Speaker 1: Hey everyone, and welcome back for another deep dive. Today.
Speaker 1: We're going to be looking at setup and manage your
Speaker 1: Virtual Private server by John Westfall. Sounds good, and we're
Speaker 1: going to be talking all about vps's. Yeah, you know
Speaker 1: what they are, why you might want one, and maybe
Speaker 1: how to pick the right one for you.
Speaker 2: Yeah. It's a great topic.
Speaker 1: And it's not just about the tech though, right, it's
Speaker 1: about understanding the power and the responsibility, right that comes
Speaker 1: with having your own little corner of the Internet.
Speaker 2: Yeah. And it's a really interesting topic because it's a
Speaker 2: It kind of bridges the gap between you know, basic
Speaker 2: web hosting that everybody you know kind of starts with, right,
Speaker 2: and then those expensive dedicated servers that you know, big
Speaker 2: companies are using.
Speaker 1: Yeah, like finding that sweet spot, right, Yeah, where you
Speaker 1: have more control but without breaking.
Speaker 2: The bank exactly.
Speaker 1: But before we get ahead of ourselves, let's back up
Speaker 1: a little bit. What is a VPS?
Speaker 2: Yeah, So think about it like this. It's like an
Speaker 2: apartment building. You've got this one big, powerful computer and
Speaker 2: that's the server, and it's divided into smaller, self contained units,
Speaker 2: each of them running its own operating system.
Speaker 1: Okay, and when you rent a VPS, you're basically renting
Speaker 1: one of those apartments. Okay, so you have complete control
Speaker 1: over what happens inside, but you're still sharing, you know,
Speaker 1: the building's resources like electricity and plumbing.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so it's like having your own place, but you
Speaker 2: still have like a shared gym or laundry room exactly. Okay,
Speaker 2: that makes sense. But how is that different from just
Speaker 2: regular web hosting. I mean, I'm already paying for that,
Speaker 2: so why would you need a VPS?
Speaker 1: Right, So, with regular web hosting, it's more like renting
Speaker 1: a booth in somebody else's store. You know, you can
Speaker 1: decorate your booth, you can display your products, but you
Speaker 1: have to follow the store's rules. Oh you can't suddenly
Speaker 1: decide to stay open, you know, twenty four to seven
Speaker 1: or start selling something completely different. But with the VPS,
Speaker 1: you have the freedom to set your own rules. You
Speaker 1: could even choose to run your own email server, which
Speaker 1: you can't do with most basic hosting plans.
Speaker 2: Okay, so more control, more flexibility. What about the downside,
Speaker 2: I mean there's got to be a catch, right, Yeah,
Speaker 2: there's definitely a trade, and the book actually paints a
Speaker 2: pretty vivid picture of the responsibility that comes with a VPS,
Speaker 2: imagine waking up one morning and your entire blog, all
Speaker 2: your content, it's just gone, oh no boof. With shared hosting,
Speaker 2: you know, you'd call tech support and they'd hopefully sort
Speaker 2: it out. But with a VPS, you are the tech support.
Speaker 2: If you don't have backups or haven't taken the right
Speaker 2: security precautions, you could be in big trouble.
Speaker 1: That's a sobering thought. Yeah, I mean, it really makes
Speaker 1: you realize that it's not just about the cool stuff
Speaker 1: you can do, but it's also about, you know, being
Speaker 1: prepared to handle the technical side of things too.
Speaker 2: Exactly. It's not all fun in games, right, It got
Speaker 2: to be responsible.
Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure. But that doesn't mean it's out of
Speaker 1: reach for regular people, right. I mean one of the
Speaker 1: advantages the.
Speaker 2: Cost, Yeah, definitely. The book mentions a real world example
Speaker 2: where somebody needed more power than shared hosting could offer,
Speaker 2: but they couldn't justify, you know, the expense of a
Speaker 2: dedicated server. Right, A dedicated server was costing over one
Speaker 2: hundred dollars a month, and they found a VPS that
Speaker 2: fit their needs for under twenty dollars.
Speaker 1: Wow, that's a huge difference. It is so for somebody
Speaker 1: who's kind of outgrown basic hosting, but they're not ready
Speaker 1: to shell out the big bucks. A VPS seems like
Speaker 1: a pretty good middle ground for sure. You know, it's
Speaker 1: funny how we talk about websites and servers like they
Speaker 1: just magically appear. Yeah, click a link, Boom, there's the page.
Speaker 1: But what is actually happening behind the scenes.
Speaker 2: It is really easy to take the Internet for granted,
Speaker 2: I know, right, But every time you visit a website,
Speaker 2: there's this complex dance of communication happening between your computer
Speaker 2: and the server where that website is hosted. Okay, So
Speaker 2: let's break it down using the books. Example of visiting
Speaker 2: the website bapirate dot com.
Speaker 1: Okay, take us on a virtual voyage.
Speaker 2: All right. So first your computer needs to figure out
Speaker 2: where this biro dot com server is actually located, okay,
Speaker 2: and it does this through DNS, the Domain Name system okay,
Speaker 2: which is like a giant GPS for the Internet. You
Speaker 2: type in the human readable address bopirate dot com and
Speaker 2: DNS translates that into this verus IP address, which is
Speaker 2: the computer friendly location.
