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    Management Guide

    Manage Servers with ServerAvatar

    Managing a Virtual Private Server (VPS) can be intimidating, especially for developers and entrepreneurs who want to focus on building applications rather than wrestling with server configurations. ServerAvatar provides an intuitive control panel that handles all the technical heavy lifting, combined with RamNode's reliable VPS infrastructure.

    Ubuntu 20.04/22.04
    ServerAvatar Panel
    ⏱️ 20-30 minutes

    Why RamNode + ServerAvatar?

    RamNode Benefits

    • • High-performance NVMe technology
    • • Robust Tier 1 network with consistent uptime
    • • Flexible pay-as-you-go billing starting at $4/month
    • • Global data centers (Atlanta, NYC, Seattle, LA, Netherlands)
    • • Multiple payment options (PayPal, Bitcoin, WeChat, Alipay)
    • • Custom features: snapshots, firewalls, OpenStack API

    ServerAvatar Features

    • • User-friendly web-based control panel
    • • One-click application installations
    • • Automated SSL certificate management
    • • Multiple PHP versions support
    • • Built-in backup solutions
    • • Git-based deployments
    • • Server monitoring and alerts

    Prerequisites

    Before we begin, ensure you have:

    Server Requirements

    • • A RamNode VPS (minimum 1GB RAM recommended)
    • • Ubuntu 20.04 or 22.04 LTS
    • • Root access to your server
    • • A domain name (optional but recommended)
    → View Recommended Standard VPS Plans

    Account Requirements

    • • A ServerAvatar account (free tier available)
    • • Basic knowledge of web hosting concepts
    • • SSH client for server access
    • • Understanding of DNS configuration
    3

    Create ServerAvatar Account

    Set up your ServerAvatar account to manage your servers:

    Account Setup Steps:

    1. 1. Visit ServerAvatar.com
    2. 2. Click "Sign Up" and create your account
    3. 3. Verify your email address
    4. 4. Choose your subscription plan:
      • • Free Plan: 1 server, basic features
      • • Pro Plan: $10/month for 5 servers
      • • Business Plan: $25/month for unlimited servers
    5. 5. Complete your profile setup

    🆓 Free Tier: ServerAvatar offers a generous free plan that includes one server with essential features, perfect for getting started.

    4

    Deploy RamNode VPS

    Deploy your RamNode VPS with the right configuration:

    VPS Deployment Process:

    1. 1. Log in to your RamNode account
    2. 2. Click "Deploy" to create a new VPS
    3. 3. Configure your server:
      • • Operating System: Ubuntu 20.04 or 22.04 LTS
      • • Size: Minimum 1GB RAM (2GB+ recommended)
      • • Data Center: Choose closest to your users
      • • SSH Keys: Add your public SSH key
    4. 4. Set a hostname and optional startup script
    5. 5. Deploy the server and wait for it to boot
    6. 6. Note down the server IP address

    💡 Tip: Choose a data center location close to your target audience for better performance. RamNode offers locations in the US and Netherlands.

    5

    Connect Server to ServerAvatar

    Connect your RamNode VPS to ServerAvatar for management:

    Server Connection Process:

    1. 1. In ServerAvatar dashboard, click "Add Server"
    2. 2. Choose "Custom VPS" as your provider
    3. 3. Enter server details:
      • • Server Name: Descriptive name (e.g., "RamNode-Production")
      • • IP Address: Your RamNode VPS IP
      • • SSH Username: root
      • • SSH Password: Your root password or SSH key
    4. 4. Select server configuration:
      • • Web Server: Nginx (recommended)
      • • Database: MySQL or MariaDB
      • • PHP Version: Latest stable (8.1+)
      • • Node.js: If needed for your applications
    5. 5. Click "Connect Server"

    ⏱️ Setup Time: The server setup process typically takes 5-15 minutes. ServerAvatar will install and configure all necessary software automatically.

    6

    Initial Server Setup

    Configure your server settings through ServerAvatar:

    Post-Installation Configuration:

    1. 1. Verify Installation: Check that your server shows "Connected" status
    2. 2. Update System: ServerAvatar automatically updates packages
    3. 3. Configure Firewall: Basic firewall rules are set automatically
    4. 4. Set Timezone: Configure server timezone in settings
    5. 5. Enable Monitoring: Activate server monitoring and alerts

    7

    Create Your First Application

    Deploy your first web application using ServerAvatar:

    Application Creation Process:

    1. 1. Go to "Applications" in ServerAvatar dashboard
    2. 2. Click "Create Application"
    3. 3. Configure application settings:
      • • Application Name: Your choice (e.g., "my-website")
      • • Domain: Your domain name or server IP
      • • Application Type: PHP, WordPress, Laravel, or Custom
      • • Document Root: /public (for frameworks) or /public_html
      • • PHP Version: Latest stable version
    4. 4. Click "Create Application"
    5. 5. Wait for the application setup to complete

