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How To Set Up Your Linode For Maximum Awesomeness
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How To Set Up Your Linode For Maximum Awesomeness

shaunpudshaunpud Member
edited October 2012 in General

Interesting article I found on HackerNews for setting up a new VPS;
http://feross.org/how-to-setup-your-linode/

Some more comments on HN;
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4618808

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Comments

  • Linode also has a library with awesome documentation: http://library.linode.com/

  • KuJoeKuJoe Member, Host Rep
    edited October 2012

    Here's a much easier method:

    1) Cancel Linode VPS.
    2) Order 6-10 LEBs for the same price.
    3) Lighttpd/nginx + Varnish = Geographically redundant + High Availability

    :P

  • klikliklikli Member
    edited October 2012

    @KuJoe said: 3) Lighttpd/nginx + Varnish = Geographically redundant + High Availability

    You still need a front-end anyway...

  • MaouniqueMaounique Host Rep, Veteran

    @klikli said: You still need a front-end anyway...

    Might go without. Not perfect, but still...
    M

  • serverbearserverbear Member
    edited October 2012

    This article is meh, copied most of it from the Linode KB. "How to set up your Linode up for Maximum Performance" is much more interesting than basic security tweaks.

  • Gosh, I wish I had a Linode VPS. Regular brand VPS just doesn't feel as secure.

  • @averell

    It's all the same in the end.

  • BlazeMuisBlazeMuis Member
    edited October 2012

    @Jack said: @shaunpud what's your avatar?

    Probably his hairy ass...

  • dragonballz2kdragonballz2k Member
    edited October 2012

    Hairy ass is allowed on LET, otherwise you'de be banned!

    He might be special. That picture will help kids graduate high school.

  • @kikli
    Would you like to explain what do you mean by a front-end? I currently have one vps but I'm thinking getting another one in other continent and doing what Kujoe said..

  • @gnel said: Would you like to explain what do you mean by a front-end? I currently have one vps but I'm thinking getting another one in other continent and doing what Kujoe said..

    You'll need a HA frontend to serve connections if you expect 100% redundancy.

  • KuJoeKuJoe Member, Host Rep

    I've been playing around with varnish and round robin DNS. So far I've got 2 varnish servers with 4 webservers. I haven't made the setup live yet but all testing looks stable and I'll be throwing some DDOS protected VPSs into the mix for good measure. Total cost is $15.99/month (this includes if I paid for the VPSs on our servers and the DDOS protected IPs from BuyVM).

    I've been throwing blitz.io runs at it and it's been performing a lot better than against any of the 4 webservers individually. The best part is, even if all 4 webservers go offline it still serves our websites just fine. :) I originally had 3 varnish servers but I found out that without vSwap, you need more than 256MB of RAM to run varnish (with vSwap it only uses 19MB instead of 260MB, I think it has to do with how the 2.6.32 kernel handles memory).

  • @averell said: Gosh, I wish I had a Linode VPS. Regular brand VPS just doesn't feel as secure.

    Yep.

  • @KuJoe said: Lighttpd/nginx + Varnish = Geographically redundant + High Availability

    It is not easy at all, for me.
    It will be great if you can give some tutorial about it.

  • KuJoeKuJoe Member, Host Rep

    @kampung said: It will be great if you can give some tutorial about it.

    There are plenty out there. If I have some time in the future I might type one up but it would mostly be a copy and paste from the ones I've used (I wish I bookmarked them now).

  • Guys, we need to be honest!! Linode is superior because as the saying goes, nobody over got fired for buying Linode. Their system is very flexible, you can do whatever you want, and you know that they will be around in a while.

    How do you go about explaining to an irate customer that their website is a having problem because you hosted their critical service on an unknown hosting providers service, whose yearly hosting charges cost less than your hourly maintenance, or call out fee? You really fucked them over because you relied on a $100 dollar a year host?

    Never mind, it could be that it wasn't a fault with the hosting provider, or that it as a huge DDOS on their network, or that it was due to a configuration error of some kind. Do you think they would accept that excuse?

    On more occasions than I wanted I have had to ask KVM and even VMWare providers to add my preferred recovery disks to their ISOs, then they would ask me, what disk is that, what does it do, and I would be thinking that these guys are supposed to know more about server recovery disks than I do, do I need to explain? What really bothers me about LEB providers is the low technical ability a lot of them display.

    No, Linode is better and it doesn't matter whether they are using the latest E5 or E12XX nodes or not. Unless you are doing something highly demanding must of the time you don't need the latest hardware.

    As for Bitcoin hacks I gather it was down to some social engineering or a dishonest employee. On LEB given the technical knowledge displayed here, you would only need to be lucky enough to get an account on a node, or probably exploit some flaw in SolusVM.

    The setup guide referred to pretty mediocre. I must have missed the referral code - Oh I just noticed it.

