VPS - how to learn?

Hello, /Ω/. I am a software developer/data analyst looking to learn more about CLI, Linux, Docker, Running applications etc. Because of that, i bought 2 years worth of a VPS with Ubuntu 22.04, but i'm struggling to learn how to put in practice what i want to do with it. Currently i'm working as a full time analyst, sometimes i do some development work, but mostly with Microsoft's tech (which is like kicking dead whales down the beach, but i can't change what the client works with), so my line of work is not really connected to CLI stuff, or deploying applications. I wanted to do 3 things with this VPS: - My own VPN, from which i can connect from my cellphone or any computer i have - A place to backup some important files, like my password manager, notes, my CV, my old projects; - A place to run some of my projects; I wanted to create a bunch of users for each propose, like one only for the VPN, other one to log in when i need to reach for a file, and another one to run/stop running applications using Docker. but i don't have much free time to search for info of how to do that, and i just cant find trustworthy places to search for. Can you guys help me out? Where should i go to learn more about this stuff? Is it possible to divide my VPS into these users the way i want to? I'm sorry, guys, i'm a dev, but i'm a noob in linux, i really want to learn it with this VPS that i bought.

Hi lainon, Use wireguard to setup your VPN, or OpenVPN if you need multicast/bonjour for some reason. For your important files, there are separate solutions. You can use password store locally on intranet (can run git on a raspberry pi), or something like that and keep it on that pi and your computer so if you lose one you have all your passwords. I wouldn't put that on a VPS. It uses GnuPG but there are good tutorials on Youtube. For your other files I recommend nextcloud, which will introduce you to php applications. It's a bit hard for a first project but should be good. For notes you have lots of solutions. If you have a next cloud already, you can use that to sync Joplin notes and encrypt those as well.

Never understood why devs never learn to you know... use computers. i guess that's why most software is bloated soykaf these days.

^ competence is expensive, monkeys will do the job just fine? Does it fuarrrking run? Now shut yer traps fuarrrking slaves, and buy $newest_inter_i_core so our well designed solution does not bottleneck. Oh... do you only have 8 GB of ram, you fuarrrking slave?

>>76931 Thanks for helping me, lainon! >>76942 I know how to use computers, but i'm stuck in windows soykaf because of my line of work. I know how to use linux. >>76946 What the fuarrrk you are talking about?

>>76856 >>77008 > My own VPN, from which i can connect from my cellphone or any computer i have As >>76931 mentioned, WireGuard should be more than fine. > A place to backup some important files, like my password manager, notes, my CV, my old projects; You may want to use a few local backup drives for this instead. Follow the 3-2-1 rule: 3 copies of the data, on 2 different formats (Computer local drive and backup drive), with 1 offsite someplace. Something like what's described here, but with (what I imagine to be) less data and less complexity: https://comp.lain.la/notice/AacRCrg7fbDfFtRNwW > A place to run some of my projects; Docker should be fine. There are also LXC containers, which are in between a full virtual machine and a Docker container. I can't say one is better than the other as I haven't used either enough to say, and it depends on the type of project. > Where should i go to learn more about this stuff? LandChad.net has quite a bit of documentation on setting up a VPN, NextCloud and other related services. Best to also double check the instructions with the corresponding documentation. https://landchad.net/ There is also this site, for learning about the inner workings of Linux: https://linuxjourney.com/ Finally, this blog by 0x19 anon has several project ideas, along with instructions. Double check the commands as well. https://0x19.org/posts/ Beyond this, it depends on what you're planning to do. If you want to set up a service or a project, look up the corresponding documentation and best practices to host it. If you want to learn Linux, Docker, CLI applications, etc., the only way to do so is to use them. If you have hardware to spare, try to install Linux on a bare metal machine and use that for day to day tasks (including connecting to the VPS). If not, spin up a Linux virtual machine with VirtualBox or QEMU + virtmanager (look them up) and try to use that instead. If and when you get stuck, look up what you are trying to do online. It will be difficult, but everything is difficult at first.

