Ollama

Development8192MB+ RAM

Run large language models locally with an OpenAI-compatible API. Supports Llama, Qwen, Mistral, DeepSeek, Gemma and 100+ open models.

Download Server Compass View Documentation

aillmlocalopenai-compatiblellamaqwenmistral

Deploy Ollama in 3 Steps

Connect Your VPS

Add your server credentials to Server Compass

Select Ollama

Choose from our template library

Deploy & Configure

Fill in settings and click Deploy

No Docker knowledge required

Video Tutorials

Learn How to Deploy Ollama

All tutorials

How to self host LLM to your VPS | Deploy Ollama & OpenWebUI in 1 click

Learn how to self-host large language models on your VPS using Server Compass. Deploy Ollama and Open WebUI with one click for a private ChatGPT-like experience.

Watch tutorial

Self-Deploy Guide

DIY Ollama Deployment

Learn how to self-host Ollama with this hands-on deployment guide.

Start a Secure Shell Session

Open your terminal and connect to your server. Replace the IP address with your VPS IP.

terminal

# SSH into your server
ssh root@your-server-ip

# Using a custom SSH key
ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa root@your-server-ip

First time? Need Docker? Install it: curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh

Prepare Your Workspace

Set up a clean directory for your application.

terminal

# Create and navigate to project directory
mkdir -p ~/apps/ollama
cd ~/apps/ollama

Set Up Container Configuration

Set up the container stack using this Docker Compose configuration:

docker-compose.yml

services:
  ollama:
    image: ollama/ollama:latest
    ports:
      - "11434:11434"
    volumes:
      - ollama_data:/root/.ollama
    environment:
      - OLLAMA_KEEP_ALIVE=5m
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  ollama_data:

Setup Variables

PORTHost port to expose Ollama API(default: 11434)

KEEP_ALIVEModel keep-alive duration(default: 5m)

Bring Up the Application

Launch your application stack in the background.

terminal

# Start the containers in detached mode
docker compose up -d

# Check if containers are running
docker compose ps

# View logs
docker compose logs -f

Configure Firewall

Configure your firewall to permit external connections.

terminal

# Allow the application port through firewall
sudo ufw allow 11434/tcp
sudo ufw reload

# Access your app at:
# http://your-server-ip:11434

Skip the Terminal

Prefer a visual interface? Use Server Compass.

Let Server Compass handle the complexity. Deploy Ollama with a simple, intuitive interface.

Visual configuration UI
One-click deployment
Automatic SSL setup
Zero-downtime updates
Built-in monitoring
One-click rollbacks

Download Server Compass$29 one-time • Lifetime license

After Deployment

After deploying Ollama with Server Compass, complete these steps to finish setup

Open the Ollama tab in ServerCompass to manage models and test the API

Pull your first model (Qwen3.5-9B recommended)

Use the API section to get endpoint URL and code snippets

Test with the built-in chat interface

Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.

Ollama FAQ

Common questions about self-hosting Ollama

How do I deploy Ollama with Server Compass?

Simply download Server Compass, connect to your VPS, and select Ollama from the templates list. Fill in the required configuration and click Deploy. The entire process takes under 3 minutes.

What are the system requirements for Ollama?

Ollama requires a minimum of 8192MB RAM. We recommend a VPS with at least 16384MB RAM for optimal performance. Any modern Linux server with Docker support will work.

Can I migrate my existing Ollama data?

Yes! Server Compass provides volume mapping that allows you to import existing data. You can also use standard Ollama backup and restore procedures.

How do I update Ollama to the latest version?

Server Compass makes updates easy. Simply click the Update button in your deployment dashboard, and the latest Ollama image will be pulled and deployed with zero downtime.

Is Ollama free to self-host?

Ollama is open-source software. You only pay for your VPS hosting (typically $5-20/month) and optionally Server Compass ($29 one-time). No subscription fees or per-seat pricing.