Setting Hostname and Timezone - RamNode Cloud VPS Documentation

Properly configuring your VPS hostname and timezone is essential for system identification, logging, scheduled tasks, and network services. This guide covers how to set up both on Ubuntu, Debian, and RHEL-based distributions like AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux.

What You'll Learn

Understand hostname types and when to use each

Set and verify your system hostname

Configure your server's timezone

Set up NTP for accurate time synchronization

Prerequisites

• A RamNode Cloud VPS running Ubuntu, Debian, AlmaLinux, or Rocky Linux
• Root or sudo access to the server
• SSH access configured and working

Hostname Overview

A hostname is a label that identifies your server on a network. It appears in system prompts, logs, and is used for network identification. You can use either a simple hostname or a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN).

Simple Hostname

A single-word identifier for your server:

webserver

db01

production-app

FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name)

Hostname with domain attached:

web1.example.com

mail.mydomain.org

db.mycompany.net

Tip: Use an FQDN if you're running a mail server or need proper SSL certificates. For testing or internal use, a simple hostname is sufficient.

Setting the Hostname

Using hostnamectl (Recommended)

The hostnamectl command is the modern way to set hostnames on systemd-based distributions (Ubuntu, Debian, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux).

Set Simple Hostname

sudo hostnamectl set-hostname your-hostname

Set FQDN

sudo hostnamectl set-hostname server.yourdomain.com

Update /etc/hosts

After setting the hostname, update /etc/hosts to ensure proper local resolution:

Edit /etc/hosts

sudo nano /etc/hosts

Add or modify these lines:

/etc/hosts

127.0.0.1   localhost
127.0.1.1   your-hostname.yourdomain.com your-hostname

# For IPv6:
::1         localhost ip6-localhost ip6-loopback

Verify Your Hostname

Confirm the hostname is set correctly:

Verify Hostname

# Display short hostname
hostname

# Display FQDN
hostname -f

# Display all information
hostnamectl

Timezone Overview

Setting the correct timezone ensures accurate timestamps in logs, scheduled tasks (cron jobs), and application data. Most cloud servers default to UTC, which is recommended for servers.

Recommendation: Use UTC

For most server applications, UTC is recommended as it avoids daylight saving time complications and provides a consistent reference point across distributed systems.

Setting the Timezone

Check Current Timezone

Check Timezone

# Display current timezone and time
timedatectl

# Or simply
date

List Available Timezones

List Timezones

# List all available timezones
timedatectl list-timezones

# Filter by region
timedatectl list-timezones | grep America
timedatectl list-timezones | grep Europe
timedatectl list-timezones | grep Asia

Set Timezone with timedatectl

Set Timezone

# Set to UTC (recommended for servers)
sudo timedatectl set-timezone UTC

# Set to specific timezone examples
sudo timedatectl set-timezone America/New_York
sudo timedatectl set-timezone Europe/London
sudo timedatectl set-timezone Asia/Tokyo

# Verify the change
timedatectl

Alternative: Using Symbolic Link

On older systems without timedatectl:

Alternative Method

# Remove existing localtime
sudo rm /etc/localtime

# Create symbolic link to desired timezone
sudo ln -s /usr/share/zoneinfo/America/New_York /etc/localtime

# Update timezone file (Debian/Ubuntu)
echo "America/New_York" | sudo tee /etc/timezone

NTP Time Synchronization

Network Time Protocol (NTP) keeps your server's clock synchronized with authoritative time servers. Accurate time is critical for logging, security certificates, and distributed systems.

Using systemd-timesyncd (Default)

Most modern distributions use systemd-timesyncd for time synchronization:

Enable NTP

# Check NTP status
timedatectl show-timesync --all

# Enable NTP synchronization
sudo timedatectl set-ntp true

# Verify synchronization status
timedatectl status

Using chrony (Recommended for Servers)

Chrony is more accurate and handles network interruptions better than systemd-timesyncd:

Install chrony (Ubuntu/Debian)

sudo apt install chrony -y
sudo systemctl start chronyd
sudo systemctl enable chronyd

Install chrony (AlmaLinux/Rocky)

sudo dnf install chrony -y
sudo systemctl start chronyd
sudo systemctl enable chronyd

Verify chrony Status

# Check synchronization status
chronyc tracking

# View time sources
chronyc sources -v

Manual Time Sync

For one-time synchronization:

Manual Sync

# Using chrony
sudo chronyc makestep

# Or using ntpdate (if installed)
sudo ntpdate pool.ntp.org

Best Practices

Use an FQDN for mail servers

Ensure your hostname matches your reverse DNS (PTR) record for email deliverability.

Keep hostnames consistent

Use a naming convention (e.g., web01, db01, cache01) to make management easier.

Use UTC for servers

UTC avoids daylight saving time issues and provides consistency across distributed systems.

Enable NTP synchronization

Always keep time synchronized. Drift can cause issues with SSL certificates, logs, and authentication systems.

Use chrony over ntpd

Chrony handles intermittent network connections better and synchronizes faster after system boot.

Important: If you change the hostname on a running server, some applications may require a restart to recognize the change. Reboot if you encounter issues.