objects, people, text, and other features within an image. This technology can be used for various purposes, such as security systems, self-driving cars, and image search engines. It uses machine learning algorithms for image analysis and extracts information from them. The process of image recognition is complex and involves several steps. Image preprocessing, feature extraction, and classification.

Key Parameters of Nude Images Classification

Identifying key parameters for nude images can be challenging, as it involves balancing the need to accurately identify nudity with respect for privacy and avoid false positives. Some critical parameters for a nude images algorithm, by ChatGPT include:

1. Pixel analysis: This can include analyzing the color, texture, and pattern of pixels in an image to determine if it contains nudity.
2. Machine learning: Using ML algorithms and models to train the system to identify nudity in images and improve its accuracy over time.
3. False positive rate: The rate of images incorrectly flagged as containing nudity should be low to maintain the system’s reliability.

How to Program Image Recognition for Nude Images without Machine Learning

So, that’s enough about how it works. Now, let’s look at how you can write a Python program to do it. But first, what are the things you need to make it work? Let’s see below.

Step 1: Import necessary libraries for image recognition

Requirements

• Python 3.6– install a virtual env if you don’t have it.
• Cython
• Pillow– installs with the Nudepy library.
• IDE– I used VS Code to perform this section.

Note that the older versions of Python are also compatible, but I listed the specs I used.

After that, install it with pip:

$ pip install --upgrade nudepy

Then, the next step is to import it into a program:

import nude

Step 2: Running The Image Recognition for Nude Images Script

You only need a few lines, if that, for the program to work.

The library has a function that checks whether the picture you added has nudity. It’s called is_nude.

import nude
from nude import Nude

print(nude.is_nude('.'))

n = Nude('./nude.rb/spec/images/damita.jpg')
n.parse()
print(":", n.result, n.inspect())

Does NudePy Recognize Nude Images or Not…

I used three sample images for this test program. Click on the names to access the images I used: Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and Millie Bobby Brown. None of them were nudes. But as you can see, the false positive rate is high– 66.67%.

This proves that it is not a good test for nude or NSFW images. Let’s try to understand why and how we can develop a better solution.

Why Do You Need Machine Learning for Classifying Nude Images?

Okay, you have written a complex algorithm that detects a particular nude image or maybe even a specific type of nude— what about others? How can you account for the countless other types of nudes? I mean, it’s not like the Superbowl that only happens once a year, right? So yeah, no Superbowl. Need to make predictions on nude images countless times.

Machine learning is used because it allows for the efficient and accurate detection of nude images. It is a way to automate identifying nudity, which can be difficult for humans to do consistently and at scale.

What do we do then? Hm? Well, you can train a model to recognize nudity using ML on a dataset of images containing nudity and non-nudity to train this model. The model is then able to identify patterns and features that are characteristic of nudity, such as skin tone, body shape, and context.

So, is it really a feasible solution to identify nude images?

Using machine learning to recognize nudity has several advantages. It allows for the efficient and accurate detection of nudity. This can be helpful in contexts such as content moderation on social media platforms, cloud storage services, and filtering out inappropriate media content such as nude or NSFW images. Also, ML models can learn and adapt over time, so they can become more accurate as more data is fed into them.

However, it’s vital to note that using ML learning to recognize nude images raises ethical concerns, such as bias, invasion of privacy, and inaccuracies.

Code with OpenNsfw2

In this step, let’s try to work with a model that is powered by machine learning or ML. Opennsfw2 is Yahoo’s open source model based on TensorFlow 2 implementation.

Libraries:

• Pillow:
• Numpy
• Opennsfw2

Before you get started, install the NSFW images identifier library with this:

pip install opennsfw2

As you can see, pillow and numpy were installed as a by-product of this command.

Okay… How Do I Use It For Recognition of Nude Images:

Here is the code below in Python to predict if your dataset includes nude images:

import numpy as np
import opennsfw2 as n2
from PIL import Image

# Load and preprocess image.
image_path = "image_path"
pil_image = Image.open(image_path)
image = n2.preprocess_image(pil_image, n2.Preprocessing.YAHOO)
# The preprocessed image is a NumPy array of shape (224, 224, 3).

# Create the model.
# By default, this call will search for the pre-trained weights file from path:
# $HOME/.opennsfw2/weights/open_nsfw_weights.h5
# If not exists, the file will be downloaded from this repository.
# The model is a `tf.keras.Model` object.
model = n2.make_open_nsfw_model()

# Make predictions.
inputs = np.expand_dims(image, axis=0)  # Add batch axis (for single image).
predictions = model.predict(inputs)

# The shape of predictions is (num_images, 2).
# Each row gives [sfw_probability, nsfw_probability] of an input image, e.g.:
sfw_probability, nsfw_probability = predictions[0]

print(sfw_probability, nsfw_probability)

The comments in the code help with understanding what is going on. After importing the libraries, you must load an image that is preprocessed into a numpy array. Then, a model is used, which is imported if not present in your directory. After that, the real work you are looking for is done. The not-safe-for-work image prediction part. Is the image recognition accurate or not?

This is seen in the output SFW and NSFW probabilities. The sum of both must equal 1.

This model uses computer vision to define the probabilities of NSFW and SFW images in recognition. The following images show the results based on images from Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, and Millie Bobby Brown.

Output:

As you can tell, the results still represent one false positive output. Even though none of the images are actually nude images, it still represents the result of one image as ~60% NSFW. But there are positives to take from this result, no pun intended.

1. The probability of NSFW is not sufficiently high, and maybe a benchmark can be used to filter out false positives.
2. The false positive rate has reduced by 1/3rd.

What’s more, you can also use the same library for image recognition in each frame of a video. It will define the time and NSFW probability of the image frame recognized.

import opennsfw2 as n2

# The video can be in any format supported by OpenCV.
video_path = "path/to/your/video.mp4"

# Return two lists giving the elapsed time in seconds and the NSFW probability of each frame.
elapsed_seconds, nsfw_probabilities = n2.predict_video_frames(video_path)

But Wait… There’s More…

Finally, there’s also another library that can perform nude image recognition. Not only that, but this library can also define it as probabilities between distinct categories. Namely, drawing, hentai, neutral, porn, and sexy are the five types.

But what is this library, you must be wondering… right? Well, it’s NSFW Detector.

Importing Libraries

Requirements:

• Python 3
• Tensorflow V2 — it is installed with NSFW Detector if you don’t have it.
• IDE — I used Google Collab for this part. Mainly because using Tensorflow is not so simple on the M1 Macs.

Use this command to install the library in your coding environment or directory.

After that, simply use this line to import it into your program:

import nsfw_dertector

How Do I Use This Thing For Image Recognition, Mom?

I thought you’d never ask! You did, so kudos. Um, okay, so it’s simple, actually. Just import “predict” from the library above.

Then, load a model to use for the prediction of nude images. I downloaded this one.

from nsfw_detector import predict
model = predict.load_model('/content/saved_model.h5')

# Predict single image
predict.classify(model, 'selena_gomez.jpg')

After that, use the classify function, passing in the model and an image. You can also do batch nude image recognition by adding more after a comma. The sky… is the limit.

Output:

Wow! So none of the non-nude images are actually classified as NSFW images by this model. As you can see below, the Selena Gomez image that has been falsely marked as a nude image by the other two models is mostly marked as a neutral image, though it falsely adds 30% of the drawing into the mix too. The Millie Bobby picture has a high probability of being “sexy”– nearly 80%, which do you agree with? Make your decision and let me know. The last image, Taylor Swift’s, is given a high neutral probability.

Finally, I used an NSFW photo to test the model’s capability to distinguish true nude images, which it marks in the “porn” category. The results are positive, which indicates the model does work. Moreover, I ran multiple tests, and the results were still accurate.

Okay… Sherlock, but How Can I Tell Deepfakes, usually Nude Images, apart from Real Images?

Gone are the days of easily knowing if an image is altered or real. I mean, do you know about Midjourney? Or ChatGPT?

As a viewer, it can be difficult to distinguish real images from deep fakes. However, there are a few ways to spot potential deep fakes:

1. Look for signs of manipulation: Check for unnatural movements or expressions in the image or video, such as blinking eyes that don’t match the rest of the face or lips that don’t move in sync with the audio.
2. Check the source: Be cautious of images or videos that come from untrusted sources or that are shared on social media without any verification.
3. Use tools: There are tools available that can help detect deep fakes, such as ones that analyze the image or video for signs of manipulation or compare it to a database of known deep fakes.
4. Ask for proof: If you are still unsure about the authenticity of an image or video, ask for additional proof, such as a photo or video taken from another angle or a statement from the person who appears in the image or video.

It’s important to note that image recognition technology is constantly evolving, and deep fake technology is improving. So, it’s key to stay informed and aware of the latest techniques for the recognition of images and tools to detect deep fakes and be prepared to question the authenticity of any image or video.

