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Connecting HiDrive

This guide walks you through connecting a HiDrive storage destination to Pluton.

Prerequisites​

Before connecting HiDrive, you need:

  1. A HiDrive account from STRATO - Sign up here
  2. OAuth application credentials from the STRATO HiDrive Developer Portal
  3. Client ID and Client Secret

Getting Your Credentials​

Step 1: Create a HiDrive OAuth Application​

  1. Go to the STRATO HiDrive Developer Portal
  2. Register a new application
  3. Fill in the required details:
    • Application Name: e.g., "Pluton Backups"
    • Redirect URI: Add http://127.0.0.1:53682/
  4. Copy the Client ID and Client Secret after creation

Step 2: Generate an OAuth Token​

Since Pluton runs on a server that may not have a web browser, you need to generate an OAuth token using rclone authorize:

  1. Install rclone on a machine with a web browser
  2. Run the following command: 
    rclone authorize "hidrive" "your_client_id" "your_client_secret"
  3. A browser window will open — log in with your HiDrive account and grant access
  4. Copy the JSON token blob printed to the terminal

Connecting to Pluton​

Pluton HiDrive

Step 1: Add Storage​

  1. In Pluton, navigate to Storages
  2. Click Add Storage button
  3. Select HiDrive from the provider list

Step 2: Configure Connection​

Fill in the required fields:

  • Storage Name: A friendly name (e.g., "HiDrive Backups")
  • Client ID: Your HiDrive OAuth Client ID
  • Client Secret: Your HiDrive OAuth Client Secret
  • OAuth Access Token: Paste the JSON token blob obtained from rclone authorize

Step 3: Advanced Options (Optional)​

Additional settings available:

  • Access Scope: Access permissions to request from HiDrive:
    • Read and Write — Full read and write access (default)
    • Read-only — Only read access, no modifications
  • Role Scope: User-level to use when requesting access:
    • User — Sufficient for most cases (default)
    • Admin — Administrative access level
    • Owner — Owner-level access
  • Root Prefix: The root/parent folder for all paths. Use this to restrict operations to a specific folder (default: /)
  • Endpoint: The HiDrive API endpoint URL (default: https://api.hidrive.strato.com/2.1). Only change this if instructed by STRATO support
  • Chunk Size: Chunk size for chunked uploads (default: 48 MiB). Files larger than the upload cutoff are uploaded in chunks of this size
  • Upload Cutoff: Cutoff for switching to chunked uploads (default: 96 MiB). Files larger than this are uploaded in chunks
  • Upload Concurrency: Number of concurrent chunk uploads for the same file (default: 4)
  • Disable Member Count: Do not fetch the number of objects in directories. May speed up listings when the count is not needed
  • Client Credentials: Enable to use the OAuth2 Client Credentials flow instead of interactive login

Step 4: Complete the Storage Setup​

  1. Click the Add Storage button which automatically verifies credentials and adds the storage.
  2. Your HiDrive storage is now ready for backup plans

Common Issues​

Token Expired: HiDrive OAuth tokens can expire. Re-run rclone authorize "hidrive" with your Client ID and Client Secret to generate a fresh token.

Access Denied: Ensure your OAuth application has the correct permissions and that the Access Scope is set to "Read and Write" for backup operations.

Wrong Root Prefix: If files are not appearing where expected, check the Root Prefix setting. The default / starts from the root of your HiDrive. Set a specific path (e.g., /users/username/backups) to restrict the starting folder.

Slow Directory Listings: If directory listings are slow, enable the Disable Member Count option to skip fetching the object count for each directory.

Upload Failures for Large Files: For large files, ensure the Chunk Size and Upload Cutoff settings are appropriate. Increase Upload Concurrency for faster uploads on high-bandwidth connections.

Best Practices​

  • Use "Read and Write" access scope for backup operations that require both uploading and downloading
  • Set a Root Prefix to keep backups organized in a dedicated folder within your HiDrive
  • Use the "User" role scope unless you specifically need admin or owner-level access
  • Enable Disable Member Count for directories with many files to improve listing performance
  • Adjust Chunk Size and Upload Concurrency based on your network connection for optimal upload speeds
  • Keep the default Endpoint unless you have a specific reason to change it