[Help] DigitalOcean tutorial

Hi guys!

I have a small request about VPSs from DigitalOcean. I know they only sell unmanaged VPS and that's a plus for some people and I thought it would be for me too (because I thought I'd learn more about configuring one), but it has proven to be pretty difficult.I have been successfuly using them for small blogs and I liked it, but I think a VPS has more potential.
I do know how to install Apache and Wordpress (takes about 5 min + some extra time to "enable" the custom permalinks - mod rewrite- and some other usefull stuff such as GD library, incrase max file size, etc...), but it's not very efficient just to install Wordpress. If I'm not wrong, a VPS should be well optimized in order to function properly. If I have close to 100 visitors at a time on my website, it crashes and I have to manually restart it everytime. I don't have these spikes all day, just some link posts getting "viral" on facebook. My shared hosting was able to handle even 10-15k visitors/day, but I wanted to try to host it myself on a VPS. I'm currently using the $5 droplet, thought I'd upgrade if necessary but I think the current droplet should be able to handle 100 visitors at a time (it's not like that all day). Also, the visitors don't spend much time on the website, they come, see a funny picture (or few more) and then they leave.
I've read some tutorials and documentation about it and some people recommend using nginx instead of Apache (for Wordpress). Also, there are long debates between CentOS and Ubuntu (I'm using Centos 6.5), but for a newbie like it's hard to decide.

So, here come the questions:
1) What OS would you recommend? (CentOS or Ubuntu) (x32 or x64)
2) Apache or Nginx ?
3) Do you happen to know/have a detailed tutorial on optimizing a Linux VPS for Wordpress ?
I'd really want to learn it myself but starting from the scratch is taking too long and I needed a quick solution for now. I really like Linux and I want to learn more about it, but right now I'm looking for a solution to my problem, so please, don't say: "Get this 1000 pages long book about Linux and you might be able to figure it out yourself."

Thank you!

Hmm, crashes with 100 hits? That doesnt sound good even for non-optimized droplet.

I decided to move to Digital Ocean with one of my sites, but you just made me doubt that decision.

They are good, I've had this problem after I installed nginx instead of Apache, it used to work a little better before (when using Apache, but I decided it's time to switch to nginx ). Obviously, I did something wrong, that's why I needed a good tutorial, to fully understand it's "power" and how it should be done. I've never heard anyone complaining about them, but in my case I see it as a "powerful tool in the hands of a baby". I simply do not know how to use it properly

Read the community docs, use nginx with wordpress and install APC to run W3Cache search on G for a tutorial it will work better.

If you would ever exept that a 512Ram machine with wordpress poorly installed to handle 15k you are daydreaming. The shared that are refering uses 128gRan and multiple processors

I never expected to handle 15k, I want about 3-4k per day, but to handle some spikes.

Bumpy bumpy bump Still waiting for an answer to the first 2 questions
Edit: Resolved!

My VPS now handles easily spikes of 250 visitors, I've had no problems whatsoever and I'm running image based website.
If there are any people looking for a solution here's what I did (following Community Forum)
1) Install Ubuntu 12.04 x32, nginx (and every requirements, all according to the tutorial on the forum)
2) Created a swap file (512MB, tutorial found on DigitalOcean)

So far so good. I'll still be tweaking my droplet over the next few days, but I've managed to do what I desperately needed, all on a $5 VPS. BTW, Ice, I've had today 11k visitors (unique) and there are 2 hours left 'till midnight.
My conclusion, it really is possible.

lord1027 said:

Bumpy bumpy bump Still waiting for an answer to the first 2 questions
Edit: Resolved!

My VPS now handles easily spikes of 250 visitors, I've had no problems whatsoever and I'm running image based website.
If there are any people looking for a solution here's what I did (following Community Forum)
1) Install Ubuntu 12.04 x32, nginx (and every requirements, all according to the tutorial on the forum)
2) Created a swap file (512MB, tutorial found on DigitalOcean)

So far so good. I'll still be tweaking my droplet over the next few days, but I've managed to do what I desperately needed, all on a $5 VPS. BTW, Ice, I've had today 11k visitors (unique) and there are 2 hours left 'till midnight.
My conclusion, it really is possible.

Click to expand...

Hello.

You can install trial licensed Litespeed on your server so that you can continue to use it for another 1 month after 1 month by simply changing the snapshot.
Nginx better than Litespeed.

kadirphp said:

Hello.

You can install trial licensed Litespeed on your server so that you can continue to use it for another 1 month after 1 month by simply changing the snapshot.
Nginx better than Litespeed.

Click to expand...

after 4 years do you really think that OP is still waiting for solution?