Linux Server Configuration

NOTE: The server was successfully created and deployed. Once verified by Udacity's code reviewer, I took down the server to save cost. I have carefully detailed all steps I took, so re-deploying should not be too difficult.

A project where I've created a server, configured a firewall, and deployed an application to the server (used Amazon Lightsail, Ubuntu, and Flask). Part of the Udacity Full Stack Web Developer Nanodegree.

I deployed the Item Catalog project (which can still be run locally).

Software Installed

• Apache HTTP Server
• PostgreSQL
• Git
• Flask
• SQLAlchemy

Configurations

• Updated all installed packages on Ubuntu
• Configured the firewalls (Lightsail and UFW)
  • SSH (port 2200)
  • HTTP (port 80)
  • NTP (port 123)
• Created a user called grader
  • Gave grader sudo access
  • Also created an SSH key pair for grader, and forced key-based authentication
• Configured the local timezone to UTC (was already set to UTC)
• Configured Apache to handle requests using the WSGI module
• Configured PostgreSQL, creating a limited user named catalog
  • Ensured that remote connections are not allowed
• Configured Git
• Set up and deployed the Item Catalog project

Third-party Resources Used

• Change the SSH port from 22 to 2200
  • https://knowledge.udacity.com/questions/1009
  • https://postimg.cc/image/uvjqwhpzb/
  • https://www.liquidweb.com/kb/changing-the-ssh-port/
• Configure NTP
  • https://askubuntu.com/questions/709843/how-to-configure-ufw-to-allow-ntp-to-work
• Connect to my instance using SSH
  • https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/AccessingInstancesLinux.html
• Set up PostgreSQL
  • https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-install-and-use-postgresql-on-ubuntu-16-04
• Set up Git
  • https://www.liquidweb.com/kb/install-git-ubuntu-16-04-lts/
• Not allow remote connections to postgres database
  • https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-secure-postgresql-on-an-ubuntu-vps
• Use PostgreSQL instead of SQLite
  • http://docs.sqlalchemy.org/en/latest/core/engines.html
  • http://www.patricksoftwareblog.com/database-using-postgresql-and-sqlalchemy/
• Deploy a Flask application on Ubuntu
  • https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-deploy-a-flask-application-on-an-ubuntu-vps