SET UP AND MANAGE YOUR VIRTUAL PRIVATE SERVER : making system administration accessible to... professionals

Contents......Page 5 About the Author......Page 6 About the Technical Reviewer......Page 7 Acknowledgments......Page 8 Introduction......Page 9 Chapter 1: What Is a Virtual Private Server?......Page 11 A Brief Understanding of the Internet and Computers Connected to It......Page 12 Opening a Web Page: How the Magic Happens......Page 14 First: Where Does beapirate.com Live?......Page 15 Second: Let’s Knock on the (Web Server) Door......Page 17 Physical Infrastructure......Page 18 How Much Does It Cost?......Page 21 What’s the Catch?......Page 22 Assumptions......Page 23 Skills Taught Here......Page 24 Conclusion......Page 26 Chapter 2: Selecting a VPS Provider......Page 27 Low-End Priced/Small Shop......Page 28 High-End Priced/Large Shop......Page 32 Priced by the Minute/Cloud Infrastructure......Page 34 Key Terms......Page 35 Terms of Service (TOS)......Page 38 Service Level Agreements (SLAs)......Page 40 Warning Signs......Page 41 Resources and Budgeting......Page 43 New Account Addressing, Domains, and Access......Page 44 Access and Security......Page 47 Choosing Your Linux Distribution: CentOS or Debian......Page 51 Chapter 3: Basic Linux Administration via the Command Line......Page 53 Logging In and Uploading Files......Page 55 Setting Up Your User Account......Page 58 The Directory Structure......Page 60 cd, pwd, ls, cat, and less......Page 63 touch, mv, and cp......Page 66 rm, the Most Dangerous Command......Page 67 find, or How to Find a File, and How to Consult a Manual Page......Page 68 Linked Files......Page 71 File Permissions, su, and sudo......Page 72 Editing Files......Page 75 Vim......Page 76 Nano......Page 77 Bootup with Systemd......Page 78 Services......Page 79 Graphical vs. CLI......Page 82 Installing New Software......Page 83 Removing Software......Page 84 Installing from Source......Page 85 Conclusion......Page 86 Chapter 4: Basic Linux Administration via GUI (Webmin)......Page 87 Do You Need a GUI?......Page 88 Debian......Page 90 Installing a Trusted SSL Certificate on Debian......Page 94 CentOS......Page 100 Installing a Trusted SSL Certificate on CentOS......Page 102 Installing Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for Webmin......Page 104 Starting and Stopping Webmin......Page 105 Webmin Group......Page 106 System Group......Page 108 Servers Group......Page 112 Others Group......Page 113 Cluster Group......Page 114 Creating Other Webmin Users......Page 115 Usermin......Page 118 Physical Security, Console Access, and File Permissions......Page 121 Console Access......Page 122 File Permissions......Page 124 SetUID, SetGID, and SELinux......Page 127 Securing Administrative Access Using sudo......Page 129 Open Ports and Firewalls......Page 131 Securing SSH by Using Keyfiles......Page 135 Locking It All Down......Page 139 Viewing and Rotating Logs......Page 140 Final Thoughts on Security......Page 141 Chapter 6: Basics of Backups and Version Control......Page 142 Backup Basics: What to Back Up, Where to Back It Up, and How Often to Back Up......Page 143 Scheduled vs. On-Demand Backups......Page 145 Backup Method 1: Gzipped Tar Files and Shell Scripts......Page 146 Backup Method 2: Duplicati GUI......Page 147 Version Control Using Git......Page 154 The Great Synchronization Debate: Delight or Disaster Waiting to Happen?......Page 157 Test Restorations......Page 159 VPS Migration Checklist......Page 160 Chapter 7: Basics of Server Software Administration......Page 162 Installation and Basic Configuration......Page 163 Extending Capabilities with PHP......Page 167 Installing a Free SSL Certificate with Let’s Encrypt......Page 168 The MySQL or MariaDB Database Server......Page 171 Installation......Page 172 Basic Commands......Page 175 The Postfix Mail Server......Page 178 Installation......Page 179 Routing Mail Through a Smart Host......Page 181 Server Monitoring Within Webmin......Page 183 Chapter 8: Installing an Open Source Software Product: WordPress......Page 188 What Is a CMS and Do You Need It?......Page 189 Downloading and Installing WordPress......Page 192 Configuring File and Directory Permissions......Page 200 General WordPress Hardening Tips......Page 202 Backing Up WordPress......Page 203 Restoring Your Backup......Page 204 Extending WordPress with Plugins and Themes......Page 205 Chapter 9: Administrator’s Weekly Checklist......Page 208 Updating