Bits Build your own server: Part 2

http://www.bit-tech.net/bits/2007/07/24/build_your_own_better_server/1

You asked for it, you've got it. Ken Gypen is back with another Linux tutorial that builds on the last one, securing your ports and stripping out the bloat of your Ubuntu server.

 

Woohoo

 

brilliant stuff
cant wait to move house so i can set all this stuff up (and annoy my GF in the process)
would love a PDF tho

 

Man I've just finished setting everything up from the last one and along comes this

Mind you I added MythTV and Netatalk to the mix, and they took a bit of work to get working properly...

 

After playing around with clarkconnect, linux is still frustrating me. Actually, it's not linux per se, it's the total lack of support for hardware sometimes. Using ndis-wrapper just to attempt to get wireless working annoyed me no end.

It's good to see guides like this though, that show simple, easy to understand steps, hopefully we'll be seeing more Glider?

 

Nice article.

FC4 is pretty easy to install headlessly, if you just want a file/print/web server. And that was with only 128MB ram!

 

Wireless has come a long way, but still isn't there quite yet. I search for Linux supportive/native chipsets (like Realtek, Intel, ...) and buy those mostly

And more? Ask Brett, he forces me to do this

I have a webserver/MySQL dbase server running on a 600MHz with 28MB (32-4) of RAM based on Debian Ok, only for testing/development, but still

My student house server (Fileserver, Media server [plays music], printserver,...) is also a 600MHz but with 60MB (64-4) of RAM also Debian based

 

Very nice. However, may I recommend:

/usr/bin/startgui

Code:

#!/bin/bash
/etc/init.d/gdm start

/usr/bin/stopgui

Code:

#!/bin/bash
/etc/init.d/gdm stop

Remeber to
chmod 700 startgui
chmod 700 stopgui
Of course.

It's much easier to just type startgui/stopgui than having to remember /etc/init.d/gdm stop. Or maybe that's just me.

 

I force Brett to force you to do them... heheh

 

Hey now, nobody forces me to do anything...I chain glider to his laptop and beat him til an article pops out from the kindness of my heart.


By the way, Digg to share! Thanks for the support!

 

Redefines "Hard labour"

EDIT: since it's unpayed work, am I a slave to Bit-tech now?

 

Well I'm not sure if your a slave, but you'll get a whipping if you don't work.

 

My only issue with this is the round about way that it has gone.

After reading both articles to conclusion, would it have not been more prudent to start the whole shebang off with the 'Server' edition of Ubuntu to begin with instead of the normal edition and then strip stuff away? As this is virtually where you have ended up with part 2 of the guide.

 

This guides good. How about a more general guide for distros without package managment? or a desktop linux guide?

 

A desktop guide might be useful, but to be honest the normal Ubuntu install does such a damn good job that you hardly need to make many tweaks to get a very useable system. Seriously - plop live CD in drive, click install, watch the progress bar / make a cup of tea, a few clicks in the package manager and BOOM, you've got a fully functional desktop. Heck, half the stuff in part 1 was getting rid of the very useful (for a desktop) stuff the default installer brings to the table.

As for a more general guide, why? If you are a linux n00b, just go with Ubuntu - it's proven, it's very well supported by the developers and the community, and from my experience it generally just works solid as a rock. Only reasonably experienced users are going to have a real reason to want to go for one of the many other distros out there. Anyone in that position should be a little beyond this sort of by-the-numbers approach. In particular, you'd be daft to want to install a distro without package management if your knowledge of linux extends to a couple of six page articles on bit-tech.

 

Yes, but originally there was no intent to make a followup article. I only wrote it because of demand.

And also if I would have started from the server install, there won't be a GUI installed at all, and a lot of new Linux users cling to GUI. Now they can use it when they need it and turn it off when they don't need it.

Distros without a package manager (like LFS) require quite a lot more Linux knowledge. Dependencies and all... That's the power of package managers. And can you eaborate a bit more on what you mean by a desktop Linux guide?

 

A distro without package management? As in, compiling from source? Maybe not the best option for noobs .

 

Preface:
I have been reading alot about starting your own webserver and all the security risks involved. I have bookmarked several articles (which I'll happily spam in here if you care) and had planned on using Ubuntu Linux to do this. I am exactly the kind of person, I believe, that you were writing your article for. I am not new to computers and my knowledge is intermediate with more emphasis on hardware.

Content:
Two big questions: If you you have multiple computers on one router/wireless connection, will the security of those computers be compromised by the presence of a server (that may or may not be adequately secured). Also: Can I have people view my webserver without going through a DNS and paying $25. I mean that is the reason I want my own webserver: To get around the costs. If I created a static IP, could I just bind it to a service like DotTK or TinyURL. (Yes, the second option is far more impracticable, I know.)

Otherwise: Great article. I think there should be a big demand for articles such as these. Keep up the great work.

 

If I understand your question correctly, you are asking how you can have your server be public facing through a friendly URL without paying for static DNS. This is EXACTLY what no-ip.org does, which is discussed on page 5 of the article. They offer a free service that redirects www.[yourhostname].no-ip.org to your server's IP address. No-ip also offers (free) client software that 'phones home' to their servers to keep them updated of your dynamic IP address when it changes. They offer this for free in the hope that you upgrade to some of their paid services.

 

Very possible. The server should be placed in a DMZ so that other networked PCs do not establish trusted relationships with it.

As the server is externally accessible, if it has any vulnerabilities, the rest of your network will become compromised as the server gets pwned.