    8

    Configure Domain and SSL

    Set up your domain and enable SSL certificates:

    Domain Configuration:

    1. 1. Update your domain's DNS records:
      • • A Record: yourdomain.com → your-server-ip
      • • A Record: www.yourdomain.com → your-server-ip
    2. 2. In ServerAvatar, go to your application
    3. 3. Navigate to "Domain Management"
    4. 4. Add additional domains/subdomains if needed
    5. 5. Wait for DNS propagation (up to 48 hours)

    SSL Certificate Setup:

    1. 1. Go to your application → SSL/TLS
    2. 2. Click "Install Let's Encrypt Certificate"
    3. 3. Select domains to include in certificate
    4. 4. Enable "Force HTTPS Redirect"
    5. 5. Enable automatic certificate renewal
    DNS Configuration Example
    # A Records for your domain
yourdomain.com.        300    IN    A    your-server-ip
www.yourdomain.com.    300    IN    A    your-server-ip

# CNAME Record (alternative for www)
www.yourdomain.com.    300    IN    CNAME    yourdomain.com.

    🔒 Free SSL: ServerAvatar provides free Let's Encrypt SSL certificates with automatic renewal, ensuring your site is always secure.

    9

    Database Management

    Create and manage databases for your applications:

    Creating a Database:

    1. 1. Go to "Databases" in ServerAvatar dashboard
    2. 2. Click "Create Database"
    3. 3. Configure database settings:
      • • Database Name: Your choice
      • • Database User: Create new user
      • • Password: Use strong password
      • • Character Set: utf8mb4 (recommended)
      • • Collation: utf8mb4_unicode_ci
    4. 4. Click "Create Database"

    10

    Application Deployment

    Deploy your application code using various methods:

    11

    Monitoring and Performance

    Monitor your server and applications with ServerAvatar's built-in tools:

    Server Monitoring

    • • CPU and memory usage tracking
    • • Disk space monitoring
    • • Network traffic analysis
    • • Load average monitoring
    • • Process monitoring
    • • Real-time alerts and notifications

    Application Monitoring

    • • Website uptime monitoring
    • • Response time tracking
    • • Error log monitoring
    • • PHP performance metrics
    • • Database query analysis
    • • Custom alert configurations

    Setting Up Monitoring:

    1. 1. Go to Server → Monitoring
    2. 2. Enable system monitoring features
    3. 3. Configure alert thresholds for CPU, memory, disk
    4. 4. Set up notification preferences (email, Slack, Discord)
    5. 5. Enable uptime monitoring for applications
    6. 6. Configure log monitoring and alerts
    12

    Security Configuration

    Enhance your server security with ServerAvatar's security features:

    Built-in Security

    • • Automatic security updates
    • • Fail2ban intrusion prevention
    • • Firewall management
    • • SSH key authentication
    • • SSL certificate automation
    • • Malware scanning

    Access Control

    • • IP whitelisting
    • • Two-factor authentication
    • • User access management
    • • SSH port customization
    • • Password policies
    • • Audit logging

    Security Configuration Steps:

    1. 1. Go to Server → Security
    2. 2. Enable automatic security updates
    3. 3. Configure fail2ban settings
    4. 4. Set up SSH key authentication
    5. 5. Configure firewall rules
    6. 6. Enable two-factor authentication for your account
    7. 7. Set up IP whitelisting if needed
    8. 8. Configure security monitoring alerts
    13

    Troubleshooting Common Issues

    14

    Best Practices and Optimization

    Security Best Practices

    • • Keep ServerAvatar and server updated
    • • Use strong passwords and 2FA
    • • Regular security audits
    • • Monitor access logs
    • • Use HTTPS for all applications
    • • Regular backup testing
    • • Limit user access permissions

    Performance Optimization

    • • Enable PHP OPcache
    • • Configure proper caching mechanisms
    • • Optimize database queries and indexes
    • • Use CDN for static assets
    • • Monitor resource usage regularly
    • • Keep applications updated
    • • Implement proper error handling

    Maintenance Checklist:

    • • Weekly: Review monitoring alerts and system performance
    • • Monthly: Update applications and review security logs
    • • Quarterly: Review and test backup procedures
    • • Annually: Conduct security audit and review access permissions

    🎉 Congratulations! You now have a fully managed ServerAvatar setup on your RamNode VPS. You can deploy applications, manage databases, monitor performance, and handle SSL certificates—all through an intuitive control panel that simplifies server management while maintaining full control over your hosting environment.