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New Linux VPS Templates: Ubuntu 16, Debian 8, and more!

Today we are happy to announce the latest update to our roster of supported Linux distributions. We now support more than 45 distributions, including the latest new releases:

The new Linux templates are available immediately, and can be selected either when deploying new instances, or when re-imaging an existing Linux instance. Visit Linux VPS hosting to deploy a new VPS, or the SolVPS Control Panel to re-image an existing instance.

The new releases have been fully tested on our cloud VPS hosting platform. Like other Linux VPS servers, they support instant deployment in under 30 seconds, automatic configuration of server resources (upgrades and downgrades), and remote access to power management, rescue console, and more.

ubuntu-16-04-lts-xenial-xerus-screenshot-tour-503255-3-1

Debian-8-quot-Jessie-quot-Alpha-1-Officially-Released-432900-2

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OpenSSL Client for Windows: Win32 OpenSSL Debugging Tool

We came across this great little tool, and wanted to share in case anyone can use the info. Shining Light OpenSSL client for Windows is a command line OpenSSL utility, implementing the full OpenSSL software for testing and debugging SSL connection issues on Windows systems.

Download the OpenSSL client, free, here: https://slproweb.com/products/Win32OpenSSL.html

After running the installer, open Command Prompt and navigate to the folder where the software was installed.

cd c:\windows\openssl

Try a connection to a SSL host:

openssl s_client -connect the.server.edu:3269 

Note that this client does NOT include any root CA certificates, and never uses the Windows certificate store, which will cause “verify error 20” unless CA certificates are explicitly given.

To have OpenSSL fully verify, you must get a suitable set of CA certs in PEM file(s) and give them explicitly to s_server using -CAfile or -CAparth or a combination. Specify a certificate file like this:

openssl s_client -connect the.server.edu:3269 -CAfile "C:/windows/openssl/certificates/certs.pem"
Posted in Guides & How To's, Security, Tech Support, VPS Hosting, Windows Server, Windows VPS | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Flush DNS Cache on Windows Server / Windows 10

It’s simple to flush the DNS cache on Windows or Windows Server. This will reset the server’s cached DNS lookups, so domain name lookups will be re-tried the next time they are made.

How to Reset the DNS Cache in Windows

1. Open Command Prompt.

2. Run the command:

ipconfig /flushdns

That’s it. The DNS cache will now be reset.

This article applies to:

  • Windows Server 2008 R2
  • Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Windows Server 2016
  • Windows 7
  • Windows 8.1
  • Windows 10
Posted in Guides & How To's, Tech Support, VPS Hosting, Windows Server, Windows VPS | Tagged , , , | 1 Response

Dedicated Servers are Now Available in New York and London

We are pleased to announce, with much anticipation, the new availability of dedicated server hosting in our New York, USA and London, UK data centers.

Dedicated servers provide the highest level of performance and security for hosted applications. When absolute security and predictability are required, which not even a VPS can provide, a dedicated server is the ideal solution.

Our new line of Intel Xeon E3-series dedicated servers are designed to meet the needs of applications more advanced than a typical VPS can handle. These single-processor servers, with up to 8 dedicated cores, are an excellent cost-effective solution for dedicated infrastructure hosting.

The server’s hardware and software are physically dedicated to your private usage, and completely customizable from the ground up, including BIOS, IPv4 and IPv6 networking provided on a dedicated network port, operating system installation, and specific technology features of storage, memory, and other components.

To see available configurations, visit: Dedicated Servers

Available Operating Systems:

To request a quote for a custom configuration, please contact us. We have all kinds of hardware available and can custom-tailor a dedicated solution to meet your needs.

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New Windows Server 2012 R2 VPS Updates

We are happy to announce the latest updates to our Windows Server 2012 R2 VPS hosting service, including the latest updates and security fixes from Microsoft, and a number of other new enhancements.

Features

Windows Server 2012 R2 now runs on our cloud VPS platform faster than ever, with the new updates providing some key improvements:

  • Lower system resource usage (overhead)
  • Faster OS installs and re-installs
  • Smaller overall OS footprint on storage

We have also updated Windows 8 VPS, Windows 7 VPS, and Windows Server 2008 R2 VPS templates with latest updates and system enhancements.

With RemoteFX, it is now possible to play fluid video on our Windows 8 and Windows 7 VPS instances. Up to 1080p full-screen is possible to stream with no apparent lag, with good internet connection to the VPS server location. 720p and lower resolutions can easily be streamed even with low-bandwidth connections. RemoteFX makes this possible by using the system CPU for extra graphics processing (GPU) power.

The new Windows VPS builds also feature audio recording redirection. This enables USB recording devices attached to your local computer to be available for audio recording on the remote desktop VPS.

We have tested and released these features after many requests from users, and we hope they will be useful to you. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or comments.

More: Windows VPS Hosting

Screenshots

win8-1  win2012-2 win7-1   win7-2

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How to Install Cloud Backup on a Linux VPS or Server

Use the steps below to install the Cloud Backup agent on a Linux VPS or dedicated server. Follow the directions for CentOS/RHEL, or Debian/Ubuntu, depending on your operating system, then proceed to the Final Steps section below.