Library Requirements:

• Tensorflow
• Numpy
• Pillow

import tensorflow as tf
from tensorflow import keras
import numpy as np
from PIL import Image

# Load the pre-trained model
model = keras.models.load_model('deepfake_detection_model.h5')

def is_deepfake(img_path):
    # Load the input image
    img = Image.open(img_path)
    img = img.resize((224,224))
    
    # Pre-process the input image
    input_data = np.array(img) / 255.0
    input_data = np.expand_dims(input_data, axis=0)

    # Make predictions with the model
    predictions = model.predict(input_data)

    # Convert the predictions to binary labels (real/deepfake)
    # (the threshold for converting predictions to binary labels will depend on the specific model and task)
    labels = (predictions > 0.5).astype(int)
    
    if labels[0][0] == 0:
        return "Real"
    else:
        return "Deepfake"

After importing the libraries, you need to load a pre-trained model and add the path. Then, load and preprocess an image you want to make predictions on and use the predict function to find results. Finally, the results are converted to binary values to demarcate real or deep fake images. In the end, a conditional statement leads to the final result.

Weren’t You Going to Tell Me about Cloud Storage Moderation, though…

The classification of NSFW (Not Safe For Work) images is crucial for cloud storage providers (CSP) due to its impact on the overall user experience and legal obligations. Using moderation, you can ensure a secure environment. How? By detecting and flagging any explicit or NSFW content that might violate the provider’s terms of service. As such, NiHao Cloud takes this very seriously. It’s something it works to improve on every day.

Prohibiting the storage and sharing of NSFW images, such as pornography, hate speech, and graphic violence, is crucial for CSPs to maintain a positive reputation and brand image. It also minimizes potential legal and financial risks. But how does this relate? Storing such NSFW images is generally illegal and criminal in many places.

Do you know how many criminals use cloud storage to hoard illegal content? Most CSPs want to limit this, not just because of negative press but also the implications. This is practically one of the main reasons to work on flagging such content.

Moreover, the automatic identification of NSFW images through image classification technology protects the provider and provides users with a safe place for storing and sharing their files. This can also help foster trust among users and encourage more widespread adoption of cloud storage services. This is, ultimately, the goal of all cloud services. Isn’t it?

Lastly, image classification of nude or illegal images is a critical aspect of cloud storage management. It also plays a vital role in preserving a safe and responsible online environment.

Conclusion: Why Classification of Nude Images is Essential

It is truly amazing what technology can do today. With the latest tech like ChatGPT, Whisper AI, Midjourney, and other AI tools. It has become a necessity to classify images based on NSFW categorizations for moderation. Why? Everyone has access to social media and cloud storage services. This means people set up niches for NSFW, usually illegal, images or media content. If not flagged, the service provider also becomes liable for criminal negligence. I mean, how often do you come across something NSFW without consent? Let alone the times criminals use cloud storage for hoarding illegal data.

Moreover, there has been a revolution in the field of image processing with the prevalent use of deep fakes, which makes integrity challenging. As such, it has become increasingly essential to develop models that can find real images from edits. One essential requirement for this is efficiency. You need a model that works 9.9 times out of 10. Not on which does the same work 6 out of 10 times.

Thank you for reading this post on nude images. I hope you like it. Please let me know below in the comments what you think. This post took a longer time than I expected — M1 MacBooks are not compatible with most Tensorflow-based models. And just not great at image analysis.

You would probably also enjoy a few related posts. Check out Cybersecurity Jobs in 2023 and User Authentication in Python.

Written by: Syed Umar Bukhari.

Outlawed Foot Binding Practice in China: The Subjectivity of Beauty

Before we get into the Outlawed foot binding practice in China (you may also have seen it as feet binding), I would like to explore the concept of beauty– an entirely subjective idea. As former colonies of Europe and European powers, one might describe beauty as Eurocentric in the world we live in. Fair complexion, light eyes, brown or hazel hair are all attributes that one may find attractive. Body variations are common for women. A breast implant here, a hip enhancement, and Botox on the face and lips are ubiquitous today. These alterations act as forms of self-expression. How one chooses their body to look like and how best to express themselves is up to them.

But what of a time before the white, Caucasian people took over the world? What of a time where surgeries and injecting needles ruled over the standards of beauty?

Outlawed Foot Binding Practice in China: Ethnic Standards of Beauty

Throughout the world, before globalization, each region had its beauty standards. The women had to hold to the standard, unlike men. In Japan, the epitome of beauty consisted of women with long jet-black hair. Similarly, in the subcontinent, big-eyed women held the beauty standards. However, in Europe, heavier women were desirable. This is because they represented a wealthy household that could afford food to eat.

Before the world fell into colonies and territories, these standards of beauty were extremely rigid. In those days, marriage was the only think women’s lives revolved around, according to people. Finding the right husband was key to securing a prosperous life full of abundance and good fortune. If this meant altering your appearance even if the pain killed you, then that is a small price to pay for a good, fulfilled life.

Outlawed Foot Binding Practice in China: Chinese Foot Binding Practice

In China, one beauty attribute is ‘lotus feet.’ This practice has maimed millions of girls across China both in terms of movement and growth. Thankfully, the CCP outlawed this practice in the last century.

Still, there are still parts of China where foot-binding continues.

By definition, foot binding was the practice of curling young girls’ feet to modify their shape. It was prevalent in ancient China. It was a known fact that Chinese men desired women with small feet.

History of Ancient Chinese Foot Binding

In the 10th century, a Chinese court dancer named Yao Niang famously bound her feet into the shape of a new moon.

She entranced the emperor Li Yu by dancing on her toes, and from there, the trend of binding women’s feet into smaller, daintier sizes popularized. Today we know that this is just a glorified foot fetish: men preferring smaller, daintier women whose feet resembled that of children’s.

At the beginning of this nationwide trend, only women from the nobility and aristocracy had their feet bound. This was because they had no real work, no farms to tend to, no food to cook, so they could afford to have their feet bound to 3-inch tiny ‘lotus feet. By the late 19th century, women knew that having small feet made them more desirable

In most provincial parts of china, men still hold women to this obscure standard of beauty.

The Gruesome Process of Foot Binding:

The most gruesome part of this practice is not the shape of the feet after the disfiguration. Rather, it is the fact that these practices start when girls are only five to seven years old!

Their feet submerge in boiling water, and later on, a feet massage using oil is provided. Their toes are then broken except for the two big toes. The feet are then molded and suffocatingly bound by bandages. Every time the foot begins to heal itself, the sole breaks. The toes push back, and the process starts all over again. This process takes a total of 2 years.

Just thinking of the millions of girls subjected to this process just for the approval of men is nauseating. Even though it is horrifying, it was the norm at that time.

How Foot Binding Practice in China Links To Modern Times:

The main thing to consider when thinking of foot binding is a direct link to modernity. Lip injections, fat liposuction, or breast implantation are no different from having your feet be 3 inches in length. Sure, we can have these alterations reversed for the most part. However, the practice is prevalent today of women altering their bodies to appeal to the male gaze.

A saying goes, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” What we have forgotten is that while we may turn up our faces and tut these practices today, we, as women, are no different from how we were ten centuries ago.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we know what foot binding is, how it has been practiced, and what the implications are. In the 10th century, an emperor may have fallen in love with the court dancer becaåuse of her tiny feet. But now we have the knowledge and education to deduce that maiming one’s body to appeal someone is wrong and unethical.

What happened to the millions of girls in China because of this foot binding practice was criminal. While it has been outlawed in China, it could be argued it was too late even if this was almost a century ago.

To support more posts on some of the forgotten history elements of China, comment below to let me know you are enjoying this content. If you want to read similar posts like The Harsh Truth About Social Media In China, subscribe to our blog. Have a good day.

Edited by: Syed Umar Bukhari.

The typical reseller of Cloud Storage who would become successful with us has many contacts, has some basic knowledge about tech and the cloud storage service we provide, but is not a hard requirement. We will train you on anything you might need, help you create your material and of course share the profit. You close the deal and we handle most of the rest.

The process goes as follows;

First you reach out to us and explain who you are and a general description of how you think you can sell our service.
Second we will have to ask you for further information the possibility of a deal and your actual capabilities. It’s not an automatic process, there will be a person talking to you to make sure we are on the same page and we might also need to double check some personal details about you.

Third once we agree on the conditions of the deal your start selling.

Fourth you close deals and start get your payment monthly per volume of sales.

To get started as a reseller

Additional information for resellers

Finally we also advise you to give us a try, so you understand how the service works and the goos ad bad things about it. We will also answer all your questions about it and listen to your feedback to improve. Follow the link to register if you do not have an account, it’s free to start. you can read more about our products in this resource.

Before delving further, it is essential to know what cloud storage providers are and why the cloud is one of the top services out there.