Speaker 1: So DNS is like looking up an address in the phone.
Speaker 2: Book exactly Once your computer knows the server's address, it
Speaker 2: needs to find the right door to knock on. And
Speaker 2: this is where port numbers come in. Think of them
Speaker 2: like specific apartment numbers within that server building.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: Port eighty is usually the standard door for web traffic,
Speaker 2: and port four forty three is the secure door for
Speaker 2: HTTPS websites.
Speaker 1: Okay, So we've found the building with DNS right, and
Speaker 1: then the right apartment with port number.
Speaker 2: Yep. What happens next, So your computer sends a request
Speaker 2: for the specific web page you want to see. So
Speaker 2: let's say the homepage of bpirate dot com.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: The server now knows exactly what you're looking for and
Speaker 2: gathers all the necessary files, the HTML, the CSS, the images,
Speaker 2: maybe some JavaScript, and sends them back to your browser. Okay,
Speaker 2: and your browser then assembles all of those pieces into
Speaker 2: the beautifully formatted web page that you see on your screen.
Speaker 1: Wow, it's amazing how much is happening in just the
Speaker 1: blink of an eye. Yeah, and to think that this
Speaker 1: whole process is triggered every single time we click on
Speaker 1: a link or type in a web dress.
Speaker 2: I know, it's a lot of work for just opening
Speaker 2: a web page.
Speaker 1: Yep. That's incredible. But let's say I'm sold on the
Speaker 1: idea of getting a VPS. How do I even begin
Speaker 1: choosing a provider? Can I feel a bit like picking
Speaker 1: a landlord? Doesn't it?
Speaker 2: It does? You're absolutely right. It's about finding the right
Speaker 2: fit for your needs and for your comfort level. The
Speaker 2: book kind of categorizes providers into these three categories, low end,
Speaker 2: high end, and cloud providers, and each has its pros
Speaker 2: and con.
Speaker 1: Okay, can you break those downforce? What are the key differences?
Speaker 2: So low end providers are kind of like renting a
Speaker 2: storage unit. You get the space, it's affordable, but you're
Speaker 2: on your own if something goes wrong.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: High end providers are more like having a concierge service.
Speaker 2: They offer robust support, but you're going to pay a
Speaker 2: premium for that handholding. And then you've got the cloud providers,
Speaker 2: which are more like renting a flexible workspace. You can
Speaker 2: scale your resources up or down as need, paying only
Speaker 2: for what you use, but they can be more complex
Speaker 2: to manage.
Speaker 1: So storage unit, luxury apartment, co working space. I love
Speaker 1: these analogies. Yeah, it makes it so much clearer to
Speaker 1: actually visualize it. I like that, But what you mentioned
Speaker 1: something earlier about Amazon Web Services. Oh yeah, what's the
Speaker 1: story there?
Speaker 2: So what's fascinating about AWS is that it's not just
Speaker 2: some small time hosting company, right, This is a massive
Speaker 2: cloud platform that's used by giants like Netflix and Facebook.
Speaker 1: Oh wow.
Speaker 2: It offers this huge range of services, including VPS hosting
Speaker 2: through their EC two service.
Speaker 1: So if it's good enough for them, it's probably pretty good.
Speaker 2: Right, I think. So it's a pretty good indicator.
Speaker 1: Yeah, But I think for most people, the practical considerations
Speaker 1: are key. Right. What are some of the things that
Speaker 1: we should be looking for when we're comparing different VPS providers?
Speaker 2: Yeah, so the monthly fee is just the tip of
Speaker 2: the iceberg. You also need to think about things like bandwidth,
Speaker 2: how much data your site is going to transfer each month?
Speaker 2: And then the cost of domain names.
Speaker 1: Right.
Speaker 2: Most providers will offer like a first year discount on
Speaker 2: domain registration, but those costs can really add up over time.
Speaker 1: Right, So factor in those hidden costs. Yeah, And speaking
Speaker 1: of things that add up, what about time commitment? How
Speaker 1: much time will I actually need to spend setting up
Speaker 1: and managing my vps?
Speaker 2: Yeah? The book actually includes this really helpful table that
Speaker 2: breaks down you know, the time required for each stage,
Speaker 2: from you know, signing up for an account to weekly maintenance.
Speaker 2: It can really vary from just a few minutes to
Speaker 2: several hours for more complex tasks.
Speaker 1: Okay, that's good to know. It's easy to underestimate the
Speaker 1: time involved in that, especially if you're kind of new
Speaker 1: to server management. Yeah, and I know most people probably
Speaker 1: skip over the legal stuff. But why should we actually
Speaker 1: pay attention to those terms of service in slas?
Speaker 2: So these documents they outline your rights and your responsibilities
Speaker 2: as a VPS owner. You know, the terms of service
Speaker 2: are like your lease agreement with the provider. Okay, and
Speaker 2: the SLA the service level agreement. That's their promise to
Speaker 2: keep your server running smoothly. It's like they're uptime guarantee.
Speaker 1: So it's not just legal jargon. It's actually important for
Speaker 1: understanding you know, what you're getting into and what protections
Speaker 1: you have.
Speaker 2: Absolutely.
