Posted 5 days ago by Vanessa

Managing multiple web applications and servers can quickly become overwhelming, especially when you’re dealing with deployments, SSL certificates, database management, and server monitoring. This is where Ploi shines as a modern server management platform that simplifies these complex tasks. When paired with RamNode’s reliable and affordable VPS hosting, you get a powerful combination for hosting your web applications.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through setting up Ploi with a RamNode VPS, from initial server provisioning to deploying your first application.

What is Ploi?

Ploi is a server management platform designed for developers and agencies who want to focus on building applications rather than managing server infrastructure. It provides an intuitive interface for:

  • Server provisioning and management
  • Application deployment with Git integration
  • SSL certificate automation
  • Database management
  • Queue workers and cron jobs
  • Server monitoring and notifications
  • Team collaboration features

Why Choose RamNode for Your VPS?

RamNode has established itself as a reliable VPS provider offering:

  • Competitive pricing with excellent price-to-performance ratio
  • Multiple data center locations across the US and Europe
  • SSD storage for faster disk I/O
  • Reliable uptime and network connectivity
  • Flexible configurations to match your needs
  • Excellent customer support

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure you have:

  • A Ploi account (starts with a free trial)
  • A RamNode VPS instance
  • Basic knowledge of Linux command line
  • SSH access to your server
  • A domain name (optional but recommended)

Setting Up Your RamNode VPS

Choosing the Right Plan

For most web applications, RamNode’s entry-level plans work well with Ploi. Here’s what we recommend:

  • Minimum: 1GB RAM, 1 CPU core, 20GB SSD
  • Recommended: 2GB RAM, 2 CPU cores, 40GB SSD
  • Operating System: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

Initial Server Setup

Once your RamNode VPS is provisioned:

  1. Connect via SSH: 
    ssh root@your-server-ip
  2. Update the system: 
    apt update && apt upgrade -y
  3. Create a non-root user (recommended for security): 
    adduser ploi
usermod -aG sudo ploi
  4. Configure SSH key authentication (optional but recommended): 
    mkdir /home/ploi/.ssh
chmod 700 /home/ploi/.ssh
# Copy your public key to /home/ploi/.ssh/authorized_keys
chmod 600 /home/ploi/.ssh/authorized_keys
chown -R ploi:ploi /home/ploi/.ssh

Connecting Your Server to Ploi

Adding Your Server

  1. Log into your Ploi dashboard
  2. Click “Add Server” or the “+” button
  3. Select “Custom VPS” as your provider
  4. Fill in your server details:
    • Name: A descriptive name for your server
    • IP Address: Your RamNode VPS IP
    • SSH Port: 22 (default)
    • Root Password: Your server’s root password

Server Provisioning

Ploi will now install and configure the necessary software on your server:

  • Web Server: Nginx (default) or Apache
  • PHP: Multiple versions available (7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2)
  • Database: MySQL or MariaDB
  • Process Manager: Supervisor for queue workers
  • Security: UFW firewall configuration
  • SSL: Let’s Encrypt integration

This process typically takes 5-10 minutes. You can monitor the progress in real-time through the Ploi interface.

Post-Provisioning Setup

Once provisioning is complete:

  1. Verify the installation by visiting your server’s IP address
  2. Configure your firewall rules if needed
  3. Set up database credentials for your applications
  4. Configure PHP settings based on your requirements

Deploying Your First Application

Creating a Site

  1. In your Ploi dashboard, select your server
  2. Click “Add Site”
  3. Configure your site settings:
    • Domain: Your domain name or server IP
    • Web Directory: /public for Laravel, /public_html for others
    • PHP Version: Choose based on your application requirements

Repository Setup

If you’re deploying from a Git repository:

  1. Go to your site’s settings
  2. Navigate to “Repository & Deployment”
  3. Add your repository details:
    • Repository: Your Git repository URL
    • Branch: The branch to deploy from
    • Deploy Key: Copy and add to your repository

