If you’ve finally made the move from shared to private hosting, you are about to embark on a journey of learning and understanding how this type of hosting works. The idea of private hosting might sound intimidating considering that you will have more responsibility over the actual server, as it belongs to you and nobody else. That is why we’ve prepared a short guide on how to set up the Linux VPS server once you purchase a hosting plan. Read on to learn the first few steps to conquering private hosting!
Set Up Your Linux VPS
In order to set up your private hosting server, you first need to find the right Linux VPS service provider. If you’ve Googled Linux VPS already, you probably noticed that there are dozens of service providers out there, each competing for your attention.
When choosing the right Linux VPS for your needs, consider whether the provider offers a variety of pricing plans, whether their pricing fits your budget, and whether they have a reliable customer support team (you might need this)!
We recommend checking out MonoVM Linux VPS hosting, as they offer a variety of Linux server configurations in different locations in the world. Besides, they have a professional support team and a variety of price plans, which will come in handy when you need to meet a specific budget.
Once you choose the VPS hosting provider, you will have to understand how this service works. A private server means you get the entire server environment to yourself. This is great in the sense that you get a lot more space and privacy to operate. However, it also means that you are the only one who is responsible for maintaining and controlling the server, which requires some knowledge.
On a shared hosting plan, the service provider does most of the work, whereas with a private VPS you have to figure it out on your own. Using a VPS also means you will have to issue commands by using the command line instead of a graphical user interface. Since the command line might seem intimidating to beginners, you can always set up a hosting control panel to make the interaction with the service a bit easier.
Moving on, the next step to setting up your Linux VPS server is to log into the server via SSH. SSH is a security protocol known for its strong encryption and authentication procedures. This makes the server a lot more secure, as it hides sensitive data from third parties and hackers. The service provider will usually send you server’s information after you make a purchase, including the username, password, and IP address.
You will first get access to a root account, which is a label for a user who has full access to the server. As you go along, it would be a god idea to set up another user account that’s not the root of the server. We recommend this because root accounts are a lot more difficult to use since one wrong command can create an avalanche of problems. A side account with less authority will make the server operation much safer and easier for beginners.
To add a new account, enter the command adduser yournewusername and replace the second part with the actual username that you want to use. Then type # usernod – aG sudo yournewusername to give the account access to all the controls. When that is done, all you have left is to update the server if necessary. It is important to keep all your hardware and software up to date to avoid cybersecurity issues.
Once you log into the server, you will see a message that shows whether any updates are available. It is important not to miss out on new updates so if you do have a few packages that need to be updated, enter apt dist-upgrade and click enter to initiate the process. This might take a while depending on how many packages need to be updated.
Learn More about Linux VPS
Once you’ve logged into your new server, created another user account, and updated all its packages, you’ve done most of the work when it comes to the first few steps of setting up a Linux VPS server. Now you can consider setting up a firewall for your server to enhance security in general.
Keep in mind that private servers require a certain amount of knowledge, which means you will have to start learning about Linux servers and the way they operate. There are hundreds of online courses or even free video tutorials that will teach you how to navigate and control a private server. Don’t forget to check out MonoVM VPS services, as they won’t let you down in terms of quality and efficiency.
