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Technical insights and best practices for Server Administration

Server Administration

Locking Down Your Box: The Definitive Linux Hardening Guide for 2009

Stop relying on obscurity. From iptables to SSH keys, here is how the pros secure RHEL and Debian systems against the rising tide of botnets.

OpenVZ vs. Xen: Why Your Cheap VPS is Killing Performance

Is your virtual server suffering from mysterious slowdowns? We dive deep into the 'noisy neighbor' problem inherent in OpenVZ containers and why hardware virtualization via Xen might be the only viable choice for serious Norwegian deployments in 2009.

Apache vs Lighttpd: Solving the C10k Problem on Your Norwegian VPS

Is Apache's memory bloat killing your server? We benchmark Apache 2.2 against Lighttpd 1.4 to see which web server handles the load best in 2009. Learn how to optimize for the Norwegian market.

Automated Server Backups: Survival Scripting for Norwegian Sysadmins

Data loss is an extinction event. We explore 2009-era best practices for automated backups using rsync, cron, and MySQL dumps to keep your infrastructure resilient under Norwegian data laws.

Stop Trusting JavaScript: Deep Server Log Analysis with AWStats on CentOS 5

Client-side tracking misses 30% of your traffic. Learn how to deploy AWStats on Apache to uncover bandwidth theft, 404 errors, and true visitor counts while staying compliant with Norwegian data laws.

OpenVZ vs. Hardware Virtualization: The Hidden Costs of Container Technology

Is your VPS suffering from 'stolen' CPU cycles? We dissect the architecture of OpenVZ containers, analyze the risks of shared kernels, and explain why strict resource isolation matters for mission-critical Norwegian infrastructure.

The Truth is in the Logs: Deep Server Forensics with AWStats

Client-side tracking lies. Discover how to configure AWStats on your Linux VPS to uncover bandwidth thieves, fix 404 errors, and audit traffic with forensic precision.

Automated Backups: Why Your RAID-10 Array Won't Save You

RAID provides redundancy, not backup. If you delete a file, RAID deletes it everywhere. Learn how to implement bulletproof, automated offsite backups using rsync and MySQL best practices tailored for Norwegian compliance.

Stop Grepping in the Dark: High-Performance Log Analysis with AWStats

Raw access logs tell the truth, but they are impossible to read. Learn how to deploy AWStats for granular traffic insights without killing your server's I/O performance. Optimized for CentOS 5 and Debian Lenny.

Surviving the Slashdot Effect: Nginx Reverse Proxy Configuration on CentOS 5

Is Apache eating all your RAM? Learn how to deploy Nginx 0.7 as a high-performance reverse proxy to handle massive concurrency without crashing your server.

KVM vs. OpenVZ: Why Kernel-Level Isolation is the Future of Norwegian Hosting

Stop letting noisy neighbors kill your database performance. We explore why Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) is superior to containerization for production workloads in 2009.

Apache vs. Lighttpd: Surviving the Slashdot Effect on Norwegian Infrastructure

Is Apache's memory footprint killing your VDS performance? We benchmark the industry standard against the event-driven challenger, Lighttpd, to see which server handles the C10k problem best on dedicated Norwegian silicon.

FTP vs. SFTP: Stop Broadcasting Passwords to the Entire Subnet

In 2009, using plain FTP is professional negligence. We analyze the packet-level risks, configuration nuances on CentOS 5, and why SFTP is the only compliant choice for Norwegian data standards.

Sleep Through the Night: The Art of Bulletproof Server Monitoring with Nagios & Munin

Stop waking up to 3 AM panic calls. We dive deep into configuring Nagios 3 and Munin on CentOS 5 to distinguish between a real downtime event and a harmless load spike, all while keeping Datatilsynet happy.

Why KVM is Killing Xen and OpenVZ: A Sysadmin’s Guide to Real Virtualization

Tired of 'burst RAM' limits and oversold OpenVZ containers? We dive deep into the Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) architecture, benchmarking I/O performance on Linux 2.6, and why strict resource isolation is the only way to survive a Slashdotting in 2009.