  • KuJoeKuJoe Member, Host Rep
    edited October 2012

    @rchuch You're on LET, we're not interested in an expensive VPS that does the same at a $2/month VPS. I'm not saying Linode is not good, I'm just saying for the majority of people on this website it's not needed.

    It's like going on a forum of Chevy owners and explaining the pros of a Ford... it's not needed and a waste of time.

    Thanked by 2Infinity ihatetonyy
  • @KuJoe said: It's like going on a forum of Chevy owners and explaining the pros of a Ford

    Bad analogy, a Ford doesn't have any 'pros'. :o)

    Thanked by 1Legendlink
  • @Kujoe The problem on LEB is not even the price, it is the technical competence of the providers. Some $5 VPSs here offer superior performance, with memory, IO and bandwidth than Linodes. But even if you can rely on them not to go bankrupt or ran off with your money, can you rely on their technically ability?

    For me the biggest expense if the time it takes me to set things up, not the hosting fees. Guys like you, Francisco and Prometeus are truly a minority here. Right now I am sorely tempted to demand a refund from a provider here not because I wasted money, but time, just out of sheer annoyance, or get 2 or 3 months free hosting just to see if they will improve. I have left some VPSs running idly for months, because I knew it would be too much hassle to set them up again if I switch providers.

    A lot of LEB providers should realize that they would be able to charge a lot more if they were more competent and would do well to raise their skills. Many of them need to realize that if lot of people feel happy to pay other providers 4 times the price they offer for lower resources, they must be doing some things wrong.

  • @rchurch so why not buy multiple LEBs and bake in redundancy/resiliency yourself? There are plenty of orchestration tools to help with that...

    Also, please keep to LEB rules...you mentioned 100USD per year host...tut tut ;p

  • Most of my LEBs are idle anyway. I have them on standby so I can get to try out something quickly when I need to, rather than wait for a new order to be provisioned, and yet inspite of that some providers conspire to make them unavailable just when I need them :(

  • @rchurch this is why you should always buy way more LEBs than you need ;-) /me whistles...

  • rchurchrchurch Member
    edited October 2012

    @Jack Your best guess for a $1m!!

  • @rchurch said: How do you go about explaining to an irate customer that their website is a having problem because you hosted their critical service on an unknown hosting providers service, whose yearly hosting charges cost less than your hourly maintenance, or call out fee?

    I agree, but lots of people here won't.

    I use Linode for client services. Why? Because they provide a combination of (a) performance, (b) reliability (hardware + network), (c) support, and (d) price.

    Yes, some LEB providers might match or exceed Linode on performance. Yes, some LEB providers might match or exceed Linode on reliability. Etc., etc.

    But no LEB provider matches Linode on the combination of all four factors.

    And it stands to reason. If you're gonna offer the same thing at 1/3rd the price, something has to give. What's it gonna be: Performance? Reliability? Support?

    For me, the price difference is irrelevant. Yes I could shop around and get the equivalent of an $18/month Linode 512 for $10/month cheaper. Big whoopee. $120/year is very small potatoes if you're servicing commercial clients. If that LEB causes me 20 minutes extra work per month then I'm in the hole in terms of billable time. I've been there, done it and regretted it.

    I love the LEB market for personal projects, and it's very useful for redundant services like DNS, secondary mailservers, etc. That's it, for me.

    Thanked by 3tweakstur kampung Nickk
  • joepie91joepie91 Member, Patron Provider
    edited October 2012

    @rchurch said: Linode is superior because as the saying goes, nobody over got fired for buying Linode.

    And this indicates quality how?

    @rchurch said: Their system is very flexible, you can do whatever you want,

    As is the case with many LEB VPS providers, especially those using OnApp.

    @rchurch said: and you know that they will be around in a while.

    There are several companies around here that are in the LEB market and have been around for years, that I do not expect to go away any time soon, since they are profitable businesses.

    @rchurch said: How do you go about explaining to an irate customer that their website is a having problem because you hosted their critical service on an unknown hosting providers service

    Um, what? A LEB provider is 'unknown' and Linode is not, because...?

    @rchurch said: whose yearly hosting charges cost less than your hourly maintenance, or call out fee?

    Yeah, because price really matters. Oh wait, it doesn't. By this logic, why not get a $200/month VPS so your business looks more 'premium'? Even if that means that you're massively overpaying for the amount and quality of resources offered?

    @rchurch said: Never mind, it could be that it wasn't a fault with the hosting provider, or that it as a huge DDOS on their network, or that it was due to a configuration error of some kind. Do you think they would accept that excuse?

    Oh, let's see... what was the problem with Linode again? Oh, that's right, they kick you out when you get DDoSed. So much for that argument. I suggest you read some of the Linode stories here on LEB before even attempting to make further points about the above.

    @rchurch said: On more occasions than I wanted I have had to ask KVM and even VMWare providers to add my preferred recovery disks to their ISOs, then they would ask me, what disk is that, what does it do, and I would be thinking that these guys are supposed to know more about server recovery disks than I do, do I need to explain?