Cloud storage service allows file storage on a server on the Internet or the “cloud,” which can be locally accessed as if the files existed on your own device. Cloud storage is one of the top services worldwide, with increasing data security and privacy breaches. Hence, cloud storage offers an alternative to storing essential files on your own device– you can do it on the cloud!

In this article, I will share the list of top Chinese cloud storage providers using the most valuable experiences I learned working as an IT expert and a cloud architect. So, strap in for this ride!

The Landscape For Top Chinese Cloud Storage Providers

Chinese Cloud storage providers allow businesses to satisfy their app development, deployment, and admin needs with an affordable service – this is why China continues to grow as a hub for innovation!

While the globe has a lot of cloud storage providers, the Chinese market offers unique cloud storage providers, like Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud.

Before looking into the top Chinese cloud storage services, it’s critical to know the restrictions and licenses for Chinese cloud storage providers.

Regulatory Framework for Cloud Computing and Chinese Cloud Storage providers

If you host a website in China, the law mandates that you acquire and show an ICP License.

If you do not get this license, or if it is discovered that you are running a website in violation of the certification requirements, you risk being officially compelled to obtain one. Furthermore, the government can take down your site without warning if you do not cooperate with their request.

Before establishing or hosting a website in China, you must apply for an ICP license. Now, the regulations are even more strict in the cloud computing and information storage market.

For instance, purely foreign companies can not participate. So, companies like Google and Dropbox are not offering their Cloud Storage products to the Chinese market.

The Requirements For Chinese Cloud Storage Providers

The Chinese MIIT administers the ICP registration process. The state restricts Chinese websites with no valid ICP License. This will also apply if you do not show the ICP number on your website.

To qualify for ICP Filing, you must first register a corporate headquarters in China. This can be a subsidiary of your firm. Or, it could be a reputable sales partner that registers the website. Then, you need these things:

• Your Chinese company’s name, address, and telephone number. This is you need to have a legally registered Chinese company.
• Legal specimen of the Chinese details and proof of identification website administrator
• Legal specimen of the Chinese details and proof of identification of the applicant
• The person responsible for the website’s name, telephone number, cell phone number, e-mail address, and valid proof of identification (must be a Chinese citizen)
• The website’s emergency number 
• A photograph of the person responsible for the website
• An IP address, an ISP, and server location (from your hosting provider)
• A list of the domains used to access the website
• Domains registered with a Chinese domain registrar

The Top Chinese Cloud Storage Providers

Consider the top most popular cloud service providers operating in China today. It may assist you in making the best decision for your company. These are China’s top cloud service providers or dropbox alternatives in China or dropbox alternatives for China.

Who We Are and Why Discuss The Top Chinese Cloud Storage Providers

We (Sesame Disk by Nihao Cloud ) are a Cloud Storage provider, but in a different category. Our services include free cloud storage that works in China and premium plans. But we provide services for people mainly from outside and partnering with China. What this means is our cloud storage is not limited to China and not regulated by China. We focus on cross borders file transfer and team collaboration, including cloud storage for China.

How are we different: We are not bound by Chinese security laws. And we are not a China cloud storage provider. Instead, we are the data bridge that does not exist. See our products if you have cloud storage needs! Our typical customer shares and regularly collaborates with many geolocations, including China.

1. Alibaba Cloud – One of the Top Chinese Cloud Storage Providers

Alibaba Cloud, also known as Aliyun, is China’s largest cloud service provider. Their cloud storage OSS is very similar to AWS s3.

The primary aspects of this dropbox alternative in China include Elastic Computers, Relational Databases, Content Delivery Networks, and Data Storage. It has many vital features that collaborate with the company’s resources and e-commerce operations. Furthermore, Alibaba Cloud customers can purchase feature-rich cloud servers at a low price.

Alibaba Cloud simplifies backup and recovery for users by providing a variety of recovery alternatives. Users can access agile reading and writing capability; data integrity is retained. Hence, the probability of data loss and mistakes is significantly decreased. Alibaba Cloud also provides enterprises with disk and memory-based storage. This makes it a cloud storage that works in China. Hence, it is also a viable dropbox alternative in China.

2. Tencent Cloud Computing – One Of The Largest Cloud Storage Providers in China

Tencent Cloud is a dependable and high-performance cloud computing service. It provides a diverse range of services to its massive user base through platforms such as WeChat. Tencent Cloud simplifies app development, and users may implement changes to the console setup.

Developers depend on Tencent Cloud for its affordable services, including pay-per-use options. Global centers guarantee that cloud computing services are delivered quickly and reliably to the provider’s clients. Tencent Cloud also provides cloud services to the top downloaded game in the world, i.e., PUBG. This makes it one of the top Chinese cloud storage providers.

3. China Telecom Cloud Computing

China Telecom Cloud Server provides customers with a virtual solution for meeting their application needs. Users may depend on the service to rent resources, launch quickly, and easily expand.

By using Cloud Servers, customers can also reduce reliance on IT resources and avoid incurring excessive expenditures. Also, they get access to a broad range of computer resources and services to maximize their processing capability.

Elastic computing is a characteristic that enables local resources and the ease of storage and computation. China Telecom Cloud leverages virtualization to allow customers to install quickly and easily. Additionally, disaster recovery is easy with this supplier, and consumers can save expenditures on management and IT resources.

4. AWS China

Amazon Web Services, or AWS, operates an AWS China subsidiary in China.

Sinnet is responsible for the AWS China (Beijing) region, whereas NWCD is responsible for the AWS China (Ningxia) region. This is due to regulatory requirements.

Users have access to a platform that includes technologies comparable to those in other AWS Regions. Chinese developers may now build cloud applications quickly and easily, utilizing the same operational standards, protocols, and APIs as AWS customers globally.

Unless the client switches locations, data stored in Amazon Web Services China (Ningxia) and Amazon Web Services China (Beijing) Regions are replicated.

5. Huawei Cloud Stack

Huawei Cloud Stack is yet another Chinese cloud storage provider in China for commercial and government customers, allowing them to switch between on-premises and cloud portals seamlessly.

It is available in several versions that address various requirements, including big data analytics, legacy application migration, and artificial intelligence-based training.

It has a variety of capabilities that enable extensive cloud computing capability. Huawei Cloud Stack is a complete hybrid cloud solution that includes the FusionSphere OpenStack platform, the FusionSphere Virtualization layer, and other cloud storage service tools.

6. Kingsoft Cloud

Kingsoft Cloud is a market leader as one of the dropbox alternatives in China and worldwide. Today, it has grown into one of the top 3 Chinese cloud storage providers.

Kingsoft Cloud products offered include Cloud Physical Host, Cloud Server, Object Storage, Relational Database, CDN, Cloud DNS, and Virtual Private Servers.

Moreover, users have access to a variety of cloud solutions that address the demands of most sectors.

7. Baidu Cloud

Baidu Cloud is a market-leading cloud storage provider in China. It has several capabilities, including client software, third-party connectors, cloud storage, and file management.

Following the setup of a client terminal, the Baidu Cloud service enables customers to execute automated sync between Internet terminals. Since its inception in 2012, the company has become one of China’s most popular cloud computing solutions.

It is also known as Baidu Wangpan. Baidu Cloud also offers a complimentary 6 GB storage space. It provides free file sizes of up to 4 GB and up to 20 GB for a fee. Furthermore, Baidu Cloud Computing is one of the largest cloud providers in China.

8. Azure China

Azure China is a cloud storage provider in China that provides a suite of services and features tailored to Chinese enterprise needs in a variety of industries.

21Vianet is the Azure operator in China, providing consumers access to Microsoft technology. Azure China’s service availability and operational models vary from the global Azure service.

The Azure technology services provide varying customer assistance. Moreover, the service provider gives solutions to clients through contracts and agreements with 21Vianet.

Conclusion: The Top Chinese Cloud Storage Providers

The cloud service providers mentioned above are the finest in China and provide organizations with all the features and functionality they want. They can assist businesses across sectors in achieving and surpassing their criteria and improving customer service. You can research the characteristics and functioning of each to help you make the best choice.

Additionally, it is essential to remember that China’s policies and laws are pretty hard for the data held on these platforms, such as the need for an ICP license to operate inside China. Moreover, specific files may be deemed ill-suited, and it is more probable that these service providers will closely monitor the files as directed by the government.

I hope you liked this post. If you enjoyed it, please let us know below in the comments. I would also love to know your experiences with the top Chinese cloud storage providers and if you have a different list. Please let us know which cloud storage provider you use in China and if you may switch to a better alternative. We (Sesame Disk) also offer a cloud storage service powered by Nihao Cloud. You can try the free cloud storage plan anytime or read more about other cloud free cloud storage companies offerings!

Edited by: Syed Umar Bukhari.

