Ubuntu
Ubuntu Server notes: initial setup, updates, hardening, networking and services, tested on current LTS releases.
-
rsync Backups That Actually Work — No Excuses
rsync backups that hold up: trailing-slash rules, dry runs, hard-link snapshots with --link-dest, rotation, pull over SSH with rrsync, a timer.
Running Linux -
Installing Docker on Ubuntu the Right Way (Not the Snap Version)
Install Docker Engine + the compose plugin from Docker's official apt repo on Ubuntu/Debian, ditch the snap, and fix log growth and the UFW bypass.
Running Linux -
Linux Disk Full: Finding What's Eating Your Space
Disk full on Linux: df, du, ncdu, deleted-but-open files, inodes, journald, Docker and snap leftovers, and how to free space safely.
Running Linux -
Run Your Own Daemon with systemd — Writing Service Unit Files
Write a systemd service unit that survives reboots and crashes: anatomy, restart policy, env files, sandboxing, drop-in overrides, gotchas.
Running Linux -
Nginx Reverse Proxy: The Config I Actually Use
A working nginx reverse proxy on Ubuntu: proxy headers, WebSockets, Let's Encrypt via certbot, a catch-all server, and the 502/413 gotchas.
Running Linux -
UFW Firewall Rules That Don't Lock You Out
UFW on Ubuntu and Debian without the lockout: SSH first, a dead-man switch, rule order, subnet and game ports, and the Docker bypass.
Running Linux -
fail2ban: Stop Getting Hammered on SSH and Nginx
fail2ban for SSH and nginx on Ubuntu 24.04 / Debian 12-13: jail.local, systemd backend, a custom scanner filter, testing with fail2ban-regex, and gotchas.
Running Linux -
Linux Log Rotation with logrotate — Before Your Disk Fills Up
logrotate for your own apps on Ubuntu/Debian: a working config, create vs copytruncate, postrotate reloads, maxsize, testing with -d, common traps.
Running Linux -
Linux User Management — adduser, Groups, sudo and SSH Keys
Admin and service users on Ubuntu/Debian: adduser vs useradd, groups, sudoers drop-ins, SSH keys with correct permissions, and locking users properly.
Running Linux -
Set Up Automatic Security Updates on Ubuntu and Debian
unattended-upgrades on Ubuntu and Debian: enable it, pick origins, decide on auto-reboot, test with --dry-run, read the logs. Plus the gotchas that bite.
Running Linux -
Ubuntu Server Initial Setup Checklist (2026 Edition)
The first 20 minutes on a fresh Ubuntu 24.04 server: updates, sudo user, SSH keys, sshd drop-ins, UFW, fail2ban, auto-updates, swap, journald. In order.
Running Linux