Speaker 1: Okay, So let's say we've picked our provider, we've signed
Speaker 1: all the paperwork, we're ready to roll. How do we
Speaker 1: actually use this shiny new VPS? What happens next?
Speaker 2: All right, So this is where we start getting into
Speaker 2: the world of Linux and the command line Okay. Most
Speaker 2: VPS is run on Linux, and the command line is
Speaker 2: how you interact with the server.
Speaker 1: Linux command line. That sounds a little intimidating, it can be.
Speaker 2: It's not as scary as it sounds, though.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: The command line is just a text based way to
Speaker 2: communicate with your server, Okay, and it's actually quite powerful
Speaker 2: because it gives you direct access to the server's inner workings.
Speaker 1: So no fancy buttons or graphical interfaces. Not really, we're
Speaker 1: going old school, we are, all right, But where do
Speaker 1: we even begin? What are some of the essential commands
Speaker 1: that we need to know?
Speaker 2: All right? So the book starts with the basics of
Speaker 2: Linux administration. Yeah, you'll learn commands like CD, which is
Speaker 2: changed directory and that's for navigating to different directories, just
Speaker 2: like clicking through folders on your computer.
Speaker 1: Okay, So CD is like moving around. What about seeing
Speaker 1: what's actually inside those folds?
Speaker 2: So that's where the l's command comes, and it lists
Speaker 2: all the files in a directory, just like opening a
Speaker 2: folder on your computer.
Speaker 1: Okay, got it, So CD kate to move around l's
Speaker 1: to see what's there. But what if I want to
Speaker 1: actually see what's inside a file?
Speaker 2: Not the name for that you would use the cat command.
Speaker 2: It displays the entire contents of a file right on
Speaker 2: your screen, and it's useful for you know, viewing configuration
Speaker 2: files or other small text files.
Speaker 1: CAT for peaking inside the files. Okay, I'm starting to
Speaker 1: get a little bit more comfortable with this command line thing.
Speaker 1: But what if I have a really huge file? You know,
Speaker 1: I don't want my screen to be flooded with text.
Speaker 2: Don't worry. Lenox has a command for that too. It's
Speaker 2: called less and it lets you view large files page
Speaker 2: by page, so you can scroll through the content at
Speaker 2: your own pace.
Speaker 1: Oh, less is more. I like it exactly, But there's
Speaker 1: one command that still makes me a little nervous. R
Speaker 1: M the delete command.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you're right to be cautious with that one. ARM
Speaker 2: is a powerful command, especially when you use the adas
Speaker 2: R flag, which is for recursive deleution, and that can
Speaker 2: wipe out an entire directory and everything in it, just
Speaker 2: like accidentally emptying your entire recycle bin.
Speaker 1: Yikes. Definitely don't want to do that. Any Tips for
Speaker 1: avoiding disaster, Yeah, always.
Speaker 2: Double check your commands before you press enter, especially when
Speaker 2: you're using ARM, and if you really want to play
Speaker 2: it safe. You can use the eye flag and that'll
Speaker 2: prompt you for confirmation before deleting each file, so you
Speaker 2: have a chance to back out if you made a mistake.
Speaker 1: Okay, so double check, use the safety net, and maybe
Speaker 1: say a little prayer before you hit enter.
Speaker 2: That might help.
Speaker 1: But what if I'm not even sure where a file is?
Speaker 1: What if I can only remember part of the name
Speaker 1: or the data I created it, how do I find it?
Speaker 2: That's where the find command comes in. It's like having
Speaker 2: a search engine for your server. You can search for
Speaker 2: files based on their name, size, modification, date, and all
Speaker 2: sorts of other criteria.
Speaker 1: So find is like the server's search and rescue team.
Speaker 2: It is.
Speaker 1: I love it. It's like having a digital bloodhound sniff
Speaker 1: out those loss fons.
Speaker 2: Yeah. I like it.
Speaker 1: But you know, even with these basic commands, the command
Speaker 1: line still feels a little bit well old school.
Speaker 2: It is old school.
Speaker 1: Is there a more user friendly way to manage a VPS?
Speaker 2: Absolutely? So. The book introduces us to this fantastic tool
Speaker 2: called webmen, and it's kind of a game changer. Webmin
Speaker 2: It's a graphical interface that lets you control your server
Speaker 2: through your web browser.
Speaker 1: So instead of typing commands in a black screen, we
Speaker 1: can click buttons and menus exactly. Okay, that sounds much
Speaker 1: more my speed.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's much more intuitive for a lot of people.
Speaker 2: Webmen organizes task into these logical categories, and so it's
Speaker 2: easy to find what you're looking for. You can install software,
Speaker 2: you can can figure server settings, monitor performance, all without
Speaker 2: having to remember those command line incantations.
Speaker 1: Okay, I'm sold. Webmen sounds like a must half. But
Speaker 1: before we get too comfortable clicking around, we need to
Speaker 1: talk about security.
Speaker 2: Of course.
Speaker 1: I know we touched on it briefly earlier, but I'm
Speaker 1: ready to really lock down my vps. Where do we start?
Speaker 2: All?
Speaker 1: Right?
