Linux Server setup

Rent a cloud server

At the beginning of this tutorial we will take care of getting a server and installing Ubuntu Linux as operating system on it.

To end up with a productive system, we will rent a server from a hosting provider. More precisely, we will rent a cloud server with a static IP address. Cloud servers are affordable and easy to scale. This allows us to start small and expand capacities as required without a complicated server migration.

We also register a domain and configure a DNS record.

The choice of the provider is up to you. If you already have a server and a domain, you can apply the next steps to your hoster in a similar way.

One well-known hosting provider that I recommend is Hetzner. I have used its services for several years and continue to recommend it. The cloud data centers are located in Germany, Finland and the USA. The European locations are advantageous in terms of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), because storing personal data of EU citizens on servers outside the EU is only permitted under certain circumstances.

At the time of writing, these costs are to be expected at Hetzner:

  • cloud server CPX11, billed hourly and cancellable at any time = max. $4.52 per month
  • COM Domain, billed annually and cancellable yearly = $3.72 per year
  • one-time setup for domain = $1.90

Hetzner gives new customers €20 in starting credit for cloud services via this link. Perfect for testing!

Without the new-customer bonus, the initial cost is $10.14. The running costs are then $4.52 per month for the server and $3.72 per year for the domain (prices are provided without guarantee and were checked when this text was written).

Cloud servers are affordable, scalable and billed by the minute. The smallest cloud server (CX11) costs only a few euros and is perfectly sufficient for light to medium applications. Linux is known to be very resource-efficient. A few simple websites with database connections can run simultaneously on a CPX11 without any problems. If computing resources run low, additional services can be easily booked or canceled online via the customer account.

The next pages show step by step how to create a cloud server and a domain. Since I was already registered with Hetzner, I had to create a temporary account for a few screenshots (sorry Hetzner!).

If you prefer another hosting provider, that's no problem. We are mainly interested in these important services offered by all hosting providers:

  • cloud server or virtual server
  • register domain
  • edit DNS records

Next steps