OpenVZ Containers vs. Xen: The Truth About Virtualization in 2009

Is OpenVZ reliable enough for production, or is it just a cheap sandbox? We analyze /proc/user_beancounters, kernel resource locking, and why the Norwegian Data Inspectorate might care about your shared kernel.

Scaling PHP in 2009: Why You Should Ditch mod_php for PHP-FPM and Nginx

Stop letting Apache eat your RAM. Learn how to implement the PHP-FPM patch with Nginx on CentOS 5 to handle thousands of concurrent connections without swapping, specifically tailored for high-traffic Norwegian environments.

Lock Down Your Box: The Definitive Guide to Linux Server Hardening (2009 Edition)

Stop script kiddies cold. A battle-hardened guide to securing your CentOS and Debian servers using iptables, SSH keys, and common sense. Written for the paranoid admin.

The KVM Advantage: Why Hardware Virtualization Beats Containers for Production

Stop gambling with oversold OpenVZ containers. We dissect why KVM's isolated kernel architecture is the only viable choice for stability in 2009, specifically for high-load MySQL and Magento deployments.

OpenVZ Containers: The Good, The Bad, and The "Failcnt" in 2009

Is your VPS actually giving you the RAM you paid for? We dissect OpenVZ architecture, memory barriers, and why /proc/user_beancounters is the most important file you aren't reading.

Building a Bulletproof Postfix Mail Server on Debian Lenny: A 2009 Survival Guide

Stop fighting blacklists. A battle-hardened guide to configuring Postfix for high deliverability, security, and performance in the Norwegian hosting landscape.

Cloud Storage & VPS Strategies for 2010: Escaping the I/O Bottleneck

As we approach 2010, 'Cloud' is the new buzzword, but disk latency remains the silent killer of web performance. We analyze RAID 10 SAS vs. emerging SSD tech, Xen virtualization, and why data sovereignty in Norway beats US-based hosting.

Stop Grepping: Enterprise Log Analysis with AWStats on CentOS 5

Raw access logs are useless without visualization. Learn how to deploy AWStats 6.9 for granular traffic intelligence while navigating Norwegian Datatilsynet privacy requirements and optimizing Perl execution time on high-performance virtual servers.

Bulletproof Postfix: Building a Secure Mail Server on Your VPS without Getting Blacklisted

Stop relying on shared hosting for email. Learn to configure a hardened Postfix server on Linux, handle rDNS correctly, and keep your IP clean in the Norwegian hosting market.

Surviving the Slashdot Effect: HAProxy Load Balancing on CentOS 5

Is your Apache server ready for the Digg front page? Learn how to deploy HAProxy 1.3 to split traffic, reduce load, and why dedicated kernel resources on Xen are non-negotiable for stability.

Ironclad Postfix Configuration: Stop Being Marked as Spam (2009 Edition)

A battle-hardened guide to setting up Postfix on CentOS 5/Debian Lenny. Learn to secure port 25, master main.cf restrictions, and keep your IP off Spamhaus blacklists.

Sleep Through the Night: Bulletproof Server Monitoring with Munin and Nagios on CentOS 5

Stop relying on user complaints to know when your server is down. We dive deep into configuring Nagios 3 for alerting and Munin for trending, ensuring your infrastructure stays online while you sleep.

Stop Letting "Burst RAM" Kill Your Uptime: Why KVM is the Real Deal for 2010

OpenVZ overselling is destroying your database performance. We explore why Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) with virtio drivers is the only architecture serious sysadmins should trust in late 2009.

Stop Sharing Your Kernel: The Definitive Guide to Xen Virtualization in 2009

Tired of 'noisy neighbors' crashing your database? We dissect why Xen PV beats OpenVZ for mission-critical hosting and how to tune CentOS 5 domU instances for raw performance on Norwegian infrastructure.

RAID Is Not A Backup: The 2009 Guide to Automated Disaster Recovery in Norway

RAID 10 won't save you from rm -rf. Learn the battle-tested scripts, remote sync strategies, and Norwegian compliance rules (Personopplysningsloven) to keep your data safe.