Speaker 2: So security should always be top of mind when you're
Speaker 2: managing your own server. One of the first things you
Speaker 2: should do is change the default passwords for all user accounts,
Speaker 2: especially the root account. Okay, because those default passwords are
Speaker 2: probably as secure as leaving your front door unlocked.
Speaker 1: Right, because those are probably sitting in some hacker's handbooks.
Speaker 2: Somewhere exactly, And when you create new passwords, make them
Speaker 2: strong and unique. The book emphasizes using ungodly long passwords
Speaker 2: at least twelve characters, with a mix of uppercase and
Speaker 2: lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
Speaker 1: Okay, so no more password one, two, three, or my
Speaker 1: pet's name, No more of that, got it. But strong
Speaker 1: passwords are just the beginning, right, Yeah? What else can
Speaker 1: we do to beef up security?
Speaker 2: So firewalls are essential. They act as gatekeepers, controlling the
Speaker 2: flow of traffic in and out of your server. You
Speaker 2: can configure your firewall to block certain ports, restrict access
Speaker 2: from specific IP addresses, and even log any suspicious activity.
Speaker 1: So we're building a virtual wall around our server with
Speaker 1: only certain doors open to the outside world.
Speaker 2: That's a good way to think about it.
Speaker 1: What about those SSH key files you mentioned earlier, how
Speaker 1: do those fit into the picture?
Speaker 2: Yeah? So ssh key files offer a much more secure
Speaker 2: way to log into your server than just using passwords alone.
Speaker 2: They rely on public key cryptography, which is like having
Speaker 2: a lock and key system for your server. So you
Speaker 2: keep the private key safe on your own computer, and
Speaker 2: the server has the matching public key, and only someone
Speaker 2: with that private key can unlock the server.
Speaker 1: It's like having a personalized access key that's way more
Speaker 1: secure than a traditional lock and key.
Speaker 2: That's a good analogy.
Speaker 1: But even with all these security measures in place, strong passwords, firewalls,
Speaker 1: sshkey files. What happens if something goes wrong? What if
Speaker 1: my server crashes or I accidentally delete some important files?
Speaker 2: Well, that's where backups come in.
Speaker 1: Ohka.
Speaker 2: Backups are like insurance for your vps. They ensure that
Speaker 2: you can recover your data if disaster strikes.
Speaker 1: Okay, so backups are non negotiable. Yeah, but what's the
Speaker 1: best way to go about backing up a VPS? Do
Speaker 1: I need some fancy software or a separate hard drive.
Speaker 2: There are different approaches, but a common method is to
Speaker 2: use a combination of Linux tools like Tar and g
Speaker 2: zip lets. You bundle multiple files and directories into a
Speaker 2: single archive file, and then g zip compresses that archive
Speaker 2: to save space.
Speaker 1: So it's kind of like packing your important belongings into
Speaker 1: a suitcase and then using like a vacuum sealer to
Speaker 1: shrink it down for easier storage.
Speaker 2: I like that analogy a lot.
Speaker 1: Okay cool. You can then transfer those compressed archives to
Speaker 1: a separate location, like an external hard drive or a
Speaker 1: cloud storage service. That way, even if something happens to
Speaker 1: your VPS, you'll have a copy of your data safe.
Speaker 2: And sound exactly. It's like that just in case.
Speaker 1: Got it? Backups are like that emergency kit you keep
Speaker 1: in your car, just in case. But even with security
Speaker 1: and backups in place, managing a VPS isn't just a
Speaker 1: one time setup, right What kind of ongoing maintenance should
Speaker 1: we be thinking about?
Speaker 2: Yeah, so keeping your software up to date is one
Speaker 2: of the most important ongoing tasks. Software updates often include
Speaker 2: security patches, I'll protect your server from any newly discovered vulnerabilities,
Speaker 2: and they'll also have bug fixes that can improve performance
Speaker 2: and stability.
Speaker 1: So those update notifications that always seem to pop up
Speaker 1: at the worst possible time, they're actually our friends.
Speaker 2: They are. They're crucial for keeping your VPS healthy.
Speaker 1: Okay, good to know, and thankfully, updating software out of
Speaker 1: vps is usually a pretty straightforward process, right it is.
Speaker 2: You can use package managers like APT, which is for
Speaker 2: Debian based systems, or YUM for CentOS based systems, and
Speaker 2: they'll handle downloading and installing the updates for you.
Speaker 1: APT and YUM the update curus.
Speaker 2: Got it?
Speaker 1: But how often should we be checking for updates? Is
Speaker 1: it a daily thing, a weekly thing, or just whenever
Speaker 1: we remember?
Speaker 2: So checking for updates at least once a week is
Speaker 2: a good rule of thumb. Okay, and some systems will
Speaker 2: even let you configure automatic updates so you don't even
Speaker 2: have to worry about doing it manually.
Speaker 1: Automatic updates Sign me up for that. It's like having
Speaker 1: a self cleaning oven, you know, one less thing to
Speaker 1: worry about. But what about those server logs that we
Speaker 1: talked about earlier. You mentioned they were important for spotting
Speaker 1: potential problems. Can you kind of walk us through what
Speaker 1: we should be looking for. Yeah?
