Ubuntu dedicated server

Ubuntu environment

Ubuntu Server is based on open-source technology, so you can benefit from customisable software. This stable and reliable operating system benefits from a large developer community, as well as numerous users who help maintain and resolve issues.

You also get extensive online documentation including installation guides, tutorials, administration manuals, and active forums. These diverse assets make it easy to solve problems, and implement new projects more easily.

Depending on your usage, you can use and configure official software packages, or non-official ones developed by third parties. The flexibility offered by this environment means you are free to develop your applications without limits. Ubuntu can be used for various tasks, including creating web servers, databases, files and emails, and for cloud deployment.

Security

Like other Linux distributions, Ubuntu Server prioritises your server’s security, and the data that is stored on it. With technical documentation available online, you can ensure that your infrastructure has the right level of protection for your application and websites. In addition, Ubuntu Server is regularly updated to fix vulnerabilities and bugs that may appear over time.

Backup

Our dedicated servers are delivered with a 500 GB storage space. It’s isolated from your server, and provides you with a space to store backups of your data — like folders from your web hosting space’s FTP server, configuration files, and other critical data. By backing up your Ubuntu server data, you can recover it quickly if an outage or human error occurs. This will make it easier to pick up your project again.

Services included

Along with an external disk for your backups, you also get a number of included services. Your dedicated server has IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, anti-DDoS protection, minimum guaranteed public bandwidth, and a wide range of operating systems to choose from. It also comes with a service level agreement (SLA), ensuring increased hardware availability for your applications.

Price of an Ubuntu server

As an open-source project, Ubuntu Server is free to use. We offer this distribution free of charge, and available to download automatically via the OVHcloud Control Panel. The price of your solution will depend on the configuration you choose, and your needs in terms of hardware resources (RAM, CPU, disk space).

How do I create a server using Ubuntu?

You can start by choosing the dedicated server for your project. OVHcloud dedicated servers offer a range of customisation options — so order one and add one or more options, depending on your business needs.

Once you have selected your server, you can choose an operating system (OS). Download the ISO image of the version of Ubuntu Server you have chosen, then install it on your machine. You can choose between the standard version of Ubuntu Server or the Long-Term Support (LTS) versions, which offer long-term support.

Once you’ve done this, customise your machine’s initial settings — username, password, IP address, DNS, and network.

Then install the necessary software: Apache web server, MySQL or PostgreSQL database, programming languages such as PHP or Python, or any other software you need for your application or service.

Before deploying your machine into production, we recommend testing it to make sure it’s working properly. Regular maintenance operations such as performance monitoring will be required. OVHcloud takes care of most hardware and software updates, so you can focus on your core business.

Need help installing your server? There are many guides available.

How do I connect to an Ubuntu server?

It all depends on your network settings and server access — you have a few options for protocols and methods to use.

• Connect via Secure Shell (SSH): If your server has this service enabled, you can connect remotely using an SSH client or a terminal available on your machine. Use the following command in the terminal to connect via SSH:
  ssh user@server_ip_address

Remember to replace “user” with your username on the Ubuntu server, and “server_ip_address” with the server’s IP address.

• Connect via a Virtual Network Computing (VNC) client — If the server is configured to allow this type of connection, you can use a VNC client to access its graphical interface. However, you’ll need to install a VNC server on the Ubuntu server (such as x11vnc or TightVNC) and a VNC client on your computer. Then connect to the server using the IP address and VNC port specified.

There are also tools you can use to configure and manage your machines remotely, such as Ansible, Puppet or Chef.

The key is to have the correct login details, including IP address, user ID and password to log in securely.

What is Ubuntu?

Ubuntu is an open-source operating system (OS) based on Linux, widely used globally. It was developed and is managed by Canonical, a UK-based company. Focused on user experience, Ubuntu is designed to be user-friendly, accessible, and easy to install. This OS is free, and anyone can search and edit its code, which makes it an extremely versatile tool. Thanks to a large developer and user community, you get extensive support and a wealth of documentation.

Ubuntu also offers a wide variety of versions, for both PCs and dedicated servers —  Ubuntu Server, Ubuntu Desktop, Ubuntu for IoT for example.

In short, Ubuntu is a popular, stable, secure, and intuitive open-source operating system, suitable for a variety of applications and environments, whether for personal, business, or enterprise use.

Which version of Ubuntu is best for a server?

It all comes down to what your server environment and business require. However, most SysAdmins prefer to use Ubuntu LTS versions, due to their long-term support and stability. Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, which was released in April 2020, is currently the latest LTS version.

What benefits does an Ubuntu server offer compared to other distributions?

Using an Ubuntu server has many advantages, especially for web servers and development environments. It’s an intuitive operating system, easy to install and use. Its large developer community provides you with documentation and support via forums or dedicated webpages. It’s also a highly compatible OS with a wide range of hardware, spanning PCs, servers and databases. This makes Ubuntu a top choice for a variety of applications and environments.

How do I configure an Apache web server on Ubuntu?

Follow these steps to configure a working Apache web server on Ubuntu.

1. Installation. First, to install the Apache server, open a terminal and enter this command: sudo systemctl restart apache2
2. Checking status. Once the installation is complete, enter this command to check Apache status:
   sudo systemctl statuses apache2
3. Setting up firewall permissions. If your firewall is active, check that the HTTP traffic (port 80) is allowed for Apache using this command: sudo ufw allow ‘Apache’
4. Testing the server. Open a web browser and access your server’s IP address, or ‘localhost’ if you are on the server itself. You should see the Apache default page indicating that the server is working properly.
5. Setting up site files. The Apache configuration files are located in the /etc/apache2/ directory. You can create one for each website hosted on your server in the /etc/apache2/sites-available/ directory.
6. Enable sites. To enable a site, create a link to the site configuration file in the /etc/apache2/sites-enabled/ directory. You can do this using this command:
   sudo a2ensite
7. Restarting Apache. Once you’re done tuning the configurations, restart the service using the following command to apply the changes:
   sudo systemctl restart apache2
8. Additional settings. You can configure other features as per your needs, like module management, access and error logs, and security.

Can I install a web server on Ubuntu without using a graphical interface?

Yes, you can install and configure an internet server on Ubuntu without using a graphical interface. If you’re using a server, it’s best to install Ubuntu Server, an Ubuntu version designed for server deployments and doesn’t have a default graphical interface. By using the Ubuntu Server command line interface (CLI), you can efficiently install, configure, and manage your web server, no interface needed. This offers several benefits such as saving system resources, increasing security, and improving efficiency. It also eliminates the need for extra software and allows remote management via SSH.