Setting up a Linode VPS

I have been on the hunt for a new host for a while now and, after many recommendations, decided to give Linode a go. Linode is a cloud based VPS provider. You get root SSH access and set everything up for yourself, with the exception of the Linux distribution, which can be installed with one click. There are also scripts, called StackScripts to ease the burdon of setting up your server, but I have decided to do this the old fashioned way. Linode is not for the faint hearted, but is for those who want total control over their server.

Setting up a Linode server was not as painful as I thought it could be. Here are the steps I used to set it up. This is the first part in a series of posts. This part concentrates on the Linode setup and Linux distribution installation.

Creating a Linode account

I went for the Linode 512, which is the cheapest plan at $19.95 per month for 20GB of storage and 200GB transfer. I will probably upgrade, but going with the cheapest plan initially seemed sensible.

Setup Ubuntu Server

You will be asked to chose a geographical location and I chose London. Generally, it is best to chose the location closest to the majority of your users.

You will be asked which linux distribution you want to use. I chose Ubuntu 11.10. I left the Deployment Disk Size at 20224 MB and Swap Disk at 256 MB.

Boot your Linode

You will then be taken to the dashboard and you can boot your Linode.

Before long, the Server Status will say Running

Nameservers

You will need to point your domain name(s) at Linode. Go to your domain registrar and use the following:

• ns1.linode.com
• ns2.linode.com
• ns3.linode.com
• ns4.linode.com

DNS Manager

1. Click on Add a Zone.
2. Enter your domain name
3. For SOA Email, it is best to use the email you used to register the domain
4. Leave Insert Default Records as Yes
5. Click Add a Master Zone

SSH Access

Go to Remote Access tab to get the SSH details. You will see root@ipaddress. You can SSH in with that using the password set in the step where you deployed your Linux distribution. If you don't know anything about SSH, then stop now and consider whether Linode is the right solution for you.

Coming up

I will be writing more posts soon which outline the steps to set up LAMP, setting up virtual hosts, the first Drupal site and security and performance tips