The cloud and DevOps are the new kids on the block. They might not be what you expect, but together they make a good team. Cloud is known for providing scalable resources and DevOps is known for automation of deployment processes. Together these two technologies will help to implement new software faster than ever before!
The relationship between cloud and DevOps is like that of peanut butter and jelly- it just makes sense! 😂 Imagine your company having all of its resources in one place, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS). Now imagine how much time you would save if there was no need to purchase physical servers or spend hours configuring them individually. This dream becomes reality thanks to our favorite tech couple: Cloud and DevOps 😍

Development teams look for new tools, methods, and approaches for developing and delivering the most advanced technologies every day. For many of today’s most creative innovators, the cloud offers a scalable and adaptable route to success. It provides novel security, automation, and development options. Integrating DevOps into the cloud enables businesses to compete more effectively in a complex and ever-changing industry. Rather than reinventing DevOps, effective cloud integration requires implementing and adopting best engineering practices.

In this article, we’ll look at what DevOps is and how it works, as well as the connection between cloud and DevOps, cloud-based DevOps solutions, and the benefits of cloud-based DevOps solutions.

What is DevOps?

DevOps is a technique that companies use to manage the development and release of software. DevOps is a methodology for rapidly providing services and applications. The development approach combines software development and operations into a unified process emphasizing automation and efficiency.

The goal of DevOps is to have frequent incremental improvements rather than periodic significant releases. This method enables businesses to produce higher-quality software products more smoothly and effectively.

The primary benefits of DevOps in today’s environment are as follows:

• Effective application release automation 
• Infrastructure automation choices
• CI/CD
• Rapid Delivery with Agile frameworks
• Rapid issue resolution

How DevOps works?

Development and operations teams do not divide themselves in the DevOps environment, as they would be in traditional development setups. In specific scenarios, these two teams combine to form a single unit where engineers may work throughout the entire development lifecycle, from development to deployment and operations.

Here, you may acquire a variety of talents unrelated to any particular role. Security mechanisms and quality assurance may become increasingly engaged in the application development lifecycle in some instances. When everyone on a DevOps team focuses on security, the team becomes a DevSecOps solution.

In a DevOps environment, teams use a variety of techniques to automate formerly laborious and slow operations. They use the most advanced technology available to accelerate the development of apps. For example, in DevOps, automating tasks like code deployment and infrastructure provisioning that previously needed assistance from other teams to improve the team’s pace.

What is the relationship between DevOps and Cloud?

Both cloud computing and DevOps have plenty of other advantages in the area of the agile enterprise. Cloud technology enables businesses to access an infinite number of features and solutions at their own pace. There is no limit to the amount of capability that a company may access through the cloud. Cloud technology enables rapid feature upgrades and enhancements in any setting.

Similarly, DevOps fosters an agile workplace for all parties involved. Both systems provide distinct advantages in terms of speed and production. However, when cloud and DevOps combine, their capabilities complement one another, resulting in an even more attractive solution.

The cloud enables centralized deployments and may include built-in DevOps assistance. For instance, if DevOps teams are required to build the components of a solution in a particular manner, the cloud’s sophisticated automation capabilities may help simplify and repeat the process.

Cloud-Based DevOps Tools

Nowadays, you can operate your complete DevOps stack in the cloud through cloud-managed DevOps solutions. We have discussed two of the most popular ones: Azure DevOps and AWS DevOps.

Azure Cloud and DevOps

Microsoft’s integrated DevOps platform is Azure DevOps (previously known as Visual Studio Team System or VSTS). It allows you to manage the whole of your DevOps cycle via a single integrated interface. While Azure DevOps Services is a cloud-based DevOps solution that you may use as a SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) application, Azure DevOps Server is a self-hosted on-premises version of the same product.

Microsoft’s DevOps solution comprises several products, each of which addresses a unique step of your process. Azure Boards enable planning and project management. The Azure Pipeline is a continuous integration and delivery tool. Azure Repos provides cloud-hosted Git repositories, Azure Test Plans is a testing toolkit, and Azure Artifacts enable the creation, management, and deployment of packages.

However, you don’t need to utilize all of the tools included in Azure DevOps Services; you may alternatively subscribe to them separately. If you need more capabilities, the Visual Studio Marketplace has over 1,000 Azure DevOps extensions, including integrations, statistics, visualizations, and crash reporting.

AWS Cloud and DevOps

AWS DevOps is a service offered by Amazon Web Services that consists of a collection of integrated DevOps tools for managing the entire software development lifecycle. While AWS is mainly utilized in the cloud, you can also run all the tools on-premises using AWS Outposts, which enable you to deploy any AWS infrastructure component on your in-house server.

In contrast to Azure DevOps Services, a PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) solution, AWS is an IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service) solution, which means it is connected to the underlying infrastructure. While packages may be deployed from Azure DevOps Platform to another environment, such as AWS, the opposite is not feasible. You can only deploy to AWS infrastructure through AWS DevOps, such as EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) or S3 (Simple Storage Service).

AWS DevOps toolset includes:

• A continuous integration/continuous delivery service called AWS CodePipeline.
• A managed service build tool called AWS CodeBuild.
• A deployment automation tool called AWS CodeDeploy.
• A platform for managing DevOps projects called AWS CodeStar.

In general, AWS DevOps is probably the most refined DevOps platform for existing or prospective Amazon Web Services customers.

Which one to choose between Azure and AWS?

The primary distinction between the Azure and AWS DevOps toolsets is how they integrate with their respective platforms. Both products, for obvious reasons, combine the appearance and feel of their different cloud platform’s user interfaces. AWS DevOps is much simpler to get started with, while the Azure DevOps suite is more integrated across the various Azure DevOps toolsets and has a considerably more extensive set of integrations with the whole Azure Marketplace.

Moreover, upon choosing, it all comes down to what your employer thinks. That is, whatever job you get is of primary importance. If the sole job available targets Azure systems, then focus on completing an Azure DevOps certification. On the other hand, the industry has shifted toward AWS. Many companies and hiring managers prefer individuals with an AWS-based DevOps certification, owing to AWS’s increasing market dominance and various other fundamental options that perform better when AWS systems are used.

Apart from that, it all comes down to your work needs and which one you believe is most advantageous for you since this is the only way to choose between the two and seek a source of DevOps certifications.

Advantages of cloud computing DevOps

Cloud solutions and DevOps complement one another well in an environment designed for agility and adaptability. When DevOps and cloud computing are integrated, they can significantly improve the software development lifecycle. Businesses that use DevOps in the cloud may improve software delivery performance by an average of 81 percent.

The following are the primary advantages of cloud-based DevOps:

Automation options based on the cloud

Automation is a critical component of DevOps efficiency. Numerous cloud platforms provide sophisticated automation capabilities for DevOps operations, such as continuous development and integration. These technologies provide uniformity and efficiency while requiring less human involvement.

Centralized platform

The cloud offers a centralized framework from which businesses can manage all aspects of their production workloads, including testing, deployment, monitoring, and operation. This enables you to keep track of everything in one location. When all of your DevOps information is in one place, it’s simpler to manage compliance and security. This way, you may get even more actionable insights and business information.

Scalable infrastructure

The cloud is the most cost-effective method to guarantee that you can scale up or down any infrastructure required without spending a fortune on equipment. As a result of this scalability, DevOps is a highly effective way to roll out new features, functionality, and possibilities as your company develops. You can mix cloud computing with DevOps agility to provide limitless development possibilities for your organization.

Agile development

The cloud can offer a variety of staging and testing servers, allowing DevOps teams to continue working while waiting for servers to become available. Utilizing DevOps across the cloud environment enables teams to experiment more freely since builds may occur more often. DevOps teams can rapidly provision servers that meet their requirements.

Reliability and stability

Since cloud providers emphasize availability and stability, they can manage and maintain all aspects of the platform. Instead of worrying about these problems, IT firms can concentrate on product development, which results in better product performance, user experience, and speed to market. The key to success, in this case, is selecting a cloud provider capable of delivering the appropriate degree of uptime for your company.

Conclusion

Cloud computing, on its whole, has risen in popularity over the last several years. Businesses of all sizes can discover how a cloud environment enables them to develop at their speed. Just as cloud communications continue to increase in popularity, cloud-based development and application management procedures become more attractive as your team realizes the full advantages of cloud-based DevOps.

Later, you’ll find that you’re using various DevOps techniques to increase the efficiency of your whole workforce. When this occurs, your team’s performance and efficiency are sure to soar.  There are no limits to what your DevOps team and the cloud can achieve with the proper cloud provider guiding and supporting you.

Cloud Encryption is a critical component of Cloud Computing Security Best Practices since it ensures that your cloud data is secured at rest and in transit. It provides peace of mind for customers who store their most sensitive information with the cloud storage companies, as they know those files will be safe from prying eyes🧐 no matter where they go on earth or what device you use to access them Cloud encryption has been around for some time now; its importance only grows as more people turn their computers into mobile workstations via tablets and smartphones. The cloud encryption capabilities of the service provider must be consistent with the sensitivity of the stored data. In this article we will discuss how it works, its importance, challenges, benefits, and how Alibaba Cloud offers high-security infrastructure capabilities, allowing users to store and utilize data securely on a trusted cloud platform.

