Complete Ubuntu Server Setup Guide for VPS

Setting up an Ubuntu server properly is crucial for security, performance, and maintainability. This comprehensive guide covers everything from initial configuration to production-ready setup.

Initial Server Setup

Update System

# Update package lists
sudo apt update

# Upgrade all packages
sudo apt upgrade -y

# Install essential packages
sudo apt install -y curl wget git vim htop net-tools ufw

Create Non-Root User

# Add new user
sudo adduser yourusername

# Add user to sudo group
sudo usermod -aG sudo yourusername

# Switch to new user
su - yourusername

SSH Configuration

SSH Key Setup

# Generate SSH key pair on local machine
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"

# Copy public key to server
ssh-copy-id yourusername@your-server-ip

# Disable password authentication
sudo sed -i 's/#PasswordAuthentication yes/PasswordAuthentication no/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config

# Change SSH port (optional)
sudo sed -i 's/#Port 22/Port 2222/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config

# Restart SSH service
sudo systemctl restart sshd

Firewall Configuration

UFW Setup

# Enable UFW
sudo ufw enable

# Allow SSH (use custom port if changed)
sudo ufw allow 2222/tcp

# Allow HTTP and HTTPS
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp

# Check status
sudo ufw status

Web Server Installation

Nginx Installation

# Install Nginx
sudo apt install -y nginx

# Start and enable Nginx
sudo systemctl start nginx
sudo systemctl enable nginx

# Basic configuration
sudo vim /etc/nginx/sites-available/default

Apache Installation (Alternative)

# Install Apache
sudo apt install -y apache2

# Start and enable Apache
sudo systemctl start apache2
sudo systemctl enable apache2

Database Setup

MySQL/MariaDB Installation

# Install MariaDB
sudo apt install -y mariadb-server

# Secure installation
sudo mysql_secure_installation

# Create database and user
sudo mysql -u root -p

PostgreSQL Installation

# Install PostgreSQL
sudo apt install -y postgresql postgresql-contrib

# Switch to postgres user
sudo -u postgres psql

# Create database and user
CREATE DATABASE yourdb;
CREATE USER youruser WITH PASSWORD 'yourpassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE yourdb TO youruser;

SSL/TLS Certificates

Let's Encrypt with Certbot

# Install Certbot
sudo apt install -y certbot python3-certbot-nginx

# Obtain certificate
sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com

# Test renewal
sudo certbot renew --dry-run

Monitoring and Logging

System Monitoring

# Install monitoring tools
sudo apt install -y htop iotop ncdu

# Install monitoring stack
sudo apt install -y prometheus-node-exporter

# Check system resources
htop
df -h
free -h

Log Management

# Install log rotation
sudo apt install -y logrotate

# Configure logrotate for custom logs
sudo vim /etc/logrotate.d/yourapp

Security Hardening

Automatic Updates

# Install unattended-upgrades
sudo apt install -y unattended-upgrades

# Configure automatic updates
sudo dpkg-reconfigure --priority=low unattended-upgrades

Fail2Ban Installation

# Install Fail2Ban
sudo apt install -y fail2ban

# Configure jails
sudo vim /etc/fail2ban/jail.local

# Restart service
sudo systemctl restart fail2ban

Backup Strategy

Automated Backups

# Create backup directory
sudo mkdir -p /backup

# Create backup script
sudo vim /usr/local/bin/backup.sh

Cron Jobs for Automation

# Edit crontab
sudo crontab -e

# Add backup job (daily at 2 AM)
0 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/backup.sh

Performance Optimization

System Tuning

# Optimize sysctl settings
sudo vim /etc/sysctl.conf

# Apply changes
sudo sysctl -p

Nginx Optimization

# Optimize Nginx configuration
sudo vim /etc/nginx/nginx.conf

# Test configuration
sudo nginx -t

# Reload Nginx
sudo systemctl reload nginx

Final Steps

System Information

# Check system status
sudo systemctl status nginx
sudo systemctl status mysql
sudo ufw status

# System information
uname -a
lsb_release -a

Documentation

Keep detailed documentation of your setup, including:

• Server specifications
• Installed software versions
• Configuration changes
• Backup procedures
• Emergency contacts

Your Ubuntu server is now properly configured and ready for production use. Regular maintenance, monitoring, and security updates are essential for keeping your server secure and performant.