Digitalocean Ubuntu configuration

[justoverclock]

Hello guys, i’m back!
to learn how to manage a droplet, i’ve buyed a new server at digitalocean and migrated (under construction) my old justoverclock website to a ghost cms (that is so difficult to configure for me).

the website works (but is half english and half italian for now, idk how to translate).

and now i’m about to install flarum but i have “experience problem”. first of all i’ve installed mysql (i think is ok).

and i want to install php my admin because i know how to use it. but i can’t install apache, it doesnt work following the various resource on internet…i’m really frustrated and stucked.

is my very FIRST experience with droplet so be gentle if i made stupid questions.

[phenomlab]

@justoverclock I’ve rebuilt this droplet with Virtualmin, and have completed the below

• Setup domain justoverlock.it so that it points to the new server
• Secured the site with HTTPS using let’s encrypt
• Installed PHPMyAdmin
• Installed NodeJS version 14.x (supported by Ghost and recommended)
• Installed and base configured GHOST.
• Configured nginx.conf to use reverse proxy as below

location / {
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    proxy_set_header Host $http_host;
    proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:2368;
}
 
client_max_body_size 50m;

Now ready at https://justoverclock.it

We should discuss the following

• Backup plans
• Additional memory for server, as 1Gb RAM is leaving things a little “short”
• Maintenance (all latest updates have been installed) - handover back to you when you are comfortable.

[phenomlab]

@justoverclock Welcome back !! Great to have you here. Can you provide the droplet details using the secure chat function ? I’ll need a bit more info.

[gotwf]

@justoverclock Yeah, ghost can be a real b***h to set up if not using their blessed config. But it is doable. And once done, easily cloned should you have your sights set on a blog farm.

After years/decades of analysis whilst watching the CMS space grow up I noted a change in my use case perspective: KISS Engineering. Just because we can whiz bang thangs… does not necessarily always mean that we should. Hence, modern times I have come to favor static blog generators, for what little bee-loggin’ I do.

If you wan/need a farm type set up, Apache Roller is pretty mature offering supporting PostgreSQL, imho a far superior choice for instances where there is a need of an rdbms to handle the heavy lifting. Otherwise, if must mysql, maybe take a gander at Percona, eh? It offers some sweet clustering features.

tl;dr… Yeah, ghost offers modern function and form. Apache Roller feels more “mature, professional” but comparatively lagging in modern accoutrements. But does not integrate with NodeBB. Hmm… come to think of it… maybe recent versions of Ghost and NodeBB do not either?.. .

Edit: fwiw, I use Cryogen Web. It is clojure based and offers a handy, dandy REPL

!Aye, caramba!! I almost forget to suggest giving NodeBB consideration.

[justoverclock]

@phenomlab so first of all i have these problems.

• my website justoverclock.it seems work only without www
• i do not know how to configure and reach phpmyadmin
• i do not know how to mantain this droplet

@phenomlab i will give u full detail but where is the chat?

@gotwf is really difficult as first experience from me…i do not know how to customize ghost…i feel frustrated

[phenomlab]

@justoverclock said in Digitalocean Ubuntu configuration:

i will give u full detail but where is the chat?

Top right hand corner

[justoverclock]

@phenomlab done!

[gotwf]

@justoverclock said in Digitalocean Ubuntu configuration:

my website justoverclock.it seems work only without www

Seems you are using HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) but your webserver’s certificate does not include “www.justoverclock.it” in the Sub Alt Names section:

Solution is to either have another cert generated that does or not use HSTS.

I use Let’s Encrypt and previously unfamiliar with ZeroSSL. Seems they may be repackaging Let’s Encrypt to be more available/accessible to non expert types. In which case I expect you should be able to regenerate the cert to include subject alt name for “www” variant and be good to go.

Edit: I guess a third option might be to remove the www A record and live without it but then that kind of sucks because some browsers prepend it whether user types it in or not.

[phenomlab]

@gotwf I’m looking at this now. The WWW record is there, but the cert doesn’t cover it as you’ve pointed out. I guess we could just place a redirect at Apache or NGINX level to get around this.

[gotwf]

@phenomlab I could remedy this in moments via Dehydrated and Let’s Encrypt so am presuming the GUI’zed offering at ZeroSSL sports some clickery to achieve same. That would be the preferred solution.

[phenomlab]

@gotwf The real issue here is that @justoverclock isn’t an expert with Linux, so we’re going to rebuilt this droplet using Webmin and Virtualmin. This will give him a way of managing the entire server using a GUI (us old crusties prefer the command line of course), and using Virtualmin will allow him to use Let’s Encrypt.

He’ll just need nodejs installed (MySQL, PHP, and NGINX are installed as part of the build), so it’s a simple case of installing Ghost after that, then recovering his site and DB from backup.

[phenomlab]

@justoverclock I’ve rebuilt this droplet with Virtualmin, and have completed the below

• Setup domain justoverlock.it so that it points to the new server
• Secured the site with HTTPS using let’s encrypt
• Installed PHPMyAdmin
• Installed NodeJS version 14.x (supported by Ghost and recommended)
• Installed and base configured GHOST.
• Configured nginx.conf to use reverse proxy as below

location / {
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    proxy_set_header Host $http_host;
    proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:2368;
}
 
client_max_body_size 50m;

Now ready at https://justoverclock.it

We should discuss the following

• Backup plans
• Additional memory for server, as 1Gb RAM is leaving things a little “short”
• Maintenance (all latest updates have been installed) - handover back to you when you are comfortable.

[justoverclock]

@phenomlab great work as always, now i’ve noticed a terrible problem…

all my email @justoverclock.it that previously works…are now stopped…there’s a way to have it again?

[phenomlab]

@justoverclock said in Digitalocean Ubuntu configuration:

all my email @justoverclock.it that previously works…are now stopped…there’s a way to have it again?

As discussed over PM, this is now resolved and confirmed working.

[justoverclock]

@phenomlab yes, it a confirmation that sudonix (phenomlab) is a great resource for everyone like me is at first attempt to manage a server…

i do not have words to say thanks

[phenomlab]

@justoverclock From what I see now, you just need to setup your forum. I think you’re good to go at this point, so (as per PM) I’m handing this server back to you. At some point (very soon - let’s not forget), we need to discuss backup policies etc.

Create a snapshot once you’re done, so if the worst comes to it, you can get everything back.

[gotwf]

@phenomlab said in Digitalocean Ubuntu configuration:

Create a snapshot once you’re done, so if the worst comes to it, you can get everything back.

[justoverclock]

@phenomlab yep sure, now i’ve just noticed that forum.justoverclock.it is not reacheable on my phone but works on my pc…

[phenomlab]

@justoverclock works fine on my phone.

[justoverclock]

@phenomlab is a mystery…on my iphone does not work…and i’m on the same wifi of my house

[phenomlab]

@justoverclock does it work on 4g ?