How to properly raise the server?

Question

linux

Good day.
I will need to raise the site on a dedicated server in the near future. The site is powered by wordpress.
I plan to install ubuntu-14.04.2-server, Apache2, php, Mysql on the server.
Never worked with Linux before. While reading the manuals, I tried to install Ubuntu, lamp on the virtual machine, set up a virtual host - everything worked out.
Need advice. What do I absolutely need to learn before starting to work with a real server? What settings will need to be made to optimize the operation and protect the server. And just good advice on how best to optimize this work ...
I apologize for such an abstract question, but I beg you to at least give links to manuals from the MAST-HAV category.
Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Mandatory! A firewall, you can use the built-in ufw, this is enough for just a lamp server. We cover all ports except ssh (22) and 80/443, you can transfer ssh to some port 9922, but this is for the paranoid.
I still put fail2ban, yes, I'm paranoid. It would be nice to keep a second copy of the root partition as a separate partition.
And generate ssh access using keys only!
Extra to taste.
And nginx is a good front-end, but you can only get by with it (without apache), but then you also need to install and configure php-fpm.
Well, memcached is optional.
So in general, everything else can be screwed in the course of work.
Oh yes! Plug in collectd to collect statistics.
And first try all this on a virtual machine.

Answer 2

Is it important for you to set it up yourself? Take it ready from the hosting provider where everything you need will be.

Answer 3

Well, for example, LAMP on Ubuntu . In the same place on the forum you can find something interesting.

Answer 4

"Raise the server" is an abstraction)) Solve problems as needed. The same WP can be raised in a bunch of ways:
1. Linux is different)) rpm-like, deb-like, all sorts of archies, gent and others, package versions and configuration rules are different everywhere
2. Web servers also work in different bundles: Apache, Nginx , Apache+Nginx,
Lighttpd ,... If the site is accessible via https, there are also some
nuances ...
Sobsno therefore there is no such thing as a "correctly raised server", there is a concept of "optimal settings" and it can only be in the context of the system you are building