Rackspace Cloud servers are ultra-reliable and robust cloud
based servers that can be configured with a variety base OS images.
This walkthrough will take you step by step through creating and
setting a base install of the popular Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid
Lynx). Later walkthroughs will pick up where this walkthrough
leaves off with setting up common webserver platforms and
frameworks.
We begin by logging into our Rackspace Cloud Server control
panel.
- Add new server instance.
- Select Linux tab, then Ubuntu 10.04 LTS
(Lucid).
- Type a unique name to identify the new server.
- Select the desired hardware. I started with the least
expensive; it is easy to scale up later if needed.
- The Rackspace panel will give you a pre-generated password.
Save this for later reference.
- While the server is building you will want to install an SSH
Client. If you are on Windows we recommend Bitvise
Tunnelier (free for individual use).
- Once the server build is complete, you will get an email with
the public IP address and the root/admin password for your new
Linux server.
- Open your SSH Client and connect to the new server with the
public IP address as the Host, Default Port 22,
root for the username, and the auto-generated
password from earlier for the password. On successful
connection you should get a console command window.
- The first thing we should do is changed the root password.
Since the auto-generated one was sent unencrypted via email it can
no longer be considered safe. At the console prompt, type the
command: passwd and hit enter. You will be
prompted for the new password twice. Be sure to use an unique
password that is fairly long, contains a mix of letters, numbers
and at least one punctuation character. Save the new password in a
secure location.
At this point you will have a working base install of Ubuntu
10.04 LTS (Lucid) running on a Rackspace Cloud Server. The next
walk through will help take you step by step for Installing
the LAMP Frawework stack.