Deployment Script

Ploi automatically generates deployment scripts, but you can customize them:

cd /home/ploi/example.com
git pull origin main
composer install --no-interaction --prefer-dist --optimize-autoloader --no-dev
php artisan migrate --force
php artisan config:cache
php artisan route:cache
php artisan view:cache

Environment Configuration

  1. Configure your .env file through Ploi’s interface
  2. Set up database connections
  3. Configure mail settings
  4. Add any API keys or third-party service credentials

SSL Certificate Setup

Ploi makes SSL certificate installation effortless:

  1. Navigate to your site’s SSL tab
  2. Choose “Let’s Encrypt” for free SSL certificates
  3. Click “Install” – Ploi handles the entire process
  4. Enable “Force HTTPS” to redirect HTTP traffic

For wildcard certificates or custom SSL certificates, Ploi also provides easy upload and installation options.

Database Management

Creating Databases

  1. Go to your server’s “Databases” section
  2. Click “Create Database”
  3. Provide a name and optional user credentials
  4. The database is ready for your applications

Database Backups

Set up automated backups:

  1. Navigate to “Backups” in your server dashboard
  2. Configure backup frequency (daily, weekly)
  3. Choose backup storage (local or cloud storage)
  4. Set up backup notifications

Advanced Configuration

Queue Workers

For applications using job queues:

  1. Go to “Queue Workers” in your site settings
  2. Configure the queue connection and worker settings
  3. Ploi automatically manages worker processes using Supervisor

Cron Jobs

Schedule recurring tasks:

  1. Navigate to “Scheduled Jobs”
  2. Add new cron jobs with the standard cron syntax
  3. Monitor job execution and logs

Server Monitoring

Ploi provides built-in monitoring for:

  • CPU usage
  • Memory consumption
  • Disk space
  • Load average
  • SSL certificate expiration

Set up notifications to stay informed about server health.

Performance Optimization Tips

Server-Level Optimizations

  1. Enable OPcache for PHP applications
  2. Configure proper PHP-FPM settings based on your server resources
  3. Optimize MySQL/MariaDB configuration
  4. Set up proper Nginx caching rules

Application-Level Optimizations

  1. Use Redis or Memcached for session and cache storage
  2. Implement proper database indexing
  3. Optimize images and static assets
  4. Enable Gzip compression

Security Best Practices

Server Security

  1. Regularly update your server packages
  2. Use SSH keys instead of passwords
  3. Configure proper firewall rules
  4. Enable automatic security updates

Application Security

  1. Keep application dependencies updated
  2. Use environment variables for sensitive data
  3. Implement proper input validation
  4. Regular security audits

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Deployment Failures

  • Check deployment logs in Ploi dashboard
  • Verify repository access and deploy keys
  • Ensure proper file permissions
  • Review PHP error logs

Performance Issues

  • Monitor server resources through Ploi
  • Check slow query logs for database issues
  • Review Nginx error logs
  • Optimize PHP-FPM configuration

SSL Certificate Issues

  • Verify domain DNS settings
  • Check firewall rules (port 80 and 443)
  • Review Let’s Encrypt rate limits
  • Ensure proper domain verification

Cost Optimization

RamNode VPS Costs

  • Start with smaller instances and scale as needed
  • Monitor resource usage to avoid over-provisioning
  • Consider reserved instances for long-term projects

Ploi Subscription

  • Choose the plan that matches your server count
  • Take advantage of annual billing discounts
  • Evaluate team features if working with multiple developers

Conclusion

Combining Ploi with RamNode VPS creates a powerful, cost-effective hosting solution that scales with your needs. Ploi abstracts away the complexity of server management while RamNode provides reliable, affordable infrastructure.

The setup process, while involving multiple steps, results in a professional hosting environment that can handle production workloads. The automated deployments, SSL management, and monitoring capabilities save significant time and reduce the risk of human error.

Whether you’re a solo developer managing personal projects or part of a team handling client applications, this combination provides the tools and reliability needed for successful web application hosting.

Remember to regularly backup your data, keep your systems updated, and monitor performance to ensure optimal operation. With proper setup and maintenance, your Ploi-managed RamNode VPS can serve as a robust foundation for your web applications.

Additional Resources