Linux-based virtual machines, such as those setup for you when you order a virtual server via the Alwyzon Client Area, are managed using a terminal and SSH. SSH is a secure remote protocol to connect to the text-based interface of a server as if you would sit in front of it. To connect, you will need to know the IP of your server and the login credentials of a Linux user configured on that server. When you order a new server over the Alwyzon website you will receive all this information to connect to your server in a welcome mail. The following guide targets Ubuntu 20.04, if you use another Linux distributions the commands may slightly differ.
Step 1 - Connect via SSH
When you know the IP of your server, the username and the password, you can connect to your server over SSH. On Linux and macOS, a SSH client is preinstalled on any system. Thus, all you need to do to connect to your server is to spin up a local terminal and enter:
ssh USERNAME@SERVER-ADDRESS
(You will need to replace USERNAME and SERVER-ADDRESS by your username and your servers IP, obviously.)
Once you enter this command into your terminal, you should be asked the password. If you entered the password correctly you should be welcomed by your servers prompt. Congratulations!
If you are not using Linux or macOS for your local computer, you might want to check out the Windows tool PuTTY, a graphical tool to connect to your server via SSH.
Step 2a - Change the password of the default user
One of the first steps you might want to consider is to change the default password (a generated random string), you can do so with the following command after you are logged in:
passwd
That's it. You wlll then be asked for your old password, for your new password and to confirm your new password once. Don't lose your new password, otherwise you will be locked out of your server!
Step 2b - Or: Delete the default user and create your own
All Alwyzon virtual servers come with a user named alwyzon preinstalled, which you used to connect to your server via SSH. Instead of changing that users password, you might also want to consider to just delete it and create your own user.
For example, to create a user john instead, type the following command into your servers terminal:
sudo adduser john
This command will ask you a few more details such as the users full name and the password to set. As a next step, grant the user superuser permissions. These are necessary so the user can executes as root by prefixing them with sudo. To do that, type:
sudo usermod -aG sudo john
Now log out of your server and log in as john to make sure the new user actually works before deleting the old one. Also check if your new user has superuser permissions, for example by running sudo apt update. If everything works, delete the old user via:
sudo deluser alwyzon
This will delete the old default user named alwyzon.
Step 3 - Install your applications
Once you are connected to your server you are ready to go and install all the applications you need.