Linux server security is of critical importance to sysadmins. One central part of keeping Linux servers secure, is by installing security updates in a timely manner. Too often there are compromised servers on the internet due to pending security updates waiting for a manual update. On both Ubuntu and Debian, the unattended-upgrades package can be configured […]
59 Linux Networking commands and scripts
September 30, 2019 by Hayden James, in Blog LinuxToday, I wanted to test network throughput via command line with at least 3 tools. For the life of me, I could not remember iperf. We can all relate. It was a bit frustrating, so I decided to create a network tools go-to-list for myself. Then, I thought, why not turn the list into a […]
How to Set Up an Nginx Certbot
September 25, 2019 by Samuel Bocetta, in Guests LinuxIf you are looking to automate the process of obtaining, installing, and updating TLS/SSL certificates on your web server, then Let’s Encrypt is a very useful tool. It is a certificate authority (CA) that comes packaged with a corresponding software client, Certbot, that will automatically install TLS/SSL certificates. This means that you can run encrypted HTTPS […]
Best Linux Distro 2020, for desktop
August 23, 2019 by Hayden James, in Blog LinuxSearching for the best Linux distro in 2020 for your desktop computer or laptop? This article will probably be most useful to those who don’t know what /etc/fstab is used for. Also, this post does not cover Linux server distributions, but instead focuses on the best Linux desktop distros (distributions). One great way to increase your familiarity with Linux servers is […]
I asked 12 APM companies about the future of APM, here’s what they said
July 29, 2019 by Hayden James, in Blog LinuxApplication Performance Monitoring (APM) first started in the late 1990s with companies such as Precise (acquired by Symantec, spun off and then acquired by Idera), Wily Technology (acquired by CA Technologies) and Mercury Interactive (acquired by HP Software Division). In the 2000s APM tools continued to be acquired by larger vendors. Then over the past decade, […]
100 Top Server Monitoring & Application Performance Monitoring Solutions
July 19, 2019 by Hayden James, in Blog LinuxLast Updated: August 26th 2019 – replaced a few defunct, acquired or unmaintained solutions. November 29th 2018 – Site24x7 replaces Coscale. Coscale was recently acquired by New Relic. Oct 11th 2018 update: 100+ – Fixed 11 broken links. (including defunct, mergers, acquisitions, or changed links) December 1st 2017 update: 70 100 Top Server Monitoring & Application Performance Monitoring Tools. August 6th 2017 update: 50 […]
IoT Security: 42 Top Internet of Things Security Solutions
July 16, 2019 by Hayden James, in Blog LinuxAfter researching IoT security. I’ve decided to maintain a list of companies which offer IoT (internet of things) security tools and solutions. Feel free to share your solutions, feedback and tips for securing IoT devices. This list will continue to grow in the coming days, week, months and beyond. In the aftermath of the 2016 DDoS […]
Your Web Host Doesn’t Want You To Read This: Benchmark Your VPS
June 17, 2019 by Hayden James, in Blog LinuxJune 17th 2019: Added instructions for network speed test using speedtest-cli script. Oct 31st 2017: Also see this list of command line scripts. Nov 2nd 2016: Included quick dd commands to check cached vs uncached disk read performance. This article will highlight using the ‘dd’ Unix command for a quick benchmark of your Linux server or VPS. […]
Nginx tuning tips: TLS/SSL HTTPS – Improved TTFB/latency
June 14, 2019 by Hayden James, in Blog LinuxSince 30th June 2018, the PCI Security Standards Council requires that support for SSL 3.0 and TLS 1.0 be disabled. TLS 1.1 or higher must be used and TLS 1.2 is strongly recommended. In addition, as of July 2018, Google Chrome began to mark ‘HTTP’ web sites as “not secure”. Over the past few years, the […]
When is it time to add more application monitoring?
June 12, 2019 by Hayden James, in Blog GuestsGuest post by James Paden, Partner at Instrumental At Instrumental, we often talk about getting started with monitoring. In the past, we’ve covered the critical, but basic, metrics everyone needs on our Ultimate Monitoring Metrics Cheatsheet (many of which are gathered by out-the-box system and service monitoring). We also wrote the Quick-Start Guide to Monitoring […]
Zorin Linux – As a Windows OS (and MacOS) Replacement
June 10, 2019 by Hayden James, in Blog LinuxThis article has been edited and updated from the original 2014 article. For 2019, I still recommend Zorin Linux as a Windows OS replacement and now as a MacOS replacement. Five years later and I’m more confident about this recommendation. You’ve probably heard about or been affected by the retirement of Windows XP support on April 8, […]