Hi, I am working exclusively only with debian servers as I use debian as my primary OS on laptops/pc and servers since long time - I think since debian 5 on laptop as replacement for windows and on servers since debian 6.
You can pm me with your email details and also you can use pgp encryption for email communication. I also use telegram and singal so If you have some questions, you can give me call from all around the world, as it make communication more easy. Call would be fastest and prefered for questions you might have.
Q: How to automatically apply SSL to all subdirectories of a Subserver SSL applied during creation ?
A: you can edit template settings for subserver and add small bash to skeleton which you can automatically start after subserver is created, that will deploy lets encrypt certificate.
Q: How to optimize my server significantly?
A: Well, use only services you need, host only quality clean coded sites, good hardware and if your sites target is for example USA, host it on USA DC or if your target is EU, host it somewhere in EU.
Q: Apply Firewall .
A: That is not hard, I think you just create rules and apply them.
Q: Guide me how to point a domain . I am a reseller.
A: If you do host and manage DNS via virtualmin that is very simple task. You just point all new domains to ns1.yourserver.whatever and ns2.yourserver.whatever or to as many ns entries you have setup.
Q: How can i have a different version of MySQL for a certain virtual server?
A: You should have only latest version os sql server - safest option, however if you must have more then latest version os sql server, just deploy another droplet install naked system with shh, firewall and sql server with targeted version of sql server you want and set it to allow connections from external ip you want to use that sql server version. I would not advise you to run multiple versions on one server - this could potentially cause problems per updates or security issues not to mentioned.
Q: How can i speed up Server
A: Well, use only services you need, host only quality clean coded sites, good hardware and if your sites target is for example USA, host it on USA DC or if your target is EU, host it somewhere in EU.
Q: I am with DigitalOcean. Currently i have one droplet linked to my domain. If i add more droplet and can i link it to same domain or i will have to buy another domain.
A: you can ‘‘link it’’ - you can proxying under existing domain hosted on subdomain or even main domain. However if your another droplet have static IP you don’t need to purchase domain name for that droplet, you can proxying this to subdomain or domain via droplets IP. This way you can run your sql version servers on separate droplets or even services like git repository hosting. Its doable and I host my git.domain.com on completely separate server which does not have domain, its just on same lan as my mine server.
Q: Do do i create server quickly with all security , SSL etc in place.
A: you can edit template settings for subserver and add small bash to skeleton which you can automatically start after subserver is created, that will deploy lets encrypt certificate.
Q: Incase there are lots of images , files in my website , how i can manage server storage efficiently ?
A: you can use some other 3th parties for hosting images, free of paid if you need to host tons of images or files on separate server however possibly use server with big disk space. My setup on my server is that everything is hosted on one 120gb ssd and images and files (not websites it self) I host on external 6TB usb hdd, on same server. I do host my stuff from home so storage for me is just cost of physical unit at the time of purchase (been hosted my sites and stuff from home for over 10 years now).
Q: How i can make sure , my server wont be hacked.
A: Always have everything up2date and not only on server side but scripts as well (aka worpdress etc), use clean code when hosting websites, make sure you use ssh with ssh keys instead of ssh user name and password for login (this means use sftp instead of ftp or ftps - filezilla does this as well on windows and mac), deploy fail2ban and firewall, deploy some live notification for your server - I use gotify for instant push notification to my mobile devices with combination of email as well. Basically when anything or anyone logs in via ssh I am notified with details who is logged in, when, from where with ip details and to which server (domain). I use email just for archival purposes. Last one run automated backups every night and keep them past backups at least for one week - if you have more disk space keep them for two weeks. Prefered location for backups is outside of your main server, and can be done via ssh automatically.
Q: How i will link additional domain of my customer into my server?
A: If you do host and manage DNS via virtualmin that is very simple task. You just tell client to point his domain to ns1.yourserver.whatever and ns2.yourserver.whatever or to as many ns entries you have setup and that’s it from their end. The rest is done via your server. You just create server with the exact domain name they have and you good to go.
I hope this short answers help you somehow. When you hire someone to help you it would be very good advice to ask from the person to write you documentation how it was done and what it will do, so you can learn yourself and understand what those things does but mainly for future - you can do it by yourself.
PS:
Also make sure freelancer will provide full list on invoice what was done to the server. For security advice before and after freelancer is finished, make full backup of your working server somewhere offline with git control version - this would do for you perfectly so you can compare and see what was done and changed.
As some people pointed here they sell digital goods where you pay in advance - which is normal however this is not digital goods - its services, so either you pay per issue (step by step) or per work as services is done. In IT world you can purchase per issue and let person to fix the problem. Normally freelancer and you would agree on T&C and pay invoice after work is done however it can be done pay now and freelancer will do fix after - be careful with this.
If someone like person, ask you money up front, its okay, BUT I would pay only half of it as deposit for services with valid invoice and copy of signed contract or at least some T&C. If person is from different country I would pay only to verified paypal account. This way you can get your money back if promised services was not done. I personally would not trust it otherwise especially if person not know what issues I need to fix on my end and give me sort of short explanation in basic language how it is done for free. I think you got the picture of what I am talking about.
Have good day and sorry for late reply.