Speaker 2: So, logs are like your server's diary. They record all
Speaker 2: sorts of events, from successful logins and software installations to
Speaker 2: errors and warnings. And regularly reviewing your logs can help
Speaker 2: you identify suspicious activity. You can troubleshoot problems, and even
Speaker 2: anticipate potential issues before they turn into major headaches.
Speaker 1: So we're putting on our detective ads and combing through
Speaker 1: the server's logs for clues. What kind of red flag
Speaker 1: should we be looking out for?
Speaker 2: Yeah? So, one of the most important logs to monitor
Speaker 2: is the authentication log. It records all log in attempts,
Speaker 2: both successful and failed. Yeah, and you want to pay
Speaker 2: close attention to any failed log in attempts, especially if
Speaker 2: they're coming from unfamiliar IP addresses. That could be a
Speaker 2: sign that somebody's trying to brute force their way into
Speaker 2: your server.
Speaker 1: Oh it's a little unnerving, Yeah, it.
Speaker 2: Can be, which is why those strong passwords and those
Speaker 2: SSH key files are so important. But beyond security, you'll
Speaker 2: also want to keep an eye on logs related to
Speaker 2: your web server, database and any other software that you're running.
Speaker 1: Right, because if something goes wrong, those logs can provide
Speaker 1: valuable insights into what happened and how to fix it. Absolutely, Okay,
Speaker 1: I'm feeling much more confident about managing the technical side
Speaker 1: of a VPS, but I'm still curious about what I
Speaker 1: can actually do with this newfound power. Right, what are
Speaker 1: some real world examples of how people are using vps
Speaker 1: is to create cool and innovative things.
Speaker 2: That's where the real fun begins. The world of open
Speaker 2: source software opens up a universe of possibilities, and in
Speaker 2: the next part of our deep dive, we'll explore some
Speaker 2: incredible open source tools that can transform your VPS from
Speaker 2: a simple server into a platform for innovation.
Speaker 1: Okay, now you've got me intrigued. I'm ready to see
Speaker 1: what this open source magic is all about.
Speaker 2: Get ready to be amazed. We'll be diving into everything
Speaker 2: from online learning platforms and customer support systems to tools
Speaker 2: that'll let you create your own private secure network.
Speaker 1: Oh wow, sounds like we have a lot to cover.
Speaker 2: We do.
Speaker 1: I can't wait.
Speaker 2: Welcome back to our deep dive into the world of
Speaker 2: virtual private servers.
Speaker 1: All right, so we left off talking about Linux and
Speaker 1: the command line, which I'll be honest still makes me
Speaker 1: a little.
Speaker 2: Nervous, I understand, But you know, think of it this way.
Speaker 2: Using the command line, it's like having a backstage pass
Speaker 2: to your server.
Speaker 1: Yep.
Speaker 2: You're not just clicking buttons. You're directly controlling how things work.
Speaker 1: A backstage pass. Okay, Okay, that sounds a little bit
Speaker 1: more appealing, right, So where do we even begin with
Speaker 1: this backstage tour?
Speaker 2: So when you first log into your VPS, you'll find
Speaker 2: yourself in your home directory and it's like your personal
Speaker 2: workspace on the server. From there, you can use the
Speaker 2: CD command to navigate to different directories, just like clicking
Speaker 2: through folders on your computer.
Speaker 1: So if I wanted to see what files are in
Speaker 1: the documents directory, I would take CD documents exactly, and
Speaker 1: then what.
Speaker 2: And then you would use the all's command to list
Speaker 2: all the files in that directory. Okay, like opening the
Speaker 2: folder and seeing what's inside.
Speaker 1: Okay, I'm starting to get the hang of the CD
Speaker 1: to move around old skep to peek inside. But what
Speaker 1: if I want to actually see the contents of a file,
Speaker 1: not just the name.
Speaker 2: That's where the cat command comes in handy. It displays
Speaker 2: the entire contents of a file right on your screen. Okay,
Speaker 2: and this is especially helpful for viewing those configuration files,
Speaker 2: which are often plain text files that control how your
Speaker 2: server and software operate.
Speaker 1: CAT for peaking inside, got it?
Speaker 2: Yeah?
Speaker 1: But what if I have like a massive file, you know,
Speaker 1: like a huge log file. I don't want to have
Speaker 1: to scroll through pages and pages of text.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Linux has a solution for that too.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: There's a command called less, and it lets you view
Speaker 2: large files page by page.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: You can scroll up and down, search for specific text,
Speaker 2: even jump to specific lines, much more manageable than having
Speaker 2: the whole file dumped on your screen at once.
Speaker 1: Less for handling those behemoth files makes sense. But there's
Speaker 1: one command that we talked about in the last part
Speaker 1: that still makes me a little uneasy. R m the
Speaker 1: delete command.
Speaker 2: It's good to be cautious with ARM, especially when you
Speaker 2: add the R flag for recursive dilution. That's like saying,
Speaker 2: delete this entire folder and everything inside it, no matter
Speaker 2: how many subfolders or files it contains.
Speaker 1: Yikes, that sounds like a recipe for disaster. What if
Speaker 1: I accidentally delete something important?