Cloud encryption’s advantages

In 2021, the threat of data encryption is becoming more and more present. 55% percent of those who have experienced an issue with their company’s cloud services report that unencrypted information poses a problem – which can only be solved by providing them access to encrypted keys or passwords through other means such as two-factor authentication (2FA).

Cloud encryption acts as proactive protection against data breaches and assaults, allowing businesses and their users to use the advantages of cloud collaboration services without jeopardizing data security. It can secure data from end-to-end throughout the transit to and from the cloud and against unwanted access. Additionally, it complies with a large number of consumer and governmental data security standards.

Cloud encryption solutions protect data during transmission to and from cloud-based applications and storage and between users in several locations. Additionally, these technologies encrypt data stored on cloud-based storage devices. These protections prevent unauthorized users from accessing data during its transfer to and from the cloud. Amazon Web Services (AWS), Dropbox, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud all provide cloud services that encrypt data at rest.

Difficulties with cloud encryption

While the security benefits of cloud encryption exceed the drawbacks, administrators should be aware of typical issues. Historically, performance and integration issues have prevented many organizations from adopting encryption as a regular practice since the users who need quick access see encryption as excessively complex or inconvenient for users. While modern systems are faster and simpler to use, it is critical to try any platform to verify that integration and usability satisfy needs. Due to the resource-intensive nature of the encryption process, which adds time and money to daily operations, it’s also critical to monitor access times and resource consumption levels.

The loss of encryption keys is a serious issue since it renders all encrypted data unusable, and poor key management may risk essential data. However, the most significant issue is ensuring that any cloud encryption services are in use correctly.

Best Cloud Encryption Approaches

To guarantee compliance issues with the company’s security strategy, security teams should sketch out the security needs for any data that travels to and from the cloud. This will assist in identifying cloud service providers that provide adequate encryption choices and services. Security teams must decide on the following:

• Which data must be encrypted based on its data categorization and compliance requirements
• When encryption is required — in transit, at rest, and during use
• Who should be in possession of the encryption keys — the cloud service provider or the enterprise?

Continous Encryption

All data in transit must encrypt anytime it leaves the internal network. It will always travel through an unknown number of third parties, and it should secure sensitive data even while sent inside. While web browsers and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) software safely handle natively in transit, all connections must utilize a secure protocol. While virtual private networks (VPNs) and IP security (IPsec) are other methods for protecting data in transit, they provide an additional degree of complexity. Cloud access security broker (CASB) solutions provide security administrators with a centralized interface for controlling and managing cloud resources and ensuring users adhere to the organization’s security rules.

Memory and Backup

You should always encrypt and back up critical data locally before transferring it to the cloud. This guarantees that data is accessible and safe in the cloud. Numerous vendors provide robust disc encryption at both the client and network levels. We require Complete disc and memory encryption to protect sensitive data in use, however, this may prevent specific programs from processing the data; thus, tight access controls and limited access to particular data sets are critical alternatives.

Encryption Key

Extensive encryption key management is essential, from key registration to enable complete lifecycle monitoring. The keys should be kept separately from the encrypted data, with off-site backups and frequent auditing. Additionally, administrators should enable multifactor authentication (MFA) for the master and recovery keys. While some cloud encryption companies offer to handle encryption keys, an appealing feature for businesses lacking in-house expertise and resources. However regulatory compliance requirements may compel some to retain and manage keys internally.

Cloud Security in Alibaba Cloud

Alibaba Cloud offers high-security infrastructure capabilities, allowing them to store and utilize data securely on a trusted cloud platform. Alibaba Cloud architecture protects and scans hardware and firmware, and enables a TPM2.0-compliant computing environment. Moreover, it provides hardware encryption (HSM) and chip-level encryption computing capabilities at the cloud platform layer.

At the cloud product layer, data security integrates with the security aspects of cloud products. It includes end-to-end data encryption, backup, and verification. Among them, end-to-end data encryption is the best data encryption practice.

End-to-end data encryption enables the data encryption on transmission connections, compute nodes, and storage nodes. Specifically, transmission encryption depends heavily on SSL/TLS encryption and protects data using AES256 encryption.

Moreover, it supports AES256 data-at-rest encryption in different products. It also supports Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) through Key Management Service (KMS). Alibaba Cloud, in conjunction with KMS, may offer customers end-to-end data encryption security.

A data encryption process uses globally recognized/standardized encryption methods to generate the ciphertext from plain text data. Proper security protection and management of keys are critical components of the encryption process. If one retains control of the key, one has control of the encryption processes as a whole.

Conclusion

While cloud encryption has a number of disadvantages and difficulties, it is required by standards, laws, and organizational security needs. Security experts would agree that cloud encryption is a critical component of data security. Additionally, cloud service providers provide a variety of encryption solutions to accommodate a variety of budgets and data security requirements.

To enjoy the advantages of cloud encryption, an organization should spend time understanding its data protection requirements and studying the most appropriate and effective encryption services offered by various suppliers in order to avoid putting itself in danger.

Cloud computing has revolutionized the way we do everything. We keep our photos, music files, and other important documents on Cloud storage systems that are globally distributed for easy access anywhere in the world! Cloud computing is a system of storing data on the internet. Instead of storing your files in one place, like on an internal hard drive or external USB memory device (which can be risky), you upload them to cloud storage where they’re safe from physical damage and hackers with access to other parts of their network who might want what’s inside- like me😂.

Post updated on November, 2021

The main benefits are convenience: anytime anywhere there’s quick accessibility; cost-effectiveness because most providers offer monthly plans at low rates when compared against traditional solutions per GB capacity. It also allows users more freedom over how much information is being stored by letting them choose between free accounts that have very little amounts available but allow unlimited reads/writes every day.

By 2025, cloud storage will have surpassed 100 zettabytes. To put this into context, a zettabyte is equal to one billion terabytes (or a trillion gigabytes), Doesn’t it sound massive amount of data Right ?🤔

On the same year, worldwide data storage will surpass 200 zettabytes, with around half of it being kept in the cloud. In 2015, just 25% of all computing data was kept in this manner.

Numerous cloud computing storage providers including Nihao Cloud provide various services that can be useful to the customer to a greater or lesser extent. This post will not be about our service at NiHao Cloud and I don’t have a favorite in this category since they’re all unique in their ways. Nevertheless, each cloud computing service has a few common words, which I have discussed below.

Cloud Storage Services: 

While hosting firms often provide various services, the primary one is data storage on the “cloud.” we will discuss some of the terms with respect to storage below:

Synchronization

Synchronization of files implies that whatever you save to the cloud on one device will be available on all of your other devices. Whether it’s movies, pictures, documents, or music, the cloud can save everything. Most hosting providers have already adopted this since it is the entire core of cloud computing storage. At work, upload your data and then access it when you get home. Additionally, they offer a desktop version that resembles an illusory drive on which you may save your data. It’s much more convenient to utilize the desktop version than repeated login into your account on your browser. It looked like such an intriguing method to save your info. 

Backup

While cloud storage needs you to store your data online actively, the backup function provides an alternative. It enables the smooth transfer of your data to the cloud for safekeeping. This is very useful if your hard disc fails or you lose your smartphone/notebook. Another method to accomplish this is to download backup apps to your mobile device, often already offered by cloud computing storage providers. You may select to save your pictures in your backup folder, erasing the photos stored on your phone in the process.

Numerous cloud storage providers do not even have a backup option. On the other hand, there are also plenty of them that are only for file backup.

File sharing:

The feature is self-explanatory. Are you collaborating with your mates on a class project or a task? Utilize numerous methods for sharing your files. You may either connect your folders or generate download links that you can share with your friends. This is probably one of the things that your physical storage lacks. To be quite candid, I can’t imagine functioning without cloud computing storage. Not to mention the hundreds of millions of individual users, but we’ll get to that later.

Versioning of objects:

Cloud storage enables this functionality. Once enabled, a history of file changes will maintain for all objects. This allows you to recover previous versions of your files or even recover erased data. Each item is endowed with specific characteristics that aid in its recognition. When you remove an item enabled for this feature, a duplicate of the object is immediately stored with attributes that help identify it. I suppose I should say that not all service providers provide this option in their free plans. Additionally, some do not include it in their payment plans.

File retrieval:

It’s comparable to object versioning. Some/most cloud services provided by default or via the installation of different add-ons can recover lost data. Some have a temporal restriction on how long data may be recovered, while others keep it forever. They are often kept in a subdirectory called “trash” or “deleted files.” If you are unable to locate it, it is most likely not included in your current plan. You may contact me, and I will gladly assist you by studying for you or just giving the knowledge direct from my brain. Additionally, you may consult my reviews section for additional information. Here is an example.

Third-party applications:

The box is an example of this. It integrates third-party applications such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Google Documents, and Google Sheets within the software itself. It’s one factor to consider while choosing a cloud storage provider. Few cloud services integrate third-party apps.

