Tag: Command-line

Cron is a service for Linux servers that automatically executes scheduled commands. A cron job can be a series of shell commands, scripts, or other programs. Cron tasks or jobs can perform a variety of functions and once ran can send out an e-mail message to inform you of its completion or errors. If you receive an error, there are many ways to troubleshoot the cron task.  Use this article for troubleshooting assistance or a tutorial on the basics of cron jobs. If you would like to learn more about creating a cron job check out our Knowledge Base tutorials on the subject.

The command line terminal, or shell on your Linux server, is a potent tool for deciphering activity on the server, performing operations, or making system changes. But with several thousand executable binaries installed by default, what tools are useful, and how should you use them safely?

What if you have dozens of SQL databases and manually backing up/restoring each database is too time-consuming for your project? No problem! We can script out a method that will export and import all databases at once without needing manual intervention. For help with transferring SQL Logins and Stored Procedures & Views take a look at our MSSQL Migration with SSMS article.

Since 1996, XFCE Desktop gives users the ability to have a graphical user interface (GUI) environment, visually turning your Linux server into an environment more like your desktop computer. With its no-frills look, XFCE does not weigh heavy on the server’s hardware and is faster than GNOME and KDE to boot. Once completed with this small tutorial, you’ll be able to share and connect to the XFCE GUI by continuing to the next tutorial on How To Install VNC.

User management includes removing users who no longer need access, removing their username and any associate root privileges are necessary for securing your Ubuntu based Cloud VPS server. Deleting a user’s access to your Linux server is a typical operation which can easily be performed using a few commands.  

Broken down into two parts our article’s first section hits on “how to whitelist IPs or URIs,” for people who are somewhat familiar with ModSecurity but want to know further about the process. Our second section examines why we configure ModSecurity and how to prevent the security of the server from getting in the way of our work. If you have a Fully Managed Liquid Web server reach out to our Heroic Support team for assistance with whitelisting!

A major factor in database performance is the storage engine used by the database, and more specifically, its tables. Different storage engines provide better performance in one situation over another. For general use, there are two contenders to be considered. These are MyISAM, which is the default MySQL storage engine, or InnoDB, which is an alternative engine built-in to MySQL intended for high-performance databases. Before we can understand the difference between the two storage engines, we need to understand the term “locking.”

When to Update PHP?

PHP is a programming language that can run with Apache or Microsoft IIS and works with your dedicated or VPS server to execute the requests that make up your website. 88% of online sites run on, the soon to be vulnerable PHP 5.X technology. At the close of this year, scheduled by Dec. 31, 2018 security support will end for our dear old friend PHP 5.6, meaning bugs and security fixes will not be tended to and could lead to security vulnerabilities. Each PHP version gets supported actively for two years while the third year only gets critical security updates. Luckily, the PHP gods had smiled upon us and extended the life for just a year longer than the typical PHP version before giving us the new year deadline. For all the developers out there wanting to know exactly what is changing, here’s a helpful migration guide from PHP 5.6 to PHP 7.X.

WP-CLI is a command line tool for interacting with and managing WordPress sites. In our previous article on How to Install WP-CLI we covered the process of installing WP-CLI onto a server. We did this in a way that the tool would be accessible by any user on the server. This prevents the need for your users to install the tool locally.

Sometimes you may find your server in a state of high load caused by out control of processes. First you’ll want to use a command like htop, top, or ps, to get an idea on the server’s current state. If you aren’t familiar with those utilities we’d suggest checking our our article on htop.