Speaker 2: Well, that's why it's so important to double check your
Speaker 2: commands before you puss enter. Okay, And you can add
Speaker 2: another layer of safety by using the I flag. Okay,
Speaker 2: and it'll ask you to confirm before deleting each file,
Speaker 2: so you have a chance to back out if you
Speaker 2: realize you've made a mistake.
Speaker 1: Okay, so double check, use the safety net. Yeah, and
Speaker 1: maybe hold my breath while I hit in.
Speaker 2: Maybe that'll help.
Speaker 1: But what if I'm not even sure where a file is?
Speaker 1: What if I can only remember, you know, part of
Speaker 1: the name where the data I created it.
Speaker 2: That's when the find command becomes your best friend.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: It's like a search engine for your server. You can
Speaker 2: search for files based on their name, size, modification date,
Speaker 2: all sorts of other criteria.
Speaker 1: The server search and rescue team. I love it. It's
Speaker 1: like having a digital bloodowun sniffing out those loss files.
Speaker 1: I like it, but you know, as helpful as these
Speaker 1: commands are, the command line still feels a little daunting.
Speaker 2: Yeah it is old school.
Speaker 1: Is there a more visual, user friendly way to manage
Speaker 1: a VPS, you know, something that doesn't require me to
Speaker 1: memorize a bunch of cryptic commands.
Speaker 2: Absolutely. The book introduces us to a tool called Webmen,
Speaker 2: and it's kind of a game changer.
Speaker 1: Webman.
Speaker 2: Okay, it's a graphical interface that lets you control your
Speaker 2: server through your web browser.
Speaker 1: So instead of typing commands and a black screen, I
Speaker 1: can click buttons and menus exactly. Okay, that sounds much
Speaker 1: more my speed.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's much more intuitive for a lot of people, right.
Speaker 2: Webmen organizes tasks into these logical categories, so it's really
Speaker 2: easy to find what you're looking for.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: You can install software, configure server settings, monitor performance, all
Speaker 2: without having to remember those command line incantations.
Speaker 1: Okay, I'm sold. Webman sounds like a must have. But
Speaker 1: before we get too excited about all the things we
Speaker 1: can do, we need to talk about security.
Speaker 2: Of course.
Speaker 1: I know we touch on it briefly before, but I'm
Speaker 1: ready to like really dive deep and lock down my vps?
Speaker 1: Where do we start? All?
Speaker 2: Right, So security should always be top of mind when
Speaker 2: you're managing your own server. One of the first things
Speaker 2: you should do is change those default passwords for all
Speaker 2: of the user accounts. Okay, especially the root account.
Speaker 1: Right, because those default passwords are probably about as secure
Speaker 1: as leaving my front door unlocked.
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. And when you create new passwords, make them
Speaker 2: strong and unique. The book recommends passwords that are ungodly long, okay,
Speaker 2: at least twelve characters, with a mix of uppercase and
Speaker 2: lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
Speaker 1: Okay, so no more password one, two three or my
Speaker 1: pet's name, No more of that, got it. But strong
Speaker 1: passwords are just the beginning it, Right. What else can
Speaker 1: we do to kind of beef up security?
Speaker 2: So firewalls are essential. They act as gatekeepers, controlling the
Speaker 2: flow of traffic in and out of your server.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: You can configure your firewall to block certain ports, restrict
Speaker 2: access from specific IP addresses, and even log any suspicious activity.
Speaker 1: So we're building of virtual wall around our server with
Speaker 1: only certain doors open to the outside world.
Speaker 2: That's a good way to think about it.
Speaker 1: What about those SSH key files you mentioned earlier, how
Speaker 1: do those fit into the picture.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so sshkey files offer a much more secure way
Speaker 2: to log into your server than using passwords alone.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: They rely on something called public key cryptography, which is
Speaker 2: like having a lock and key system for your server. Okay,
Speaker 2: so you keep the private key safe on your own computer,
Speaker 2: and the server has the matching public key, and only
Speaker 2: someone with that private key can unlock the server.
Speaker 1: So it's like having a personalized access key that's way
Speaker 1: more secure than like a traditional lock and key.
Speaker 2: That's a good analogy.
Speaker 1: Okay, cool. Yeah, but even with all of these security
Speaker 1: measures in place, strong passwords, firewalls, sshkey files, what happens
Speaker 1: if something goes wrong? What if my server crashes or
Speaker 1: I accidentally delete some important files.
Speaker 2: Well that's where backups come in. Backups are like insurance
Speaker 2: for your vps. They ensure that you can recover your
Speaker 2: data if does that.
Speaker 1: Okay, so backups are no negotiable. But what's the best
Speaker 1: way to go about backing up a VPS? Do I
Speaker 1: need like some fancy software or a separate hard drive?
Speaker 2: So there are a couple different approaches, but a common
Speaker 2: method is to use a combination of Linux tools like
Speaker 2: Tar and g zip. Car car lets you bundle multiple
Speaker 2: files and directories into a single archive file, okay, and
Speaker 2: then g zip compresses that archive to safe space.
Speaker 1: So it's kind of like packing your important belongings into
Speaker 1: a suitcase and then using like a vacuum seal or
Speaker 1: to shrink it down for easier storage.
Speaker 2: I like that analogy a lot, That's right, And you
Speaker 2: can then.
