How we build servers
The same principles on every server we run, whichever provider it sits on. Boring on purpose: well-known, standard tools configured carefully.
- L1
Provider
Chosen per project: location, budget, compliance needs and the hardware your workload wants. In your account or ours.
- L2
Base system
A current, supported Linux release, minimal packages, security updates applied automatically, major upgrades planned with you.
- L3
Access
SSH keys only, no password logins, named accounts, brute-force protection, and a record of who has access.
- L4
Network
Default-deny firewall. Only the ports a service needs are open; databases and internal services listen on private interfaces.
- L5
Web and TLS
nginx or Apache as reverse proxy, certificates from Let’s Encrypt renewed automatically, security headers and compression.
- L6
Applications
Each app runs as its own unprivileged user or container, managed by systemd or Docker, with restarts on failure and rotated logs.
- L7
Backups
Automated backups of files and databases on a schedule that fits how often your data changes, with periodic test restores.
- L8
Monitoring
Uptime, disk, memory and certificate checks with alerts, so problems are noticed before your users report them.
Any provider, no lock-in
We do not own a data centre and we do not pretend to. We work with established cloud and dedicated server providers worldwide and pick the one that fits your project. Because everything is built from standard open-source components and documented, your setup can move to another provider, or to another team, without starting from scratch.
Documentation and handover
Every server comes with a written description of what runs where: services, ports, users, backup schedule, monitoring and how to reach us. If you ever want to run it yourself, you already have what you need.
Changes
Configuration changes are planned, applied and noted. Larger changes, such as operating system upgrades or migrations, are scheduled with you in advance.
Want this for your project?
Describe your project, stack and timeline. We reply with questions or a proposal.