Best cloud storage services with CLI for FreePBX (formerly AsteriskNOW): (Tutorial)

Introduction

In telecom environments such as FreePBX (formerly AsteriskNOW), reliable off-site backup and flexible file access are essential. A command-line interface (CLI) makes it easy to integrate cloud storage into automated scripts, cron jobs and diagnostic routines. This article reviews the top cloud-storage providers with solid Linux CLI support, provides a detailed comparison table with links, offers guidance on selecting the best service for your FreePBX setup, and walks through basic CLI usage and common issues for each.

Top Recommendations

• pCloud
• Mega
• Proton Drive
• Filen
• Tresorit
• Icedrive
• Backblaze B2
• Dropbox (via rclone)

Comparison Table

Which One to Choose?

For FreePBX backups you want:

• Strong encryption if compliance is a concern (Mega, Proton, Tresorit or Icedrive).
• Generous free tier if testing before purchase (Mega, Filen, pCloud).
• Stable FUSE or CLI sync for cron jobs (pCloud, Backblaze B2, megacmd).
• Low cost per GB for large call recordings (Backblaze B2).

If you need fully zero-knowledge and end-to-end encryption, Mega and Proton Drive lead the pack. For simple volume pricing, Backblaze B2 combined with rclone is unbeatable. For turnkey official tools, pCloud and megacmd are easiest to integrate.

How to Use Each with CLI and Typical Problems

1. pCloud (pcloudcc)

Install and mount as a FUSE drive:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install pcloudcc
mkdir -p /mnt/pcloud
pcloudcc -u you@example.com -p YourPassword -mountpoint /mnt/pcloud

Common issues:

• “FUSE: permission denied” → ensure your user is in the fuse group.
• Frequent re-auth → store credentials in ~/.config/pcloudcc.

2. Mega (megacmd)

Official Mega CLI for uploads/downloads:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install megacmd
mega-login you@example.com YourPassword
mega-mkdir /Backups
mega-put /var/spool/asterisk/recording.wav /Backups

Common issues:

• Upload failures on large files → use --transfer-retries.
• Session timeouts → script mega-login in cron.

3. Proton Drive (proton-drive-cli)

Use community CLI via WebDAV mount:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install davfs2
echo https://api.proton.me/drive /mnt/proton davfs rw,user,noauto 0 0  sudo tee -a /etc/fstab
mkdir -p /mnt/proton
mount /mnt/proton

Common issues:

• “Authentication failed” → generate an App-specific password in Proton settings.
• Slow throughput → try ro,size=60000 in mount options.

4. Filen (WebDAV via rclone)

Configure a WebDAV remote in rclone:

rclone config
# New remote > filen
# url = https://webdav.filen.io
# user = you@filen.io
# pass = your_app_key
rclone sync /var/lib/asterisk/recordings filen:/FreePBXBackups

Common issues:

• Rate-limiting → add --bwlimit 1M.
• Missing WebDAV endpoints → check Filen documentation for region-specific URLs.

5. Tresorit (tresorit-cli)

Install official CLI and sync:

wget https://download.tresorit.com/linux/tresorit.deb
sudo dpkg -i tresorit.deb
tresorit login you@example.com
tresorit sync /var/spool/asterisk/recordings MyTresor

Common issues:

• “Indexing stuck” → restart service with sudo systemctl restart tresorit.
• Two-factor auth → generate an app password in your account first.

6. Icedrive (icedrive-cli)

Official CLI wrapper:

sudo snap install icedrive-cli --classic
icedrive login you@example.com YourPassword
icedrive mount /mnt/icedrive
icedrive cp /var/spool/asterisk/recordings /mnt/icedrive/Backups

Common issues:

• Snap confinement → use --classic or install via .deb.
• Unmount failures → fusermount -u /mnt/icedrive.

7. Backblaze B2 (b2 CLI)

Official B2 toolchain:

pip install --upgrade b2
b2 authorize-account YOUR_KEY_ID YOUR_APP_KEY
b2 create-bucket freepbx-backup allPrivate
b2 sync /var/lib/asterisk/recording b2://freepbx-backup

Common issues:

• Too many requests → respect B2 rate limits or split jobs.
• Missing bucket perms → set correct allPrivate or allPublic flags.

8. Dropbox (rclone)

Use rclone for Dropbox integration:

rclone config
# New remote > dropbox
# follow OAuth flow
rclone copy /var/spool/asterisk/recordings dropbox:FreePBXBackups

Common issues:

• OAuth token expiry → refresh manually or set token in config.
• API throttling → use --tpslimit 5.

Conclusion

Choosing the right cloud storage for FreePBX backups boils down to capacity, encryption, cost and CLI stability. For pure CLI reliability and large datasets, Backblaze B2 with b2 or rclone is ideal. For zero-knowledge privacy, Mega or Proton Drive shine. For balanced free tiers and official tools, pCloud and megacmd are excellent. Follow the examples above to integrate any of these into your backup workflows and mitigate common pitfalls.