Speaker 1: Transfer those compressed archives to a separate location like an
Speaker 1: external hard drive or cloud storage service.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: That way, even if something happens to your VPS, you'll
Speaker 1: have a copy of your data safe and sound exactly.
Speaker 2: It's like that just in case, got it?
Speaker 1: Backups are like that emergency kit you keep in your car.
Speaker 2: Yep, just in case, Just in case.
Speaker 1: But even with security and backups in place, managing a
Speaker 1: VPS isn't just a one time setup, right.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: What kind of ongoing maintenance should we be thinking about?
Speaker 2: Yeah, so keeping your software up to date is one
Speaker 2: of the most important ongoing tasks, Okay. Software updates often
Speaker 2: include security patches that'll protect your server from any newly
Speaker 2: discovered vulnerabilities, right, and they also include bug fixes that
Speaker 2: can improve performance and stabilities.
Speaker 1: So those update notifications that always seem to pop up
Speaker 1: at the worst possible time, they're actually our friends.
Speaker 2: They are. They're crucial for keeping your VPS healthy.
Speaker 1: Good to know and thankfully. Updating software on a VPS
Speaker 1: is usually a pretty straightforward.
Speaker 2: Process, right it is. You can use package managers like
Speaker 2: APT which is for Debian based systems, or YUM for
Speaker 2: Scentoist based systems. Okay, and they'll handle downloading and installing
Speaker 2: the updates for you.
Speaker 1: APPT and Yum the update gurus. M got it. But
Speaker 1: how often should we be checking for updates? Is it
Speaker 1: a daily thing, a weekly thing, or just whenever we remember?
Speaker 2: Checking for updates at least once a week is a
Speaker 2: good rule of thumb. And some systems will even let
Speaker 2: you configure automatic updates so you don't have to worry
Speaker 2: about doing it manually.
Speaker 1: Automatic updates. Sign me up for that. It's like having
Speaker 1: a self cleaning oven, you know, one less thing to
Speaker 1: worry about. Yeah, but what about those server logs that
Speaker 1: we talked about earlier. You mentioned they were important for
Speaker 1: spotting potential problems. Can you kind of walk us through
Speaker 1: what we should be looking for.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so logs are like your server's diary. They record
Speaker 2: all sorts of events, from successful logins and software installations
Speaker 2: to errors and warnings, and regularly reviewing your logs can
Speaker 2: help you identify suspicious activity, troubleshoot problems, and even anticipate
Speaker 2: potential issues before they turn into major headaches.
Speaker 1: So we're putting on our detective hats and we're combing
Speaker 1: through the server's logs for clues. What kind of red
Speaker 1: flag should we be looking out for.
Speaker 2: Yeah, one of the most important logs to monitor is
Speaker 2: the authentication log. It records all log in attempts, both
Speaker 2: successful and failed. Okay, and you want to pay close
Speaker 2: attention to any failed log in attempts, especially if they're
Speaker 2: coming from unfamiliar IP addresses. That could be a sign
Speaker 2: that somebody is trying to brute force their way into
Speaker 2: your server.
Speaker 1: Oh that's a little nerving.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it can be, which is why those strong passwords
Speaker 2: and those sshkey files we talked about are so important.
Speaker 2: But beyond security, you also want to keep an eye
Speaker 2: on logs related to your web server, database and any
Speaker 2: other software that you're running, right.
Speaker 1: Because if something goes wrong, those logs can provide valuable
Speaker 1: insights into what happened and how to fix it? Absolutely Okay,
Speaker 1: I'm feeling much more confident about managing like the technical
Speaker 1: side of a VPS, but I'm still curious about what
Speaker 1: I can actually do with this newfound power. R What
Speaker 1: are some real world examples of how people are using
Speaker 1: vps is to create cool and innovative things.
Speaker 2: That's where the real fun begins. Okay, the world of
Speaker 2: open source software opens up a universe of possibilities, and
Speaker 2: in the next part of our deep dive, we'll explore
Speaker 2: some incredible open source tools that can transform your VPS
Speaker 2: from a simple server into a platform for innovation.
Speaker 1: Okay, now you've got me intrigued. I'm ready to see
Speaker 1: with this open source magic is all about.
Speaker 2: Get ready to be amazed. We'll be diving into everything
Speaker 2: from online learning platforms and customer support systems to tools
Speaker 2: that'll let you create your own private, secure network.
Speaker 1: Oh wow, it sounds like we have a lot to cover.
Speaker 2: We do.
Speaker 1: I can't wait. Welcome back to the deep dive. We're
Speaker 1: ready to jump into that exciting world of open source
Speaker 1: software and see how it can transform your VPS from
Speaker 1: a basic server into something amazing.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's like going from a blank canvas to a
Speaker 2: fully equipped art studio.
Speaker 1: I love that analogy. But before we unleash our inner artists,
Speaker 1: can we back up for a secon What is open
Speaker 1: source software exactly?
Speaker 2: So? Open source software is software that is freely available
Speaker 2: for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. Okay, and it's
Speaker 2: built on these principles of collaboration, transparency, and community.
Speaker 1: So it's kind of like a giant potluck where everyone
Speaker 1: brings their best recipes and shares them with the world.
