Rocky Linux 9 Initial Server Setup for Production Workloads
Build a hardened Rocky Linux 9 baseline: admin users, SSH keys, firewalld rules, fail2ban, and automatic security updates before your app ever ships.
Linux7 min read
NetBay journal
Guides for operators
Practical guides for Linux, containers, CI/CD, self-hosting, and running VPS infrastructure from Netbay Engineering.
599 articles · 24 topics
AllLinuxLinux AdministrationWindowsLinux SecurityLinux NetworkingContainersContainers & OrchestrationKubernetesCI/CDGitHubSelf-HostingBackups & DataDatabasesApp DeploymentDNS & TLSObservabilityEmailAI AgentsAI InfrastructureAPI & AutomationProxiesCloud ArchitectureHardware & PerformanceDevOps Practices
Docker Swarm vs Kubernetes: When a Simple Orchestrator Wins
Compare Docker Swarm and Kubernetes for a few dozen containers on just a handful of nodes, and learn where Swarm's simplicity genuinely pays off.
Containers & Orchestration7 min read
Feature Flags: Shipping Half-Built Features Without Breaking Trunk
Ship incomplete features safely by hiding them behind flags, so every merge stays green and the trunk is always deployable.
CI/CD7 min read
Self-Hosted Stacks: Put a Reverse Proxy First
Route every self-hosted app through one Nginx Proxy Manager entry point so TLS, hostnames, and access rules stay consistent as your stack grows.
Self-Hosting7 min read
CPU Performance: Cores, vCPUs and When More Does Not Help
Understand how cores and vCPUs map to real throughput, and learn to recognize exactly when adding more vCPUs will not make your workload faster.
Hardware & Performance7 min read
Storage Tiers on a VPS: OS, Data, and Backup Placement
A practical split of OS, application data, and backups across SSD mounts, so one full disk can never take the whole virtual machine down.
Hardware & Performance6 min read
Reverse Proxy Fundamentals: Why Every Server Needs One
Learn what a reverse proxy does, when to put one in front of your apps, how it terminates TLS, and the security and performance wins it delivers for your VPS.
Proxies7 min read
HTTP vs HTTPS Through a Proxy: Where TLS Ends
A practical look at where TLS terminates in forward and reverse proxy setups, and how that choice changes what a proxy can inspect, log, and cache.
Proxies6 min read
Install PostgreSQL 16 on Ubuntu and Bind It Right
Install PostgreSQL 16 on Ubuntu from PGDG, bind listen_addresses to a private IP, and prove that port 5432 is closed to the public internet.
Databases8 min read
When SQLite Is the Right Database on a VPS
Pick SQLite on a VPS when one host owns the data, writes stay serializable, and you want a file you can copy instead of a cluster you must nurse.
Databases8 min read
DNS Records That Matter: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT
Map A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, and TXT records to real traffic so your domain reaches the VPS, mail still works, and ACME can prove you own the name.
DNS & TLS8 min read
SSH Config Host Aliases, IdentitiesOnly, Jumps
Stop repeating long ssh flags. Build a ~/.ssh/config with Host aliases, IdentitiesOnly, and jump hosts so private VPS nodes stay one command away.
Linux Administration8 min read