How To Set Up Your Linode For Maximum Awesomeness
Some random selections from my notes on building Linode web servers:<p>- Set up reverse DNS in the Linode manager: select the Linode, click on "Remote Access", click on "Reverse DNS" (under "Public IPs")<p>- Linodes don't offer very much disk space; use localepurge to keep the filesystem on a diet: # apt-get install localepurge<p>- After installing and setting up MySQL, don't forget: # mysql_secure_installation<p>- After installing Apache, change the following in httpd.conf: ServerToken -> Prod, ServerSignature -> Off, KeepAlive -> Off<p>- After installing PHP, edit php.ini to make it shut up: expose_php -> Off<p>There's a bunch of other fiddly stuff to do, and a seemingly endless combination of packages and strategies depending on what you're trying to accomplish. For instance, I currently run a stack with Postfix for MTA, awstats+jawstats for beautiful server-side site statistics, mod_deflate, mem_cache, fcgid/suexec to make it harder to break the server if a site is compromised, PureFTPd for really easy managed-by-MySQL FTP access, and a pile of other little minor tweaks and knobs turned.<p>MOST IMPORTANTLY: Backups, backups, backups. If you don't already have your own in-house backup service for your server (and I bet you don't!), then please take advantage of Linode's backup services: <a href="http://www.linode.com/backups/" rel="nofollow">http://www.linode.com/backups/</a>