Speaker 2: That's a great way to put it. Yeah, and just
Speaker 2: like a potluck. The beauty of open source software is
Speaker 2: that it's constantly evolving and improving thanks to the contributions
Speaker 2: of countless developers around the globe.
Speaker 1: And the best part is that it's often completely free
Speaker 1: to use. But with so many options out there, yeah,
Speaker 1: it can be a little overwhelming to know where to even.
Speaker 2: Start, that's true, But the book highlights some fantastic open
Speaker 2: source tools that can really supercharge your vps. One that
Speaker 2: particularly stands out is Moodle.
Speaker 1: Moodle that sounds intriguing, tell me more so.
Speaker 2: Moodle is an open source learning management system that's used
Speaker 2: by educators and organizations worldwide. To create online courses, deliver
Speaker 2: training programs, and build collaborative learning environments.
Speaker 1: Wow, so you can actually create your own online university
Speaker 1: with moodle. That's incredible. What if I'm not an educator? Though?
Speaker 1: Are there any open source tools that would be helpful for, say,
Speaker 1: a small business owner?
Speaker 2: Absolutely? So. The book also mentions awstiket okay, which.
Speaker 1: Is a powerful help desk and customer support ticketing system.
Speaker 2: So you could potentially ditch those expensive customer support platforms
Speaker 2: and mana everything right from your VPS.
Speaker 1: Precisely, Wow, aw stinke. It allows you to track customer inquiries,
Speaker 1: assign tickets to your team, and even build a knowledge
Speaker 1: base to empower customers to solve those common issues on
Speaker 1: their own.
Speaker 2: That's amazing. It's like having your own personal customer support team,
Speaker 2: all powered by open source software. Speaking of doing things yourself,
Speaker 2: the book also mentions something called your RLS.
Speaker 1: Ah. Yes, your RLS is a tool that lets you
Speaker 1: create your own custom shortened URLs.
Speaker 2: Okay.
Speaker 1: You know. Think of those long, unwieldy links you often
Speaker 1: see on social media or in presentations. Right, your RLS
Speaker 1: lets you transform them into short, memorable links, often using
Speaker 1: your own domain name.
Speaker 2: So it's not just about making links shorter, it's about
Speaker 2: making them look more professional and be easier to remember exactly.
Speaker 1: And for those who are particularly concerned about privacy, the
Speaker 1: book dives into open VPN. Open VPN. That one rings
Speaker 1: a bell. I think I've heard that mentioned in conversations
Speaker 1: about like online security and anonymity.
Speaker 2: You're on the right track. OpenVPN is an open source
Speaker 2: tool that allows you to create your own virtual private
Speaker 2: network or VPN.
Speaker 1: Okay. VPNs are definitely a hot topic these days, but
Speaker 1: can you remind me what they actually do.
Speaker 2: Yeah, So a VPN creates a secure, encrypted tunnel between
Speaker 2: your computer and the internet, Okay, and all of your
Speaker 2: online traffic is routed through that tunnel, making it much
Speaker 2: harder for anyone to snoop on your activity or steal
Speaker 2: your data.
Speaker 1: So it's like having a secret passageway for all your
Speaker 1: online communications.
Speaker 2: That's a great way to visualize it. And when you
Speaker 2: run OpenVPN on your vps, you're essentially creating your own
Speaker 2: personal VPN server that you can connect to from anywhere
Speaker 2: in the world and enjoy the benefits of that enhanced
Speaker 2: security and privacy.
Speaker 1: That sounds incredibly useful. Especially when using public Wi Fi
Speaker 1: or traveling to countries with Internet restrictions.
Speaker 2: Exactly, and those are just a few examples. The book
Speaker 2: actually mentions even more open source tools like ODO for
Speaker 2: business management, Lime Survey for conducting surveys, Mailman for running
Speaker 2: mailing lists, Phoenix KRT for building an e commerce store,
Speaker 2: and media wiki for creating your own collaborative wiki.
Speaker 1: It's incredible how much you can actually do with the
Speaker 1: VPS and the power of open source software.
Speaker 2: No, no, it's really impressive.
Speaker 1: Feels like we've only scratched the surface of what's possible.
Speaker 2: Definitely, But even in this you know, short deep dive,
Speaker 2: I think we've learned some valuable lessons about vps's. We've
Speaker 2: gone from you know, understanding what they are and how
Speaker 2: they work, to actually, you know, getting hands on with
Speaker 2: basic Linux commands and then exploring you know, ways to
Speaker 2: secure and maintain our server.
Speaker 1: And it feels empowering to realize that we now have
Speaker 1: the knowledge and the tools to take control of our
Speaker 1: own little corner of the Internet.
Speaker 2: It is. That's the beauty of it. And remember, with
Speaker 2: open source software, the learning never stops. There's always something
Speaker 2: new to explore, something new to create.
Speaker 1: I want to thank you for being such a fantastic
Speaker 1: guide on this journey.
Speaker 2: It's been my pleasure.
Speaker 1: It's been really eye opening, and to everyone listening, thanks
Speaker 1: for joining us on the deep dive. We hope this
Speaker 1: deep dive has inspired you to explore the possibilities of
Speaker 1: vps's and that amazing world of open source software. Until
Speaker 1: next time, keep diving deeper, keep learning, and keep creating.