Written by Sahil Aghara, Freelance DevOps Engineer. Published: 2026-06-21. Last updated: 2026-07-09.
services / linux-server

Stop babysitting your servers. Start shipping your product.

You provisioned a raw server. I lock it down, tune the network stack, and build a high-performance fortress ready for production traffic.

Set up my server All services
root@prod-server-01:~
System InformationUbuntu 24.04 LTS x86_64
Uptime: 128 days, 4:12
Load Average: 0.12, 0.08, 0.05
Memory: 1.2G / 4.0G (30%)
Disk ( / ): 14G / 80G (17%)
Active Services: nginx, mysql, docker
Firewall (UFW): Active (Deny Incoming)
root@prod-server-01:~#htop
01. / the deliverables

The baseline for production

Setup01

OS Configuration

Strict installation and deep kernel optimization for Ubuntu/Debian.

Setup02

Web Server

Nginx setup heavily tuned for max concurrent connections.

Setup03

SSL / HTTPS

Strict HTTPS enforcement via automated Let's Encrypt renewal.

Setup04

Firewall (UFW)

Zero-trust ingress. Default-deny policy allowing only explicit ports.

Setup05

SSH Hardening

Root login disabled. Password auth disabled. SSH keys only.

Setup06

Fail2Ban

Active intrusion prevention instantly banning brute-force IP addresses.

Setup07

Cron Jobs

Deterministic task scheduling for automated maintenance.

Setup08

Automated Backups

Daily encrypted database dumps routed directly to offsite S3 storage.

security / hardening

The Hardening Checklist

Root login completely disabled
Password authentication disabled (Key only)
Custom SSH port configured
UFW Default Deny policy active
Unattended-upgrades enabled for security patches
Fail2Ban jails active for SSH & Nginx
IPv6 disabled (if unused to reduce attack surface)
Shared memory (/run/shm) secured
stack / add-ons

Application Deployments

Beyond the hardened OS, I deploy the exact runtime your application requires.

PostgreSQL / MySQL

Strict database installation enforcing least-privilege users and localhost-only bind addresses.

Node.js / Python

Process management via systemd, tight reverse proxying through Nginx, and isolated environment variables.

Docker & Redis

Container runtime deployment, strict Docker network isolation, and in-memory cache provisioning.

GUARANTEED TURNAROUND

Your server is fully provisioned, hardened, and handed over within 24–48 hours.

pricing / investment

Transparent pricing. No surprises.

Every engagement is scoped before work begins. You know exactly what you're getting — no hidden fees, no surprise invoices.

Starter / 01

Basic Setup

Perfect for simple static sites or basic web servers. Scoped to your server spec in a free call.

Scope
One-time · Fixed quote
Delivered in 24 hrs
  • OS & Nginx setup
  • Free SSL certificate
  • Basic UFW firewall
Recommended
Production / 02

Hardened + Monitoring

Production-grade setup for business-critical applications. Full security suite included.

Scope
One-time · Fixed quote
Delivered in 24–48 hrs
  • Complete Hardening Checklist
  • Database & App deploy prep
  • Fail2Ban configuration
  • Basic backup script
Retainer / 03

Monthly Retainer

I become your remote sysadmin for ongoing peace of mind. Cancel any time.

Scope
Monthly · Cancel anytime
First month includes full audit
  • Weekly OS updates & patches
  • Uptime monitoring
  • Backup verification
  • 1 hour of ad-hoc support
faq

Linux Server Setup & Management — FAQ

How do you harden a raw Linux server for production?

I disable root login, turn off password-based SSH authentication in favor of secure keys, configure a default-deny UFW firewall, install Fail2Ban to block brute-force attempts, and enable automated security patches via unattended-upgrades.

Which Linux distribution do you recommend for production servers?

Ubuntu LTS (Long-Term Support) and Debian are my primary recommendations for production VPS hosting. They offer excellent stability, extensive package repositories, and receive regular security updates for 5 to 10 years.

Do you use Ansible or automation for server provisioning?

Yes, I write custom Ansible playbooks and Bash scripts to automate server configuration. This ensures that every server setup is fully repeatable, documented, and free from human configuration errors.

Lock it down.

Stop exposing raw servers to the internet.

Deploy secure infrastructure

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