To use VPS I need to be a sys admin?

[RAP]

Hi guys, I read a lot of people use VPS instead of shared hosting.
I've used both, but VPS was always managed.
I see a lot of good price for unmanaged VPS and now I ask:

In order to use it have I to be a sys admin?
I suppose you buy a VPS, then with putty you access to your VPS and then?
You install cpanel
You install web server
You install email server
You install sql server
You install ......

-- THEN --

you configure web server
you configure email server
.....
.....

-- THEN --

you have to maintain update web server
you have to maintain update email server
...
....

-- THEN --

you have to patch your web server to increase security
you have to patch your mail server to decrease soam
.....






All with VI editor or emacs???

I have an MSC in computer science, but this task is really hard even for me.

It seems a crazy work!

How do you manage your VPS?

 

[legion85]

Vi or Emacs are not needed. Good ole nano is more than enough.

No need to install cpanel. You do have to install apache (or nginx), mysql, php and extensions etc. No need for mail server if you're going to have a Wordpress page. Use a plugin that connects to a smtp server and sends emails if needed. about security: you have to enable ssh key based connection only (so only the approved keys are able to ssh) and enforce that with fail2ban or denyhosts (these two prevent bruteforce ssh attempts). That's the very basic stack that should be more than enough.

Use google cloud or amazon aws to learn. Does not cost anything and is a great place to start.

 

[Salamouna]

You install a panel
There is a free panel that you can use
not only Cpanel
then you manage other things using the panel not putty
most of the time I outsource this for 10$ on Fiverr

 

[dabz5]

Is there a good tutorial online for setting up a wordpress site on a vps server? I havent found many great ones myself

 

[RAP]

Thanks for replies guys.
But a self managed VPS is not secure like one fully managed.
Manage a server require a lot of skills, time, and a secure oriented mindset & professionalism.
Set up a server with a $10 gig is vulnerable in no time.
Am I wrong?

 

[Band Ozt]

So far centminmod is the best option for me https://centminmod.com/

 

[Technabyte]

There is a lot to learn when it comes to managing a vps youself. You need to install the web server and then deal with system security and server hardening. It will take a while to learn. To be honest, most people who manage their own vps don't use cPanel because they would just use the command line to do things. With the increased costs in cPanel licenses, you might as well go with a managed vps if you want to use unmanaged vps + cpanel. If you feel uncomfortable with managing your own vps just stick with a managed one.

 

[stromind]

I tend to disagree with most of the replies here,
now a days you dont need sys admin skills to manage a single vps. there are many cloud based control panels which can even cut the command line interface troubles and auto update the kernel and other packages automatically, You will manage the vps from a web url,
second method is to install a free control panel, i.e aapanel and you are good to go, once the installation is complete which is automated, you will get a link to admin panel and username password to login.
All you have to do is to select you want to install, from your mouse clicks on GUI. it has prebuild packages like if you choose to install LEMP or LAMP.
and if you use cloudrun or any other cloud based control panel you will not even need to run any script in your terminal it will do the job automatically for you.

 

[Lauren11]

Its not hard to manage vps once all the setup is done. GO a head start learning. Internet is vast you will find answer for everything.

 

[rafark]

Yes. Pretty much. You do need to be comfortable using the command line because sooner or later you'll find yourself having to run commands. If you have no programming background forget it. It's not for you. There are external services that help you manage your server at an extra cost like plex and serverpilot (I don't recommend the later, it's a waste of money) but then you'll find yourself spending as much as a regular shared hosting plan.

I have a cheap $3.5 a month plan with vultr for one of my sites and it works flawlessly for the price (unique ip, fast ssd, great chips, access to the root, etc). I can install any version and extension of PHP that I need. This VPS setup easily outperforms some shared hostings that are in the $10-15/m range.

 

[RAP]

Thanks for replies guys.
No problem here with linux command line, I use only linux on my PCs since 2004 I know it very well.
My concerns was about difficulty to manage it, install and configuring everything.
Example: if you use PHP, you've to spend a lot of time to configure it! Work on php.ini, add/exlude some libraries, patch it to increase security and so on.
Then the database, mail server (incoming/outcoming/spam/MX records....), configuring apache or nginx. firewall.
An enormous time consuming task!
There is a reason why sys admin earn big bucks, is not a work where the average guy can jump into it without years of experience on field.
Otherwise your VPS is really vulnerable in no time.
At the end... Time consumed to configure all, repay the non purchase of a fully managed VPS?

 

[Stitches and Burns]

I'm not a Linux sysadmin and I use a VPS.

If you don't want to spend hours reading and researching how to manage a VPS, you can instead use a managed service or application.

You can use Runcloud or Serverpilot to manage your VPS. Cloudways is also a great option.

 

[FatBee]

Thanks for replies guys.
But a self managed VPS is not secure like one fully managed.
Manage a server require a lot of skills, time, and a secure oriented mindset & professionalism.
Set up a server with a $10 gig is vulnerable in no time.
Am I wrong?

Im really sgainst your opinion.

Managed hosting is target of many!

While self managed hosting is target to less ppl and you have full control over it. I had more attacks on managed (or shared) hostings than self managed one :/

 

[Mysteriousrobyn]

I skip installig a cpanel

Is not having a cpanel (or alternative) have more risks in security?

 

[FatBee]

I skip installig a cpanel

Is not having a cpanel (or alternative) have more risks in security?

Best way to secure a server is manualy done.

 

[nirose]

It's going to be a learning curve but I think you are getting a little paranoid. It will likely take a little more time to get setup. but once you're done, you'll likely get to tinker, optimize, and play with more features than a managed server.

take it in steps. try docker. follow some guide with good reviews/comments and always don't forget to backup regularly and before tinkering with files and settings

getting a server and having someone in Fiverr install things is asking for a risk in the future. you don't know what they're going to install and hide from you.

 

[KJREDDY247@]

this thread is getting so informative for me keep dropping those gems

 

[tophi]

I started with shared hosting 12 years ago and about 8 on vps then dedicated. Since then I mange this by myself via putty. No interface at all , only command line, and I am not sysadmin. But yeah it is time consuming only at the begin. I have installed so many times nginx & php-fpm and sql ... just a copy paste work.
Firewall denyes all conections exxcept ssh and web. Some read/write premissions .
If someone want to hack you really I think there is no big difference if a pro sys admin will configure your server or you.

 

[stromind]

Thanks for replies guys.
No problem here with linux command line, I use only linux on my PCs since 2004 I know it very well.
My concerns was about difficulty to manage it, install and configuring everything.
Example: if you use PHP, you've to spend a lot of time to configure it! Work on php.ini, add/exlude some libraries, patch it to increase security and so on.
Then the database, mail server (incoming/outcoming/spam/MX records....), configuring apache or nginx. firewall.
An enormous time consuming task!
There is a reason why sys admin earn big bucks, is not a work where the average guy can jump into it without years of experience on field.
Otherwise your VPS is really vulnerable in no time.
At the end... Time consumed to configure all, repay the non purchase of a fully managed VPS?

as suggested by most, you dont need to tune things manually if you use cloudways serverpilot etc,
even if you use vestacp or aapanel your basic settings will be configured and after installation you are ready to host. Even if you want to change some parameters its very easy with GUI