Cloud Storage Service Types

Not all cloud storage users have the exact needs or requirements. As a result, many cloud storage providers provide a variety of distinct cloud storage solutions.

Personal

Personal Cloud Storage While most cloud storage services let you access their remote servers, you may also set up your server at home to establish your cloud storage.

Western Digital My Cloud, for example, enables you to create a private server accessible only to you. There are a variety of reasons why this may be necessary. It’s ideal for streaming media — such as music and movies — inside your house since you can depend on your home network’s better speeds than you would receive streaming from a server over the internet.

It also means you won’t have to worry about your cloud vendor sniffing around and analyzing your files if your media material comes from less-than-trustworthy sources.

Private cloud storage, on the other hand, is essentially business-specific cloud storage. This is the process through which a company establishes its storage servers in-house.

There are various reasons why a company may want to create its private cloud storage, but one of the most compelling is that some companies are legally obliged to keep customer data on-premises.

Public

This is often understood when the term “cloud storage” is used. Google Drive and pCloud, for example, have whole racks of servers devoted to serving the public in data centers, enabling customers to keep their files in the cloud.

While these providers primarily serve the consumer data storage market, several cloud storage providers also provide business-oriented solutions for off-site data storage. In addition, check out our roundup of the top corporate cloud storage services.

Hybrid Storage

Combine the speed and security of private cloud storage with the simplicity and adaptability of public cloud storage, and you’ve found hybrid cloud storage, a novel approach to online file storage.

Hybrid cloud storage also enables you to mix your on-premises storage with that provided by a public cloud storage provider. This allows you to choose to store data locally and files remotely in the cloud.

This combines the best of both worlds and may be the optimal option for a wide variety of companies. As explained in our previous Microsoft Azure review, services like Microsoft Azure enable you to manage your hybrid cloud storage.

Best Cloud Storage Providers

Explore the world’s ten most popular cloud service providers. It may assist you in making the best decision for your company.

As per the cloud statistics, Google drive is the most used cloud storage platform.

Conclusion

This article will offer you a list of the top cloud storage service providers from which you can choose from several cloud-based services.
While our list includes current top cloud storage providers, there are many more high-quality providers that were left off. Additionally, you can use our data storage cloud services to ensure you’re receiving the best price possible on today’s best offers.

Are you a user of any of the items on our list? Do you believe there are any obvious omissions, or do you believe we were unfair (or too fair) to any of the providers we mentioned? Let us know what you think in the comments section below, and as always, we appreciate your time.

Moreover, Several cloud storage companies restrict their services to small enterprises, individuals, and mid-sized organizations, depending on their requirements.

This post “Jitsi with Docker” was updated by: Syed Umar Bukhari on September 29, 2021

Jitsi is an open source video conference application that is installed on its server. This video conferencing application provides an SDK for those of you to create video conference applications for mobile. In this post we will build a video conferencing system on Jitsi with Docker. There are many ways to do so; one of the main ways is by using Jitsi as a distributor of IFRAME API JITSI while others deal with LIB-JITSI-MEET API integration into the applications.

How To Configure Jitsi With Docker?

You can create a custom application suitable for the UI you create and integrate it with Jitsi API. You can find API docs on Jitsi docs. As such, An active support community make Jitsi increasingly popular.

In this post, you will create a video conference app with Jitsi that will run on Docker and learn about the many ways you can do so.

Why Use Docker To Build Jitsi?

We will run the server on AWS, but you can run on other Cloud services.. In this case, use Ubuntu Server 18.04 to run Jitsi on Docker. After that, you need to install Alsa-loopback module.

In addition, you need to install Docker and Docker-Compose. I will assume you have already installed Docker and Docker-Compose on the server before proceeding.

Add Alsa-Loopback Kernel Module On Ubuntu

Alsa-loopback module requires Jibri to make live streaming and recording possible on the Jitsi video conference server. This module is not present on AWS Ubuntu Server by default. Hence, we need to add and enable it manually. To do so, use a generic kernel to make alsa-loopback work on the server.

After that, the next few steps are to provide guidance to replace the AWS kernel with a generic AWS kernel. In this case, select Ubuntu on AWS; we recommend doing so in order follow along.

If you have created an EC2 machine with this version, log in to the server and install alsa-utils with this command:

sudo apt install alsa-utils -y

To ensure installation of alsa-loopback, enter this command:

arecord -L

If there is an error when running the command, we must make changes in the AWS kernel to get a GENERIC kernel:

If output : null
Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)

Then, for the next step, search for a generic Linux module with the following command:

apt search

sudo apt search linux-modules-5.4.0 | grep generic

Install Kernel Generic AWS

If you find a generic Linux module– linux-modules-5.4.0-77-generic, use it. After that, install it on the EC2 machine.

sudo apt install linux-image-5.4.0-77-generic linux-modules-5.4.0-77-generic linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-77-generic -y

Then, next step is to try to find the menu entry in the Linux grub– so that the AWS kernel can be changed to the newly installed GENERIC kernel.

sudo grep -A100 submenu /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep menuentry

This is it: we’ve got the menu entry for generic kernel modules.

After that, we need to change GRUB_DEFAULT on the EC2 machine to use generic kernel modules in the file /etc/default/grub. We will replace GRUB_DEFAULT with the sed command on linux.

sudo sed -i -e 's/GRUB_DEFAULT=0/GRUB_DEFAULT="gnulinux-advanced-6156ec80-9446-4eb1-95e0-9ae6b7a46187>gnulinux-5.4.0-77-generic-advanced-6156ec80-9446-4eb1-95e0-9ae6b7a46187"/' /etc/default/grub

Since GRUB_DEFAULT has been replaced with generic Linux modules, update Linux grub using the command:

update-grub

sudo update-grub

Therefore, Linux grub has updated successfully.

Now, reboot the server to see if the kernel changed from AWS to the generic kernel. Use this command to reboot the server:

reboot

Reboot Server

After rebooting the server, check if the kernel changed from AWS to GENERIC with this command:

uname -r

Since the kernel has been successfully changed to GENERIC, it’s time to activate the alsa-loopback module.

Activate it with this command:

modprobe snd-aloop

Hence, the alsa-loopback module has been activated. After that, check if the module is active on the server.

arecord -L

Jitsi With Docker

Since the alsa-loopback module is already active on the server, move to next step.

For the next step, use Jitsi Docker from the Jitsi Github repository– Jitsi has provided a docker configuration in its repository.

git clone https://github.com/jitsi/docker-jitsi-meet.git

After that, move to the docker-jitsi-meet directory for configuration of some files. You can enable recording and streaming on Jitsi here.

cd docker-jitsi-meet/

Docker-Compose & Jitsi

To configure the env file in Docker Jitsi, it is necessary to pay attention here.

Create a Jitsi Docker using a network with its own domain. Firstly, change the network and its alias from meet.jitsi to your own domain. Let’s edit docker-compose.yml to do so.

Front-End Jitsi Landing Page

version: '3'