Software Packages......Page 209 Verifying Backups......Page 213 Reviewing Log Files......Page 214 Check Disk Usage......Page 216 Check Memory Utilization and Your VPS Provider’s Dashboard......Page 218 Take and Check Baselines of Load......Page 221 Test Restore Backup......Page 222 Follow Mailing Lists/Vendor Websites......Page 223 Check User Behavior/Provide Professional Development......Page 224 Conclusions......Page 225 Chapter 10: Open Source Application Possibilities......Page 226 Moodle......Page 228 osTicket......Page 230 YoURLS......Page 233 OpenVPN......Page 236 Odoo......Page 239 LimeSurvey......Page 240 GNU Mailman......Page 242 osCommerce......Page 244 MediaWiki......Page 246 Conclusion......Page 249 Index......Page 250 Contents 5 About the Author 6 About the Technical Reviewer 7 Acknowledgments 8 Introduction 9 Chapter 1: What Is a Virtual Private Server? 11 A Brief Understanding of the Internet and Computers Connected to It 12 Opening a Web Page: How the Magic Happens 14 First: Where Does beapirate.com Live? 15 Second: Let’s Knock on the (Web Server) Door 17 An Introduction to Information Technology Cloud Services 18 Physical Infrastructure 18 Web Hosting vs. Virtual Private Servers 21 How Much Does It Cost? 21 What’s the Catch? 22 Skills and Resources 23 Assumptions 23 Skills Taught Here 24 Professional Development 26 Conclusion 26 Chapter 2: Selecting a VPS Provider 27 Providers: Low End, High End, and Cloud 28 Low-End Priced/Small Shop 28 High-End Priced/Large Shop 32 Priced by the Minute/Cloud Infrastructure 34 Key Terms 35 Terms of Service (TOS) 38 Service Level Agreements (SLAs) 40 Warning Signs 41 Resources and Budgeting 43 New Account Addressing, Domains, and Access 44 Access and Security 47 Choosing Your Linux Distribution: CentOS or Debian 51 Chapter 3: Basic Linux Administration via the Command Line 53 Logging In and Uploading Files 55 Setting Up Your User Account 58 Basic Commands 60 The Directory Structure 60 cd, pwd, ls, cat, and less 63 touch, mv, and cp 66 rm, the Most Dangerous Command 67 find, or How to Find a File, and How to Consult a Manual Page 68 Linked Files 71 File Permissions, su, and sudo 72 Editing Files 75 Vim 76 Nano 77 How Your Server Starts Up and Shuts Down 78 Bootup with Systemd 78 Services 79 Graphical vs. CLI 82 Installing and Updating Software 83 Installing New Software 83 Updating Existing Software 84 Removing Software 84 Installing from Source 85 Conclusion 86 Chapter 4: Basic Linux Administration via GUI (Webmin) 87 Do You Need a GUI? 88 Downloading and Installing Webmin 90 Debian 90 Installing a Trusted SSL Certificate on Debian 94 CentOS 100 Installing a Trusted SSL Certificate on CentOS 102 Installing Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for Webmin 104 Enabling Two-Factor Authentication 105 Starting and Stopping Webmin 105 Basic Modules 106 Webmin Group 106 System Group 108 Servers Group 112 Others Group 113 Networking Group 114 Hardware Group 114 Cluster Group 114 Advanced Topics 115 Creating Other Webmin Users 115 Usermin 118 Chapter 5: Basics of Linux Security 121 Physical Security, Console Access, and File Permissions 121 Console Access 122 File Permissions 124 SetUID, SetGID, and SELinux 127 Securing Administrative Access Using sudo 129 Network Security 131 Open Ports and Firewalls 131 Securing SSH by Using Keyfiles 135 PuTTY 139 Locking It All Down 139 Log File Management 140 Viewing and Rotating Logs 140 Final Thoughts on Security 141 Chapter 6: Basics of Backups and Version Control 142 Backup Basics: What to Back Up, Where to Back It Up, and How Often to Back Up 143 Scheduled vs. On-Demand Backups 145 Backup Method 1: Gzipped Tar Files and Shell Scripts 146 Backup Method 2: Duplicati GUI 147 Version Control Using Git 154 The Great Synchronization Debate: Delight or Disaster Waiting to Happen? 