    Sounds like you went with the wrong hosts.

    @rchurch said: What really bothers me about LEB providers is the low technical ability a lot of them display.

    I think this more displays your inability to judge the technical competence of the hosts you pick, than anything else. I've talked to some very technically capable hosts on here, and they are quite easy to spot.

    @rchurch said: No, Linode is better and it doesn't matter whether they are using the latest E5 or E12XX nodes or not.

    Better how?

    @rchurch said: As for Bitcoin hacks I gather it was down to some social engineering or a dishonest employee.

    Employees should be trained not to fall for social engineering in the first place. If social engineering was the cause, the fault lies entirely with Linode for not properly training their employees.

    @rchurch said: On LEB given the technical knowledge displayed here, you would only need to be lucky enough to get an account on a node

    What the fuck are you even going on about? Do you even have any way to back up this claim?

    @rchurch said: or probably exploit some flaw in SolusVM.

    Yeah, because the Linode panel could not possibly have vulnerabilities. Oh wait.

    So, another thing you seem to be missing: your comparison between 'Linode' and 'LEB hosts' goes completely off. Why? Because you are comparing one particular host that is technically capable, with a whole unfiltered industry. Yes, of course that one out of one host will be technically capable - after all, you picked them for that exact reason. And of course, in an unfiltered industry, there will be a load of incapable providers. I suggest you go and compare the LEB industry to the 'Linode-priced' industry, and see how many incompetent providers exist in that price bracket. WHT is full of them.

    EDIT: For clarification, the reason for this post is that I'm tired of unjustified Linode fanboyism. I don't doubt that they have qualities, but the post I am responding to is one big pile of nonsense - as is most drivel about Linode, sadly. It seems more like a hype than a host.

  • SpiritSpirit Member
    edited October 2012

    @joepie91 said: It seems more like a hype than a host.

    That's because you're not familiar that much with VPS hosting industry past and statements as such base on nowaday short term perpective.
    I am not Linode fanboy, I don't even own VPS with them however it's not about hype but rather about Linode over whole past decade. I remember when all this about LEBs (budget low end VPSs not this community) started only some 5 years ago or so and one of pioneers of 5$ VPS xen offers stated that time that Linode are his model how to run decent VPS hosting business. Many great things we see with nowaday great VPS hosting providers and we take as standard base on examples provided by Linode. It's just like Rock music. We have many many great Rock bands today but legends stay legends. They were skilled, they were great, stable when most hosting industry didn't have basic clue how to do "Xen things" properly. And no, they didn't have SolusVM, whmcs and all rest on plate to help them. Today is much bigger competition but also way more pre-made matured tools, tutorials, experiences help to achieve "awesomeness" in certain business segment without too big money and time investment.
    So when we talk about hype there's more than a few good but not so great LEB hosts which fall under this category but hardly host which popularity base on decade of hard work.

    (I am not trying to get into argument, I am just explaining things from wider perspective as it's too easy to judge host without having overlook across vps hosting industry over some longer period).


    tl dr? ;-)

    Hype? Linode were awesome provider when there wasn't much Awesomeness in VPS hosting industry. And they did it mostly by themself.

  • @Spirit said: Hype? Linode were awesome provider when there wasn't much Awesomeness in VPS hosting industry. And they did it mostly by themself.

    Picture or it didn't happened.

    Oh wait, no pictures at all.

    Fact & conclusion: They are not awesome and they did not do everything by themselves.

  • linode is an awesome provider. the first time you view their website it's evident that they have very smart people working for them. the "premium" price is instantly justified once you start using their control panel.

    tl;dr - talent is expensive and linode employes a lot of it.

  • @Joepie91 My main argument about a (disappointingly significant) number of LEB providers is that they don't care to get their technical act together. Hosting depends on having the finances for good hardware, administrative and technical organisation and good old fashioned luck.

    You may have the all the former attributes, but pure bad luck will do you down. What really rankles is how many of them don't seem to have good staff, bother to develop their knowledge and sysadmin skills, then jump into the hosting business. The financial side or the administrative side may be poor, but the technical skill should be there and that is what rankles. What is even more annoying is when you have a ticket outstanding and you are getting no reply, you visit LEB or WHT and you see the provider active there, engaging in irrelevant debates when your ticket has been outstanding for hours. LOL.

    I think it is time LEB also added technical tests for eligibility to advertise here. Even if some prospective providers pass by cheating, you know they have someone to look to for the right answers.

    LEB has had its share of heroes and zeros and you want to believe that the zeros made a heroic effort to succeed, but one has to wonder if many of them genuinely tried.

  • craigbcraigb Member
    edited October 2012

    @rchurch "play it safe" and go with LEB providers that consistently appear in the top X from the quarterly votes... http://www.lowendtalk.com/discussion/5136/official-top-providers-q3-2012

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