services:
    # Frontend
    web:
        image: jitsi/web:latest
        restart: ${RESTART_POLICY}
        ports:
            - '${HTTP_PORT}:80'
            - '${HTTPS_PORT}:443'
        volumes:
            - ${CONFIG}/web:/config:Z
            - ${CONFIG}/transcripts:/usr/share/jitsi-meet/transcripts:Z
        environment:
            - ENABLE_COLIBRI_WEBSOCKET
            - ENABLE_FLOC
            - ENABLE_LETSENCRYPT
            - ENABLE_HTTP_REDIRECT
            - ENABLE_HSTS
            - ENABLE_XMPP_WEBSOCKET
            - DISABLE_HTTPS
            - DISABLE_DEEP_LINKING
            - LETSENCRYPT_DOMAIN
            - LETSENCRYPT_EMAIL
            - LETSENCRYPT_USE_STAGING
            - PUBLIC_URL
            - TZ
            - AMPLITUDE_ID
            - ANALYTICS_SCRIPT_URLS
            - ANALYTICS_WHITELISTED_EVENTS
            - CALLSTATS_CUSTOM_SCRIPT_URL
            - CALLSTATS_ID
            - CALLSTATS_SECRET
            - CHROME_EXTENSION_BANNER_JSON
            - CONFCODE_URL
            - CONFIG_EXTERNAL_CONNECT
            - DEFAULT_LANGUAGE
            - DEPLOYMENTINFO_ENVIRONMENT
            - DEPLOYMENTINFO_ENVIRONMENT_TYPE
            - DEPLOYMENTINFO_REGION
            - DEPLOYMENTINFO_SHARD
            - DEPLOYMENTINFO_USERREGION
            - DIALIN_NUMBERS_URL
            - DIALOUT_AUTH_URL
            - DIALOUT_CODES_URL
            - DROPBOX_APPKEY
            - DROPBOX_REDIRECT_URI
            - DYNAMIC_BRANDING_URL
            - ENABLE_AUDIO_PROCESSING
            - ENABLE_AUTH
            - ENABLE_CALENDAR
            - ENABLE_FILE_RECORDING_SERVICE
            - ENABLE_FILE_RECORDING_SERVICE_SHARING
            - ENABLE_GUESTS
            - ENABLE_IPV6
            - ENABLE_LIPSYNC
            - ENABLE_NO_AUDIO_DETECTION
            - ENABLE_P2P
            - ENABLE_PREJOIN_PAGE
            - ENABLE_WELCOME_PAGE
            - ENABLE_CLOSE_PAGE
            - ENABLE_RECORDING
            - ENABLE_REMB
            - ENABLE_REQUIRE_DISPLAY_NAME
            - ENABLE_SIMULCAST
            - ENABLE_STATS_ID
            - ENABLE_STEREO
            - ENABLE_SUBDOMAINS
            - ENABLE_TALK_WHILE_MUTED
            - ENABLE_TCC
            - ENABLE_TRANSCRIPTIONS
            - ETHERPAD_PUBLIC_URL
            - ETHERPAD_URL_BASE
            - GOOGLE_ANALYTICS_ID
            - GOOGLE_API_APP_CLIENT_ID
            - INVITE_SERVICE_URL
            - JICOFO_AUTH_USER
            - MATOMO_ENDPOINT
            - MATOMO_SITE_ID
            - MICROSOFT_API_APP_CLIENT_ID
            - NGINX_RESOLVER
            - NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES
            - NGINX_WORKER_CONNECTIONS
            - PEOPLE_SEARCH_URL
            - RESOLUTION
            - RESOLUTION_MIN
            - RESOLUTION_WIDTH
            - RESOLUTION_WIDTH_MIN
            - START_AUDIO_ONLY
            - START_AUDIO_MUTED
            - START_WITH_AUDIO_MUTED
            - START_SILENT
            - DISABLE_AUDIO_LEVELS
            - ENABLE_NOISY_MIC_DETECTION
            - START_BITRATE
            - DESKTOP_SHARING_FRAMERATE_MIN
            - DESKTOP_SHARING_FRAMERATE_MAX
            - START_VIDEO_MUTED
            - START_WITH_VIDEO_MUTED
            - TESTING_CAP_SCREENSHARE_BITRATE
            - TESTING_OCTO_PROBABILITY
            - XMPP_AUTH_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_BOSH_URL_BASE
            - XMPP_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_GUEST_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_MUC_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_RECORDER_DOMAIN
            - TOKEN_AUTH_URL
        networks:
            meet.busanid.dev:

Prosody Configuration Network

# XMPP server
    prosody:
        image: jitsi/prosody:latest
        restart: ${RESTART_POLICY}
        expose:
            - '5222'
            - '5347'
            - '5280'
        volumes:
            - ${CONFIG}/prosody/config:/config:Z
            - ${CONFIG}/prosody/prosody-plugins-custom:/prosody-plugins-custom:Z
        environment:
            - AUTH_TYPE
            - ENABLE_AUTH
            - ENABLE_GUESTS
            - ENABLE_LOBBY
            - ENABLE_XMPP_WEBSOCKET
            - GLOBAL_MODULES
            - GLOBAL_CONFIG
            - LDAP_URL
            - LDAP_BASE
            - LDAP_BINDDN
            - LDAP_BINDPW
            - LDAP_FILTER
            - LDAP_AUTH_METHOD
            - LDAP_VERSION
            - LDAP_USE_TLS
            - LDAP_TLS_CIPHERS
            - LDAP_TLS_CHECK_PEER
            - LDAP_TLS_CACERT_FILE
            - LDAP_TLS_CACERT_DIR
            - LDAP_START_TLS
            - XMPP_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_AUTH_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_GUEST_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_MUC_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_INTERNAL_MUC_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_MODULES
            - XMPP_MUC_MODULES
            - XMPP_INTERNAL_MUC_MODULES
            - XMPP_RECORDER_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_CROSS_DOMAIN
            - JICOFO_COMPONENT_SECRET
            - JICOFO_AUTH_USER
            - JICOFO_AUTH_PASSWORD
            - JVB_AUTH_USER
            - JVB_AUTH_PASSWORD
            - JIGASI_XMPP_USER
            - JIGASI_XMPP_PASSWORD
            - JIBRI_XMPP_USER
            - JIBRI_XMPP_PASSWORD
            - JIBRI_RECORDER_USER
            - JIBRI_RECORDER_PASSWORD
            - JWT_APP_ID
            - JWT_APP_SECRET
            - JWT_ACCEPTED_ISSUERS
            - JWT_ACCEPTED_AUDIENCES
            - JWT_ASAP_KEYSERVER
            - JWT_ALLOW_EMPTY
            - JWT_AUTH_TYPE
            - JWT_TOKEN_AUTH_MODULE
            - LOG_LEVEL
            - PUBLIC_URL
            - TZ
        networks:
            meet.busanid.dev:
                aliases:
                    - ${XMPP_SERVER}

Change Jicofo Network

 # Focus component
    jicofo:
        image: jitsi/jicofo:latest
        restart: ${RESTART_POLICY}
        volumes:
            - ${CONFIG}/jicofo:/config:Z
        environment:
            - AUTH_TYPE
            - BRIDGE_AVG_PARTICIPANT_STRESS
            - BRIDGE_STRESS_THRESHOLD
            - ENABLE_AUTH
            - ENABLE_AUTO_OWNER
            - ENABLE_CODEC_VP8
            - ENABLE_CODEC_VP9
            - ENABLE_CODEC_H264
            - ENABLE_OCTO
            - ENABLE_RECORDING
            - ENABLE_SCTP
            - JICOFO_AUTH_USER
            - JICOFO_AUTH_PASSWORD
            - JICOFO_ENABLE_BRIDGE_HEALTH_CHECKS
            - JICOFO_CONF_INITIAL_PARTICIPANT_WAIT_TIMEOUT
            - JICOFO_CONF_SINGLE_PARTICIPANT_TIMEOUT
            - JICOFO_ENABLE_HEALTH_CHECKS
            - JICOFO_SHORT_ID
            - JICOFO_RESERVATION_ENABLED 
            - JICOFO_RESERVATION_REST_BASE_URL 
            - JIBRI_BREWERY_MUC
            - JIBRI_REQUEST_RETRIES
            - JIBRI_PENDING_TIMEOUT
            - JIGASI_BREWERY_MUC
            - JIGASI_SIP_URI
            - JVB_BREWERY_MUC
            - MAX_BRIDGE_PARTICIPANTS
            - OCTO_BRIDGE_SELECTION_STRATEGY
            - TZ
            - XMPP_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_AUTH_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_INTERNAL_MUC_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_MUC_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_SERVER
        depends_on:
            - prosody
        networks:
            meet.busanid.dev:

Videobridge2 Network Docker Compose

# Video bridge
    jvb:
        image: jitsi/jvb:latest
        restart: ${RESTART_POLICY}
        ports:
            - '${JVB_PORT}:${JVB_PORT}/udp'
            - '${JVB_TCP_PORT}:${JVB_TCP_PORT}'
        volumes:
            - ${CONFIG}/jvb:/config:Z
        environment:
            - ENABLE_COLIBRI_WEBSOCKET
            - ENABLE_OCTO
            - DOCKER_HOST_ADDRESS
            - XMPP_AUTH_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_INTERNAL_MUC_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_SERVER
            - JVB_AUTH_USER
            - JVB_AUTH_PASSWORD
            - JVB_BREWERY_MUC
            - JVB_PORT
            - JVB_TCP_HARVESTER_DISABLED
            - JVB_TCP_PORT
            - JVB_TCP_MAPPED_PORT
            - JVB_STUN_SERVERS
            - JVB_ENABLE_APIS
            - JVB_WS_DOMAIN
            - JVB_WS_SERVER_ID
            - PUBLIC_URL
            - JVB_OCTO_BIND_ADDRESS
            - JVB_OCTO_PUBLIC_ADDRESS
            - JVB_OCTO_BIND_PORT
            - JVB_OCTO_REGION
            - TZ
        depends_on:
            - prosody
        networks:
            meet.busanid.dev:
                aliases:
                    - jvb.meet.busanid.dev

# Custom network so all services can communicate using a FQDN
networks:
    meet.busanid.dev:

Configure .Env File

We have edited the docker-compose.yml file according to our own network. You can edit it according to your server; first you need to copy env.example to .env with the command “cp env.example .env”.

cp env.example .env

Let’s edit something on the env file; you can read the use cases of each function contained in the env file in the Jitsi docker documentation.

