ASL INSTALL ON VULTR
Written by Mike (KB8JNM)
Before you start: You probably should read most of this once before you start (to the +++++++++ anyway). It will help.
If you have deployed on a 512mb instance at vultr, and are having connectivity issues, I suggest creating a instance at other locations than the Miami server rack location. and that may force you to bump-up to 1gb install if they are not available. I have had 0 issues with 1gb at New Jersey/New York on 4 test deployments. So if you don't want to waste time and can afford the $5 an month, go for the 1gb instance and stay away from the Miami server rack.
1- Get signed up with account on vultr.com and verify email.
2- Add a server (Blue "+" button, Mid-Upper Right), to find a $2.50 install, you may need to change server locations till you see one available, otherwise, you may need to choose a $5 or 1gb Mem server or larger. You will need to look in advance to Vultr's section (3) for size selection for each location. Flipping between sention (1) & (3) to get that right.
3- At Vultr's section (2) - OS's, you will need to select just above the selections, to "UPLOAD ISO". Plug this "currently valid" link to the ASL Stretch Deb 9 ISO - http://dvswitch.org/files/ASL_Images/Intel-AMD/Stretch/ASL_1.01-20180417-amd64-i386-debian-stretch-netinst.iso
Place that link into the load iso. Go to next step.
4- You should be able to move forward to Vultr's section (7) and select the hostname (i.e. eoh.29999.link), if you wish, or wait and do that though the ASL-MENU / manually. But this will save you a step.
5- DEPLOY YOUR SERVER
6- Look in the top right hand of the screen and you will see a monitor next to the power button. Click that for your cosole and you may enter data as needed for your deployment just as if the system is in front of you. But note that you are not going to copy paste any instructions at the command line like you might with putty ssh shell. Also Note: Your mouse will not funtion inside the CONSOLE window. USe keyboard / 'TAB' & 'ARROWS' to navigate fields & 'SPACEBAR' or ENTER/CR to select inside ASL-MENU.
7- After all is done in your install, your console screen will be blank.
- you will need to look at your "vultr server instance" to rmove your ISO and that will force a reboot.
- The way to do that is to click on your server instance, click settings (above)
- then look on the left for load ISO again, the menu will show big blue button to REMOVE ISO
- You probably will need to launch the console screen again. Close the old one first if it went blank !
--Now, that's about all I can guide you on with that. See normal install instructions.
--The default user is repeater and pw is allstarlink
--If you get lost somehow, # cd /usr/local/sbin/ - and run - # sudo asl-menu - if you are setting-up with the script.
--Please be careful when setting new root password, it shows at the bootom of the screen and this will give you
--root access in the console only. To get root access in your SFTP, you need to
--edit /etc/ssh/ssh_config and PermitRootLogin yes
--save/exit restart sshd but for your own good, don't leave it this way.
- !!! A well done job for those responsible for a perfect deployment. Thank You !
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Additional > If you like to play, Let's go one furth step so you can run this as your own website. You will love to learn this after you have set-up your server and it's verified running.
To make this completely web compatible, so to speak, you will want a 'LAMP STACK'
which is basicly Linux (you already have) MySQL database, PHP serverside scripting and Appache2 for your HTML server on port 80.
I'm not writting the how-to for this, but here is a link I found on the web to guide you through it for this Debian 9 install.
https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-install-a-lamp-server-on-debian-9-stretch-linux
AS A ADDED BONUS FOR OTHER WEB WORKINGS: While after you have installed you lamp stack, you can always get to the server web pages you construct via ip address, you may want to pick-up a domain name and use that for a pointer to the IP. I have this suguestion for you....
After deploying the LAMP stack (or before anything in my case) I went to NameSilo.com, Picked up the domain name 29999.link @ $ 8.69 (per year) Then go to the domain manager and point it at the ip address of the ASL Server.
So you will have basicly, any record you see with a ip address now needs re-pointed to match your server. You might add one for your hostname... server.29999.link Some of you know how to set-up a A record, MX for mail and cname. But it is never to late to learn how it all works before or after your deployment. But this is 'not required' for the minimal operation of a VPS deployed system. I am suguesting here that you use/make a stadard for these nodes with domains by using the ' . (dot) LINK ' TLD. NODE#.link Perhaps I will add a how2 for email services later. You or your club could take advantage of your own website & email with what you already have.
But that brings up other issues like security.
So what I will add here is for your own good. Don't do a bunch of other stuff until you get a grip on security of your system. The ASL install comes with a firewall but it is up to your to set-it and run it and keep a eye on your system. But to add some flavor to your install, use valtr's free "snapshot" of your instance for a backup once you know you have a solid working node. They also provide a schedulaed back-up service at $1 a month. I'm not here to endorse them but it's there and I sometimes use it on instances I have.
I will update this page, add to it, and it's not fancy right now, but will get the job done. I hope it helps.
So you might stop back at a later date to see what 'TOYS' I document to deploy for these VPS instances.
73 - mike/kb8jnm (hate mail welcome) LOL