>>77008 no you don't, or you would not have purchased an ubuntu vps lol

>>77010 I can change the OS to any other OS, which you recommend? >>77009 Thank you! I'll look into everything today!

>>76942 It seems like some people have this model in their heads where "computer science" or "software developer/engineer" is the ultimate stage of bad-assery you can reach in the hierarchy of Knowing Stuff About Computers (or, as some would probably have it, "only the beginning", a.k.a. "the 1st Degree Black Belt"). Because of this they carry around assumptions like "SWEs as a matter of course know more about computers than those of the lesser tiers". But the truth is that "technical support", "system administration", "network engineering/administration", "database administration"... on and on, forensics, incident response, the rest of the abundant sub-fields of infosec/netsec... While there is lots of overlap, expertise in one area doesn't tend to imply much about competence in others. Of course this depends on how far you deviate, categorically. Troubleshooting one thing X is kind of similar to troubleshooting another thing Y -- even when it's not *that* similar, it's more so than designing or engineering X is similar to troubleshooting X. Now, I assure you that a halfway competent software developer has quite possibly forgotten more things about computers than you ever knew. However, rather than being of direct practical utility, they might resemble more like a bunch of abstractions and academic distinctions to the point of seeming almost obnoxiously detached (picture a mechanical engineer trying to attend a pure math course, or something). Development and operations/support/admin/etc. are distinct mindsets/modalities. This isn't to excuse complacency though -- it's quite feasible to gain understanding of more than one such mindset, and doing so can (will) bring that much more clarity and insight to the one you're more familiar with. The way I see it is like this: If someone is a mechanical or electronics engineer, maybe even one who designs cars, then do you expect them to be good at fixing cars? By virtue of being engineers, they will tend to have a systematic, methodical approach to troubleshooting, granularizing problems, changing one thing at a time to keep track of what they've done, etc. But I wouldn't bet on them being quicker at resolving any given mechanical issue. Maybe if you had a customer demanding a root cause analysis instead of just a fix. And, anyway, a methodical troubleshooting approach isn't exactly the most out-of-reach aspect of being a developer/engineer compared to a troubleshooter/administrator. It's not that the mechanical engineer is simply more of a mechanical expert than the mechanic. In a way, arguably, they are. And also somewhat less arguably, the mechanical engineer most likely had more difficult coursework than the mechanic. But this largely doesn't mean that the engineer can do the mechanic's job -- in fact, if they had to swap for the day, the mechanic might last a bit longer faking it than the engineer. And the engineer might learn a thing or two about designing cars with the oil filters in annoying places with no clearance from parts that get hot while the car is running (like on the way to the lube shop). Which I think is more than enough reason to justify such an endeavor.

Why not install gentoo and run a centralized NAS?

>>76856 > Linux Dual-boot Windows and GNU/Linux if you can or buy a used business laptop (I recommend Dell Latitude, HP or Lenovo Thinkpad). Download Xubuntu or Kubuntu iso and use Windows disk management to shrink a partition (like the C partition). You should reserve at least 60Gb for Linux. Then use Rufus to "burn" the iso on a flash drive. >Linux CLI There is a free book: https://linuxcommand.org/tlcl.php >Docker There is a free course at mooc.fi: >https://devopswithdocker.com Also, this >>77009 >>77012 >I can change the OS to any other OS, Ubuntu Server is fine but Debian stable with automatic security upgrades is better imo.

> vpn I used this guide a long time ago to set up a nice little vpn on a vps. It worked great, but these days you're probably better off just using wireguard as previously mentioned. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/05/how-to-build-your-own-vpn-if-youre-rightfully-wary-of-commercial-options/ > data Ditto nextcloud if you want a slick interface. cryptsetup for encryption. rsync for general system backups. > alternative to ubuntu If you want something simple, reliable, well-supported, widely used, I can't think of anything better for a vps than Debian. It's a lot of fun. Good luck.