Our Own Indigenous Server
By Anish Patankar · BeRAM Drones
Built from scratch using an old PC, Ubuntu Linux, open-source tools, and smart networking — a fully functional, cost-effective, indigenous server system.
Introduction
Welcome to the official blog of BeRAM Drones I'm Anish Patankar. At BeRAM, we believe in innovative, resourceful, and cost-effective solutions. One of our proud achievements is setting up our own indigenous server infrastructure — built entirely from scratch using an old PC, open-source tools, and clever networking.
Why an Indigenous Server?
Most startups rush to buy cloud servers. We wanted to experiment with something different — what if we could build, host, and maintain our own server infrastructure from scratch? Instead of simply renting space on someone else’s machine, we set out to understand what truly happens behind the scenes.
Our Goal Was Simple:
Learn everything from the ground up so we truly own our deployment pipeline — every cable, every command, every configuration.
Our indigenous server costs almost nothing after setup.
✅We gain total controlWe now understand hosting at a impactful level.
✅ It makes us self-reliantWhen apps are hosted physically close to the team, latency becomes unbelievably low.
The Setup
Hardware
- Old PC: Dual core, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD (barely used).
- Installed Ubuntu for a stable Linux environment.
Software Stack
- Nginx: Web server & reverse proxy.
- Flask: Runs our BeRAM web portal.
- Cloudflare Tunnel: Bypasses college WiFi restrictions.
- Hostinger Domain: Points to Cloudflare for secure global access.
Why Cloudflare Tunnel?
Our college WiFi does not allow port forwarding or provide public IP access — a major roadblock for hosting anything from our own server. Instead of trying to bypass network restrictions or depend on unstable methods, we turned to Cloudflare Tunnel, a modern solution that creates a secure outbound-only connection between our server and the Cloudflare network. This means no open ports, no exposure to attacks
Zero friction, zero risk, zero arguments with administrators.
🌍 Global secure accessOur services remain available over a secure global network.
⚡ HTTPS automatically enabledNo setup, no renewals, no errors. Instant HTTPS, instant security.
The Result
- Our own indigenous server, fully managed by us.
- A live website served from an old PC under our desk, accessible globally.
- Total control over configurations, logs, and optimization.
No third-party control. No hidden systems. Just pure engineering.
Visitors don’t see the humble machine behind it—they see a smooth, polished website.
Nothing is abstracted away from us. Nothing is automated without our permission.
What We Learned
- Repurposing old hardware is a smart move for startups.
- Running your own Ubuntu + Nginx server teaches more than any cloud dashboard.
- Cloudflare Tunnel is a lifesaver for restrictive networks.
- Even students on a budget can build robust setups.
Innovation doesn’t always need new hardware—sometimes, it just needs creativity.
It’s pure hands-on learning that no tutorial can replace.
Cloudflare Tunnel bypasses all of that while keeping security intact.
You don’t need expensive servers or paid cloud plans to deploy real-world applications.
Conclusion
At BeRAM Drones, we're proud to call this our own indigenous server solution. It's lean, secure, and uniquely ours — a testament to innovation over convenience.
It feels great to say:
“Yes, that site is running off a box we built ourselves.”