Editing The Configuration (With Code)

Port And Location Config

# Directory where all configuration will be stored
CONFIG=~/.jitsi-meet-cfg

# Exposed HTTP port
HTTP_PORT=80

# Exposed HTTPS port
HTTPS_PORT=443

# System time zone
TZ=UTC

# Public URL for the web service (required)
PUBLIC_URL=https://meet.busanid.dev

# IP address of the Docker host
# See the "Running behind NAT or on a LAN environment" section in the Handbook:
# https://jitsi.github.io/handbook/docs/devops-guide/devops-guide-docker#running-behind-nat-or-on-a-lan-environment
DOCKER_HOST_ADDRESS=192.168.1.10

# Control whether the lobby feature should be enabled or not
ENABLE_LOBBY=1

# Show a prejoin page before entering a conference
ENABLE_PREJOIN_PAGE=0

# Enable the welcome page
ENABLE_WELCOME_PAGE=1

# Enable the close page
ENABLE_CLOSE_PAGE=0

# Disable measuring of audio levels
DISABLE_AUDIO_LEVELS=0

# Enable noisy mic detection
ENABLE_NOISY_MIC_DETECTION=1

Guest Access Conference

# Authentication configuration (see handbook for details)
#

# Enable authentication
#ENABLE_AUTH=1

# Enable guest access
ENABLE_GUESTS=1

# Select authentication type: internal, jwt or ldap
#AUTH_TYPE=internal

Letsencrypt For SSS Https

# Let's Encrypt configuration
#

# Enable Let's Encrypt certificate generation
ENABLE_LETSENCRYPT=1

# Domain for which to generate the certificate
LETSENCRYPT_DOMAIN=meet.busanid.dev

# E-Mail for receiving important account notifications (mandatory)
[email protected]

# Use the staging server (for avoiding rate limits while testing)
#LETSENCRYPT_USE_STAGING=1

Xmpp Server With Own Domain

# Internal XMPP domain
XMPP_DOMAIN=meet.busanid.dev

# Internal XMPP server
XMPP_SERVER=xmpp.meet.busanid.dev

# Internal XMPP server URL
XMPP_BOSH_URL_BASE=http://xmpp.meet.busanid.dev:5280

# Internal XMPP domain for authenticated services
XMPP_AUTH_DOMAIN=auth.meet.busanid.dev

# XMPP domain for the MUC
XMPP_MUC_DOMAIN=muc.meet.busanid.dev

# XMPP domain for the internal MUC used for jibri, jigasi and jvb pools
XMPP_INTERNAL_MUC_DOMAIN=internal-muc.meet.busanid.dev

# XMPP domain for unauthenticated users
XMPP_GUEST_DOMAIN=guest.meet.busanid.dev

# Comma separated list of domains for cross domain policy or "true" to allow all
# The PUBLIC_URL is always allowed
XMPP_CROSS_DOMAIN=true

# Custom Prosody modules for XMPP_DOMAIN (comma separated)
XMPP_MODULES=

# Custom Prosody modules for MUC component (comma separated)
XMPP_MUC_MODULES=

# Custom Prosody modules for internal MUC component (comma separated)
XMPP_INTERNAL_MUC_MODULES=

Videobridge And Rest API

# MUC for the JVB pool
JVB_BREWERY_MUC=jvbbrewery

# XMPP user for JVB client connections
JVB_AUTH_USER=jvb

# STUN servers used to discover the server's public IP
JVB_STUN_SERVERS=meet-jit-si-turnrelay.jitsi.net:443

# Media port for the Jitsi Videobridge
JVB_PORT=10000

# TCP Fallback for Jitsi Videobridge for when UDP isn't available
JVB_TCP_HARVESTER_DISABLED=true
JVB_TCP_PORT=4443
JVB_TCP_MAPPED_PORT=4443

# A comma separated list of APIs to enable when the JVB is started [default: none]
# See https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-videobridge/blob/master/doc/rest.md for more information
JVB_ENABLE_APIS=rest,colibri

Enable Recording And Jibri

# Enable recording
ENABLE_RECORDING=1

# XMPP domain for the jibri recorder
XMPP_RECORDER_DOMAIN=recorder.meet.busanid.dev

# XMPP recorder user for Jibri client connections
JIBRI_RECORDER_USER=recorder

# Directory for recordings inside Jibri container
JIBRI_RECORDING_DIR=/config/recordings

# The finalizing script. Will run after recording is complete
#JIBRI_FINALIZE_RECORDING_SCRIPT_PATH=/config/finalize.sh

# XMPP user for Jibri client connections
JIBRI_XMPP_USER=jibri

# MUC name for the Jibri pool
JIBRI_BREWERY_MUC=jibribrewery

# MUC connection timeout
JIBRI_PENDING_TIMEOUT=90

# When jibri gets a request to start a service for a room, the room
# jid will look like: [email protected]_domain
# We'll build the url for the call by transforming that into:
# https://xmpp_domain/subdomain/roomName
# So if there are any prefixes in the jid (like jitsi meet, which
# has its participants join a muc at conference.xmpp_domain) then
# list that prefix here so it can be stripped out to generate
# the call url correctly
JIBRI_STRIP_DOMAIN_JID=muc

# Directory for logs inside Jibri container
JIBRI_LOGS_DIR=/config/logs

Redirect Env File To HTTPS

# Redirect HTTP traffic to HTTPS
# Necessary for Let's Encrypt, relies on standard HTTPS port (443)
ENABLE_HTTP_REDIRECT=1

Create a high-security password in env file. To generate it, use the command below.

./gen-passwords.sh

In addition, we are required to create the config directory jitsi.

mkdir -p ~/.jitsi-meet-cfg/{web/letsencrypt,transcripts,prosody/config,prosody/prosody-plugins-custom,jicofo,jvb,jigasi,jibri}

Setting The jibri.yml

In this step, configure jibri in the jibri.yml file to replace network with your own domain.

Jibri functions to make recording and livestreaming on Jitsi seamless. Without a further ado, let’s edit the jibri.yml file.

version: '3'

services:
    jibri:
        image: jitsi/jibri:latest
        restart: ${RESTART_POLICY}
        volumes:
            - ${CONFIG}/jibri:/config:Z
            - /dev/shm:/dev/shm
        cap_add:
            - SYS_ADMIN
            - NET_BIND_SERVICE
        devices:
            - /dev/snd:/dev/snd
        environment:
            - PUBLIC_URL
            - XMPP_AUTH_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_INTERNAL_MUC_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_RECORDER_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_SERVER
            - XMPP_DOMAIN
            - JIBRI_XMPP_USER
            - JIBRI_XMPP_PASSWORD
            - JIBRI_BREWERY_MUC
            - JIBRI_RECORDER_USER
            - JIBRI_RECORDER_PASSWORD
            - JIBRI_RECORDING_DIR
            - JIBRI_FINALIZE_RECORDING_SCRIPT_PATH
            - JIBRI_STRIP_DOMAIN_JID
            - JIBRI_LOGS_DIR
            - DISPLAY=:0
            - TZ
        depends_on:
            - jicofo
        networks:
            meet.jitsi:

Change Network In Jibri

version: '3'

services:
    jibri:
        image: jitsi/jibri:latest
        restart: ${RESTART_POLICY}
        volumes:
            - ${CONFIG}/jibri:/config:Z
            - /dev/shm:/dev/shm
        cap_add:
            - SYS_ADMIN
            - NET_BIND_SERVICE
        devices:
            - /dev/snd:/dev/snd
        environment:
            - PUBLIC_URL
            - XMPP_AUTH_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_INTERNAL_MUC_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_RECORDER_DOMAIN
            - XMPP_SERVER
            - XMPP_DOMAIN
            - JIBRI_XMPP_USER
            - JIBRI_XMPP_PASSWORD
            - JIBRI_BREWERY_MUC
            - JIBRI_RECORDER_USER
            - JIBRI_RECORDER_PASSWORD
            - JIBRI_RECORDING_DIR
            - JIBRI_FINALIZE_RECORDING_SCRIPT_PATH
            - JIBRI_STRIP_DOMAIN_JID
            - JIBRI_LOGS_DIR
            - DISPLAY=:0
            - TZ
        depends_on:
            - jicofo
        networks:
            meet.busanid.dev:

The configuration is done. Therefore, you can build container now.

docker-compose -f docker-compose.yml -f jibri.yml up -d

You can use this command to check whether container is already running and up:

docker-compose -f docker-compose.yml -f jibri.yml ps

As visible, Jitsi services are running well in the containers. After that, try to access the video conference page to conference.

To do so, open this URL in a browser according to the domain you configured in the env file.:

https://meet.domainname.tld

Jitsi front page is already successfully installed on server; let’s try to start conference.

To conclude, building Jitsi on Docker is done– you can now start video conferencing with your own server.

If you want to save a file and with a large capacity, you can use SesameDisk for your choice of storage needs. Don’t forget to read other articles- we have hundreds of interesting tech posts!

Like, or comment, if you liked this post– or if you have any queries. I would love to hear if you were able to get it running by following this tutorial in the comments below.