Step-by-step help for your hosting

• Free SSL for IIS with win-acme and Let's Encrypt

  Use win-acme to get a free Let's Encrypt certificate for an IIS site, renew it automatically and redirect visitors to HTTPS.

  IntermediateWindows server2 min read

• Install IIS and host a website on Windows Server

  Install IIS, create a site with a host-name binding, point your domain's DNS at the server and allow HTTP and HTTPS through the firewall.

  IntermediateWindows server2 min read

• Create Windows users with Remote Desktop access

  Give each person their own Windows login, add them to Remote Desktop Users, test the account and remove access cleanly later.

  BeginnerWindows server2 min read

• Schedule tasks with cron on Linux

  Write crontab entries with confidence: the five time fields, working examples, logging output, avoiding overlapping runs and checking that jobs actually ran.

  BeginnerLinux server3 min read

• Monitor CPU, memory, disk and logs on a Linux server

  A practical toolkit for checking load, CPU, memory, disk, network and logs on a Linux VPS, with what each number means and when it is a problem.

  BeginnerLinux server3 min read

• Install PostgreSQL and create your first database

  Install PostgreSQL, create a role and database for your app, enable password logins, connect remotely without exposing the port, and take backups with pg_dump.

  IntermediateLinux server3 min read

• Install and secure MariaDB or MySQL, and allow remote access safely

  Install MariaDB (or MySQL), lock it down, create a least-privilege app user, and connect remotely the safe way: an SSH tunnel or a single allowed IP.

  IntermediateLinux server3 min read

• Deploy a Node.js app with PM2 behind Nginx

  Install a Node.js LTS release, keep your app running with PM2 across crashes and reboots, and serve it through Nginx with HTTPS.

  IntermediateLinux server3 min read

• Secure Nginx with a free Let's Encrypt SSL certificate

  Install Certbot, issue a free certificate for your domain, redirect HTTP to HTTPS and make sure renewal runs on its own.

  BeginnerLinux server2 min read

• Install Nginx and host your first website

  Install Nginx, open ports 80 and 443, create a server block for your domain, and learn the test-then-reload routine that keeps a site online.

  BeginnerLinux server2 min read

• Set the time zone and keep the clock in sync (NTP)

  Pick the right time zone with timedatectl, keep the clock accurate with systemd-timesyncd or chrony, and avoid surprises with cron and logs.

  BeginnerLinux server2 min read

• Change your Windows server password safely

  Two safe ways to change the password on a Windows VPS or Admin RDP, how to test it without locking yourself out, and what to update afterwards.

  BeginnerWindows server2 min read

• Fix "No space left on device" when the disk isn't full (inodes)

  Linux says no space left on device but df -h shows free space? Use df -i to confirm inode exhaustion, find the folder with millions of files and clean it up safely.

  IntermediateLinux server7 min read

• Automating server maintenance with cron jobs and shell scripting

  Build a small set of shell scripts and cron jobs that handle cleanup, backups and log rotation on your Linux VPS, with locking and logging so each run is predictable.

  IntermediateLinux server6 min read

• Using inotify-tools to Monitor File System Changes in Real-Time on Linux

  Install inotify-tools on a Linux VPS, watch directories with inotifywait, tune the kernel watch limits and run a persistent file-change watcher as a systemd service.

  AdvancedLinux server6 min read

• Setting up a private reverse proxy with Nginx and an internal API

  Keep an internal API off the public internet by binding it to loopback or a private address, then let Nginx publish only the routes you choose. Includes firewall, TLS and SELinux notes.

  IntermediateLinux server7 min read

• Implementing secure file transfer with SFTP over SSH keys

  Generate an SSH key pair, install the public key on your Linux VPS, and use it to move files with SFTP — no passwords, and ready for scripts and cron jobs.

  IntermediateLinux server6 min read

• Using netstat and ss for detailed network connection analysis on Linux

  Learn how to use netstat and ss to list listening ports, inspect established connections and trace which process owns a socket on a Linux VPS.

  IntermediateLinux server7 min read

• Automating server restarts and health checks with systemd services

  Combine systemd restart policies, a timer-driven health check script and a watchdog to restart Linux services automatically when they crash or hang.

  IntermediateLinux server6 min read

• Using lsof to identify processes consuming high amounts of server resources

  Use the lsof command to find which process holds a port, file or deleted log open on your Linux VPS, and fix the resource problem at its source.

  IntermediateLinux server6 min read

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