157 Simulated Disaster Recovery and Migration to a New Server 159 Test Restorations 159 VPS Migration Checklist 160 Chapter 7: Basics of Server Software Administration 162 The Apache 2 Web Server 163 Installation and Basic Configuration 163 Extending Capabilities with PHP 167 Installing a Free SSL Certificate with Let’s Encrypt 168 The MySQL or MariaDB Database Server 171 Installation 172 Basic Commands 175 The Postfix Mail Server 178 Installation 179 Routing Mail Through a Smart Host 181 Server Monitoring Within Webmin 183 Chapter 8: Installing an Open Source Software Product: WordPress 188 What Is a CMS and Do You Need It? 189 Downloading and Installing WordPress 192 Configuring WordPress to Be Secure 200 Configuring File and Directory Permissions 200 General WordPress Hardening Tips 202 Backing Up WordPress 203 Restoring Your Backup 204 Extending WordPress with Plugins and Themes 205 Chapter 9: Administrator’s Weekly Checklist 208 First Off, the List! 209 Updating Software Packages 209 Verifying Backups 213 Reviewing Log Files 214 Check Disk Usage 216 Check Memory Utilization and Your VPS Provider’s Dashboard 218 Take and Check Baselines of Load 221 Test Restore Backup 222 Follow Mailing Lists/Vendor Websites 223 Check User Behavior/Provide Professional Development 224 Conclusions 225 Chapter 10: Open Source Application Possibilities 226 Moodle 228 osTicket 230 YoURLS 233 OpenVPN 236 Odoo 239 LimeSurvey 240 GNU Mailman 242 osCommerce 244 MediaWiki 246 Conclusion 249 Index 250 The need for every professional to have a solid presence on the Internet is more important than ever before. Having a presence beyond an email account, such as a custom web page or web application, usually requires a clumsy assortment of outside services or hiring a dedicated administrator. Thus it is more sensible for the average professional to become adept at managing their own private server. In Set Up and Manage Your Virtual Private Server, author Jon Westfall expertly designs interesting, understandable lessons for professionals such as teachers, doctors, lawyers, and more to deploy their own virtual private server. He walks you through choosing the right service and customizing it for your specific business or personal needs, and does this with great ease while instilling invaluable knowledge. Basics such as setting up users, managing security and firewalls, installing and updating software, and troubleshooting by reviewing log files, backing up data, and so much more. Set Up and Manage Your Virtual Private Server equips you with the power of knowledge to set your web presence apart from the rest. You now have complete control over your virtual brand that is your own—separate from any employer or affiliate. Your career mobility is in your hands with the ability to run your own private server at your fingertips. The digital era centers this technical literacy and independence as a critical skillset. What You Will Learn: • Understand basic server terminology and the way servers operate and are networked together • See how software is used on a server and its role (for example, Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP, and so on) • Get comfortable with the basic command-line operation of a virtual private server to set up users, manage security and firewalls, install software, update software, and troubleshoot by reviewing log files • Store and back up important information • Identify, analyze, and deploy open-source software products that can enhance productivity Who This Book Is For: Non-tech professionals, individuals who have an established professional career, looking to understand more about how to set up and manage a private server. The need for every professional to have a solid presence on the Internet is more important than ever before. Having a presence beyond an email account, such as a custom web page or web application, usually requires a clumsy assortment of outside services or hiring a dedicated administrator. Thus it is more sensible for the average professional to become adept at managing their own private server. In Set Up and Manage Your Virtual Private Server, author Jon Westfall expertly designs interesting, understandable lessons for professionals such as teachers, doctors, lawyers, and more to deploy their own virtual private server. He walks you through choosing the right service and customizing it for your specific business or personal needs, and does this with great ease while instilling invaluable knowledge. Basics such as setting up users, managing security and firewalls, installing and updating software, and troubleshooting by reviewing log files, backing up data, and so much more. Set Up and Manage Your Virtual Private Server equips you with the power of knowledge to set your web presence apart from the rest. You now have complete control over your virtual brand that is your own separate from any employer or affiliate. Your career mobility is in your hands with the ability to run your own private server at your fingertips. The digital era centers this technical literacy and independence as a critical skillset