From time to time, you may need to make changes to your Apache HTTP Server configuration file, especially if you are optimizing your web server for performance. Once you have completed changes, they will not come into effect until you restart your web server. This, however, would mean downtime, however briefly, for [...]
In general, you may not have a reason to ever think about the file system your server is using. Most Linux distributions will automatically format your drive to its default file system unless you use an advanced install method. For many years, Ext3 has been the standard for most Linux distributions. Now, some are switching [...]
Previously, we revealed some helpful security tips for Apache web servers. Today, we are back with more tips to help boost your Apache performance.
1. Prefer mod_disk_cache over mod_mem_cache – Having a caching module is definitely a good idea for Apache, but you should use mod_disk_cache rather than mod_mem_cache. The latter [...]
PHP is a server-side scripting language that is among the most popular choices for web applications. Web administrators love it, and some of the world’s top websites rely on it. Because it uses server-side scripting, however, there are inherent risks involved with using it. By knowing those risks and how to deal with them, you [...]
When you have problems with your server, one of the first things you might want to check is your networking. Slow transfer speeds or incomplete delivery might be signs of network problems. The following are some network troubleshooting tools for Linux servers.
Nmap – Great for network auditing, Nmap offers port scanning, ping [...]
Ubuntu is the most popular desktop Linux solution, and because of this, many system administrators have become comfortable using it even on the server. Ubuntu does offer a server edition, and it is just as powerful and useful as any of the other Linux server distributions. This brief guide will explain how to install Webmin, [...]
On Debian-based systems, the APT package management system stores downloaded packages even after you have installed them and keeps the handy in case you want to reinstall without having to re-download. After a certain amount of time, you might decide you no longer need to keep these packages around, especially if they are taking up [...]
Ncurses a program for POSIX-compliant operating systems (Linux, Unix, BSD, etc) that is designed to provide a text-based visual interface for a variety of tools. Essentially, programs that rely on ncurses can display GUI-like interfaces within a terminal emulator that support keyboard and even mouse navigation just as a true GUI program would.
Some of the [...]
One of the most common methods of archiving files on a Linux or Unix server is called tar. Tar can store any number of files in individual archives and can be used in conjunction with compression programs like gzip and bzip2. Normally, when you want to extract files from a tarball, you simply run the [...]
Linux has a very unique method of installing applications. Most Linux distributions rely on package management systems that download package archives containing all of the files for an application and then copy them to their correct locations. Once the files are installed, any changes you make to them can affect the functionality of the app. [...]
It may look similar to a dirty word, but we can assure you that fsck is a tool that can make your dedicated server’s filesystem squeaky clean. With this easy command, you can check for errors and fix them.
To begin you will need to access your server’s command line interface. You can use SSH [...]
Most modern websites run on some type of dynamic content management system. Many of them are powered by MySQL databases. In the event that you need to manually search for some information, there are two primary ways that you can search your database: 1) the MySQL command-line interface, and 2) a web-based interface like phpMyAdmin.
Command [...]
Today’s IT workers are often on the go and still need access to their servers. Fortunately, those with Android devices have several options for remote connectivity. Whether you need to transfer files or access your shell remotely, there is an app for that.
The following apps are not the only options for Android, but they serve [...]
Many system administrators have taken a liking to web-based control panels to manage their dedicated servers. While a control panel certainly has its benefits in some situations, there are still some areas of server management where there is no substitute for having shell access. SSH allows you to remotely connect to your server’s shell, providing [...]
When you manually install software, web apps, or just general files, you probably use something like FTP or SFTP to upload your files. In most instances that is sufficient, but sometimes it is quicker and easier to download the files directly from their source to your server, bypassing your local computer completely. To do this, [...]
By default, websites powered by Apache HTTP Server are case sensitive. That means yourwebsite.com/Bunnies will take you to a different page than yourwebsite.com/bunnies. Generally speaking it is a good idea to leave this default configuration as is. There are, however, instances when you might want Apache to be case insensitive. For example, if you have [...]
When you manage a dedicated server, you will almost certainly spend a considerable amount of time working from the command line, probably via SSH. If so, you will encounter Bash or a shell similar to it. While you can accomplish pretty much anything with various commands, you can increase efficiency by learning some of the [...]
There comes a time in the life of a server when one is simply not enough. When that occurs, many organizations setup some type of server cluster. Each individual machine becomes a node that interfaces with the collective whole, rather than an individual server by itself.
There are several open source tools that you can use [...]
A Linux dedicated server is all about commands. At some point, you will inevitably need to manage it from SSH (Secure Shell), which means you will be presented with a command line interface. While you may already know some commands, it is nice to see what the server offers as a whole. You can do [...]
In previous posts, we learned how to use Virtualbox to create a virtual machine, install a guest operating system, and then use the VM as a test server. Now that you know how to make a test server, you might want to know how to run it on a [...]
Apache HTTP Server can run in a single instance, one host per server, or as multiple virtual hosts, allowing you to have several websites. Manually setting up virtual hosts can be a bit of a pain, and paying for a commercial control panel may not be in your budget. With the free and open source [...]
Occasionally, you may need to execute a command on your server at an odd time. It can be a nuisance to have to wake up at 4 in the morning to run a software update or some other mundane task. You could setup a cron job, but that is usually for recurring tasks and [...]
When you have a dedicated server, it can sometimes be difficult to find the files you need. Tools like “find” and “grep” are always at your disposal, but as they dig through your mountain of data, they can take a good deal of time. Fortunately, Linux and Unix servers have a tool called “locate” that [...]
A man page is one of the most valuable tools available on a Linux dedicated server. Although the name might seem to imply something masculine, the word “man” is actually short for “manual”, and on a Linux server, you have probably not come close to unlocking its full potential until you have read some of [...]
The majority of dedicated servers connected to the web use Apache HTTP Server, a free and open source web server program. Many servers also run Linux-based operating systems and rely on open source database servers, such as MySQL. Free and open source software has become quite prolific on the web, and there are many advantages [...]
On most days, installing software will be easy. You need only login to your server and use its package manager to install the latest applications. On other days, it may be a bit more difficult, particularly if you need to use experimental software that is not yet in your operating system’s package repositories. One common [...]
Now that you have a virtual machine created, it needs an operating system. Just follow these simple steps:
With your virtual machine selected from the side panel, click the “Settings” button
Click the “storage” option
Click the “add attachment button” and then choose CD/DVD device”
You can then select an ISO to create a virtual drive. Alternatively, you [...]
You can use a dedicated server for a wide variety of tasks. It is not just limited to one particular type of hosting. What may prove to be an obstacle, however, is safely testing new applications and alternative uses for your server without the risk of harming active websites or even bringing the entire server [...]
Many of today’s dedicated servers run Linux distributions (such as CentOS) or Unix-like operating systems (such as FreeBSD). Therefore, it is very important to be familiar with Unix commands and how to get the most out of them, even if you spend most of your time managing your server from the comfort of a web-based [...]
Virtualization is one of most important advancements in computing. It allows the user to run one operating system within another, accessing and interacting with the hardware as though it were running natively. Over the past decade, the technology has progressed to the point where you can now run a virtual machine at nearly the same [...]
