Backups
How to Test a MySQL or PostgreSQL Backup Restore
A backup you have never restored is a guess. Here is how to load a MySQL or PostgreSQL dump into a scratch database and prove that it is usable.
5 min read
Monitoring
Why Your Uptime Monitor Sends False Alerts
Your monitor says the site is down and it is fine. The usual causes, how to tell which one you have, and how to cut the noise without going blind.
4 min read
Security
Harden SSH Without Locking Yourself Out
Turning off password logins takes one line and can cost you the server. The order that keeps a way in: a drop-in file, a second session and an undo timer.
4 min read
Operations
Ubuntu 20.04, Debian 11 and Amazon Linux 2 Are End of Life
Ubuntu 20.04 lost standard support in May 2025, Amazon Linux 2 on 30 June 2026 and Debian 11 on 31 August 2026. What that means and how to move.
4 min read
Backups
VPS Snapshot vs Backup: What Each One Covers
A snapshot undoes your last change. A backup survives losing the server and the account. How to tell which one you have, and a 3-2-1 plan for one VPS.
4 min read
Security
Certbot Renewal Failed? Find the Cause
Certbot renewals fail weeks after issuance, when nobody is looking. How to read the error, the causes behind most failures, and how to hear about it in time.
4 min read
Backups
Back Up MySQL to S3 Without Keys on the Server
Most MySQL to S3 scripts leave a bucket key on the server. Here is a mysqldump pipeline that uploads with a short-lived presigned URL instead.
4 min read
Monitoring
What to Monitor on a Linux Server
A short, opinionated list of what to watch on a Linux server, the thresholds worth alerting on, and what to leave out so alerts stay worth reading.
4 min read
Automation
Ansible Alternatives for Small Teams
Ansible is fine until the upkeep outweighs the servers. A fair look at pyinfra, Fabric, salt-ssh, Puppet and a managed runner, and when plain SSH is enough.
4 min read
Operations
Restart a Crashed Service Automatically With systemd
Two lines make systemd restart a crashed service. Here is the start limit that quietly stops it, the failures it cannot see and how to hear about restarts.
4 min read
Automation
How to Patch Linux Servers Without Breaking Production
How often to patch, what to automate and what to stage, how to handle reboots, and a canary routine that a small team can keep up month after month.
4 min read
Operations
Linux Disk Full: Find What Is Using the Space
df says full, df says free, or the numbers disagree. A calm order of checks for a full Linux disk: inodes, deleted files, journald, Docker and logs.
4 min read