What Is MinIO?
MinIO is high-performance, S3-compatible object storage software designed for self-hosted, on-premise, and private-cloud deployments. OurClone connects to any reachable MinIO server for sync, transfer, encrypted backup, and mount workflows.
Official website: https://min.io/
- Self-hosted, S3-compatible object storage suitable for on-premise or private-cloud deployments.
- Connects with Access Key + Secret Key issued by the MinIO server (root or IAM user).
- Useful as a private destination for OurClone encrypted backup repositories.
What OurClone Supports for MinIO
| Operation | How it works in OurClone |
|---|---|
| Sync | Keep a folder on MinIO synchronized with another cloud storage account or a local folder. OurClone compares file changes and updates only what needs to change. |
| Transfer | Copy or move files between MinIO, your Mac, and other connected cloud providers. Transfers run through your local computer, so you stay in control of the data path. |
| Backup | Create an encrypted backup repository on MinIO, then save snapshots of local folders. Later snapshots are incremental, so unchanged files do not need to be uploaded again. |
| Mount | Mount MinIO as a local directory in macOS or Windows, then browse and manage remote files from the operating system file manager. |
MinIO Upload and Download Limits
These limits come from the storage provider or protocol, not from OurClone. OurClone still has to respect provider file-size caps, API quotas, bandwidth rules, account storage quota, and server-side throttling.
| Upload limits | MinIO supports S3-style multipart uploads, typically 5 MiB to 5 GiB part size with up to 10,000 parts per object, and individual objects up to 5 TiB. Practical caps are set by the operator’s hardware, free disk space, and any policy limits applied to the user. |
| Download limits | Downloads are limited by the MinIO server’s bandwidth, replication policy, and per-user rate limits rather than a small per-download cap. Public access depends on the bucket policy configured by the operator. |
| OurClone tip | Confirm the MinIO server’s TLS endpoint, free capacity, and the user’s policy with the operator before scheduling large OurClone jobs. |
Source: MinIO documentation
How to Add MinIO in OurClone
MinIO connects through S3-compatible access keys in OurClone.
- Ask your MinIO operator (or use
mc admin user add) for a non-root user with an Access Key and Secret Key, plus the policy needed for the bucket. - Note the MinIO endpoint URL (for example
https://minio.example.com:9000) and the bucket name OurClone should use. - Confirm any region string the deployment expects; many MinIO setups use
us-east-1as a placeholder. - Open OurClone, click Add Storage, select MinIO (or S3 Compatible), enter the endpoint, credentials, region, and bucket, then connect.
Sync and Transfer Workflow
After MinIO is connected, open the Migrate area in OurClone. Choose MinIO as the source or destination, select the folders you want to work with, then choose the task mode.
- Copy duplicates files while keeping the source unchanged.
- Move transfers files and removes them from the source after completion.
- Sync keeps the destination aligned with the source folder.
Task progress is visible in the Task tab, including completed, skipped, and failed files.
Backup Workflow
For backups, first create a backup repository on MinIO. A repository needs a name, a storage path, and an encryption password. Keep this password safe because it is required for both future snapshots and restores.
- Open Backup and create or choose a repository on MinIO.
- Open the repository and click New Backup.
- Select local folders such as
~/Documents,~/Pictures, or a project folder. - Start the snapshot. The first run uploads the full selection; later runs are incremental.
- Use Restore from a backup record when you need to recover files to a local directory.
Mount MinIO as a Local Folder
OurClone can mount MinIO as a local operating-system directory. This is useful when you want to browse cloud files in Finder or File Explorer, open files from desktop apps, or copy files with the same habits you use for local folders.
- Open the mount area in OurClone and select your connected MinIO account.
- Choose the remote path you want to expose locally.
- Pick a local mount point, then start the mount.
- When finished, unmount cleanly from OurClone before disconnecting your network or shutting down.
Best Practices for MinIO
- Use a clear folder naming convention such as
/ourclone-backups,/sync, or/archive. - Confirm that your MinIO account has enough storage before running a large migration or backup.
- Run a small test sync or restore before relying on a new workflow for important files.
- For large first-time jobs, keep your computer awake and connected to a stable network.
- Verify the MinIO endpoint is reachable from your network and presents a trusted TLS certificate before running production tasks.
- If authentication fails later, rotate the user's Access Key on the MinIO server before restarting the task.