Speed is a funny thing. No matter how much we have, we always want more. Computers continue to get faster, and users expect websites to keep up with that need for speed.
Your dedicated server is just another computer, and there are certain steps you can take that might make it a little faster. [...]
Server configuration can be time consuming, even if you happen to have a web-based control panel. On Linux-based dedicated servers, you can find configuration files for most of the applications and services in the /etc directory. These are text files that are not difficult to edit, but they do often require you to [...]
Servers use power, and the more dedicated servers you have, the more of an energy bill you will have to pay. Excessive energy consumption also negatively impacts the environment. Therefore, whether your motivation is for the first, the latter, or both, you will most likely want find ways to reduce power usage on [...]
One interesting feature of Linux is the freedom to create your own variation, usually called a distribution. Because of this, there are probably hundreds of Linux distributions, each with their own feature set, default packages, and general focus.
No particular distribution is considered clearly better than the others, although many Linux users will debate this [...]
YUM is the package manager of choice for many Linux distributions, particularly Red Hat Enterprise Linux, CentOS, and Fedora. Other RHEL-based distributions also use YUM. When using a dedicated server, such as those offered by hosting company 34sp.com, you will most likely manage packages from the command line via SSH.
YUM has [...]
When I first decided to get a dedicated server, it was for the purpose of hosting my own websites. It gave me the power, freedom, and flexibility to expand my sites and run them the way I wanted. Over time, however, I began hosting sites for a select few other people who paid [...]
SSH is a powerful tool for Unix and Linux server users, giving them remote access to the system command line shell. If you run a dedicated server that hosts other websites or employs other system users with shell access, you may want to consider setting up a custom greeting message for your users.
A greeting [...]
APT (Advanced Packaging Tool) is the package management system for Debian GNU/Linux and Debian-based operating systems such as Ubuntu. Some Red Hat, CentOS and SUSE Linux users may also prefer to use APT, although it is not the default. As we have previously discussed, the main command for APT is “apt-get” followed by [...]
A virtual machine is a great tool for testing server implementations, web applications, and new operating system versions. It is also great for development environments and can even be used on mobile computers to make work easier. Nevertheless, there are also situations where you might benefit from long-term or permanent virtualization.
The essential premise [...]
One of the fears some system administrators have expressed regarding cloud computing is that it can potentially lock your data into proprietary software, and that is compounded by having that software hosted remotely. You are essentially trusting all of your data and applications to a service provider that may or may not be around [...]
One of the beautiful features of SSH (Secure Shell) is the ability to use its encryption for other protocols. Although the primary function of SSH is to give the user access to a dedicated server’s command line shell, while also maintaining a secure connection, SSH can also function as a “tunnel” for remote management, [...]
When you have problems with a dedicated server, the natural instinct is to check for software failures, hacker attacks, and even hardware issues. But one possible cause for server trouble that should not be overlooked is bad network connectivity.
On a Linux or Unix server, there are many ways to evaluate network latency, connection strength, [...]
For more than a decade, MySQL has been at the forefront of dedicated server technology, with millions of websites all over the world relying on the database to power their dynamic websites. It has become so prevailen that it is included in the popular web development stack called LAMP (Linux Apache MySQL and PHP).
As [...]
Server security can be complex and time consuming. Therefore, even if you are not responsible for your server’s security, it is a good idea to know security terminology. A brute force attack occurs when a hacker attempts to gain access to a dedicated server or VPS using a standard login (SSH, mail server, [...]
Even a seasoned system administrator cannot locate every single vulnerability on a dedicated server. From the misconfiguration of services to outdated versions of user-installed scripts, the list of possible vulnerabilities can grow quite long. You could easily spend several hours each day, reading security news reports, scouring logs, testing web applications, and monitoring [...]
When you have website errors or connection problems with your dedicated server, a good place to look for issues is the Apache log directory. There, you will find access logs, error logs, and others. On Red Hat Enterprise Linux, CentOS, and Fedora, the log files are typically located in /var/log/httpd. On Debian-based [...]
One of the most frightening things that can happen to a server is to be hit with a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. For the company, organization, or individual responsible for the website or multiple sites being victimized, it can generate a feeling of helplessness. Although there may not be [...]
Apache HTTP Server is a robust choice for a web server because it is modular. You can conceivably add an unlimited number of modules to Apache to extend functionality, security, or added features. Furthermore, many Linux distributions include numerous Apache modules by default. In some cases you might not even use them.
Modules [...]
It is never an easy decision to decide to purchase or lease a dedicated server. The increased cost and responsibility is more than some are willing to take on, unless they absolutely must. Virtual private servers (VPS) are a good way to have the best of both worlds: the autonomy of a dedicated [...]
At one time, it was almost expected that a business would have a “server room” that held both their application server and web server. They also had on-site or regional technicians who managed those servers locally, visiting or even residing in the server room during work hours. As businesses have increasingly become globalized [...]
For those who do not know, SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, and is a security feature, supported by most web servers, that encrypts web data using HTTPS rather than HTTP. For normal web browsing, SSL will probably not make much of a difference, but we live in a time when dynamic web sites [...]
“The Cloud” is the latest tech buzzword, and although the term has been around for quite a while, it is starting to gain attention among the general public, particularly due to some oft-aired commercials by Microsoft. The business world is not immune to the hype, and some terminology you might have come across when [...]