CentOS / Enterprise Linux Servers

Switch to root user:

su root

Download the script, give it executable permissions, and execute it:

CentOS 7:

wget https://www.solvps.com/src/backup/install-el7.sh
chmod a+x install-el7.sh
sh install-el7.sh

CentOS 6:

wget https://www.solvps.com/src/backup/install-el6.sh
chmod a+x install-el6.sh
sh install-el6.sh

The script will download and install the Cloud Backup agent, then automatically build the required kernel module. Please contact Technical Support if the script fails to properly complete the installation on your CentOS/EL system.

Debian / Ubuntu Servers

Switch to root user:

su root

Download the script, give it executable permissions, and execute it:

wget https://www.solvps.com/src/backup/install-deb.sh
chmod a+x install.sh

sh install.sh

The script will download and install the Cloud Backup agent, then automatically build the required kernel module. Please contact Technical Support if the script fails to properly complete the installation on your Debian/Ubuntu system.

Final Steps

After successfully installing the agent and kernel module on your VPS or dedicated server, return to the Backup Manager panel, go to the Servers page, and click Actions icon > Edit Server.

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On the Edit Server window, click Reset Public Key.

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Now click the Actions icon > Test Agent Connection. If all went well, the Backup Manager will successfully connect and authenticate with the server.

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The Linux server is now activated for backups, and it will begin backing up on schedule according to its Backup Policy.

Posted in Cloud Backup, Guides & How To's, Linux VPS, Tech Support, VPS Hosting | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Restore Files from a Cloud Backup Checkpoint

This process can be used to restore individual files or folders to a system that is protected by Cloud Backup.

How to Restore Files

Log in to the Backup Manager. (See: How to Log in to the Backup Manager)

Click Recovery Points in the navigation menu.

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Select your server in the Server drop down menu.

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Find the recovery point (backup) you would like to restore from, and click Browse in the Actions menu.

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You will see a file browser opened to the root directory of your server. Browse to the folder or files you want to restore by double-clicking on folder icons. Select the files or folders, then click Restore Selected.

In our example we are going to restore some system folders that may have become corrupted.

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Use the default settings in the Restore Settings menu. Click OK. The file restore will be scheduled to run immediately.

Screen Shot 2016-06-28 at 6.39.15 PM

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Web Hosting: Auto-install an Application or Framework on Your Account

In this guide we will use the Applications Panel feature to automatically install an application to our web hosting account. This feature allows you to install applications like WordPress, Magento, or frameworks like Laravel and Symfony2, directly from the SolVPS Control Panel.

Log in to the Control Panel

Click Services > Dashboard in the SolVPS menu (if not logged in, log in here). On the Dashboard, select your web hosting service by clicking Manage Service.

Screen Shot 2016-06-27 at 4.26.15 PM

Go to the Applications Panel

Click Applications to go to the Applications Panel. Then click Install New.

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For this example, we will install WordPress on our web hosting account. As you can see, there are many more applications you can install using the same method. There are over 400 software packages available.

Install WordPress

Choose WordPress. Now you can configure the installation options for WordPress. Use the ? tooltips if you need help filling in the options. You can also leave the default values if unsure.

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WordPress is now installed on the account. You will see it in the list of Installed Applications.

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If you open the File Manager, you will see a new folder called blog that corresponds to the Directory we set in the installation step. This is where you will find the WordPress configuration files.

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Log in to WordPress

Visit http://yourdomain.com/blog to see if the installation was successful. In our example we see a basic WordPress install with no content yet. Looks good!

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You may want to log in to the admin area at http://yourdomain.com/blog/wp-admin.

Screen Shot 2016-06-27 at 7.14.14 PM

WordPress is fully installed and ready to use.

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Cloud Backup: Setup Guide for VPS and Dedicated Servers

In this guide we will quickly setup Cloud Backup for a VM or dedicated server.

Order Cloud Backup

Select a backup plan from: https://www.solvps.com/cloud-backup/

The order process requires a few options to be configured:

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  • How many VMs to back up: Choose the number of VPS to provide a Cloud Backup backup license for. You can manage multiple VMs and servers in the same backup control panel.
  • Backup Volume Size: The total storage space available for your VPS and server backups.
  • Backup Frequency:
    • Daily: Back up the target server each day.
    • Hourly: Back up the target device each hour.
    • Continuous: Back up the target server each minute.

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  • Server IP: The IP address of the target server (or, if backing up multiple servers, the first server). This can be changed later.
  • Port: The port to connect to the target server. Default is 1167. This can be changed later.

Log in to the Control Panel

After ordering Cloud Backup, proceed to the SolVPS Control Panel > Dashboard.

Click Manage Service for the new Cloud Backup/DR service. On this page, you can access the Backup Manager to configure your Servers and Backup Policies, and also modify the configuration of your backup service, including the number of licensed servers, backup volume size, and backup frequency.

Click Go to Backup Manager to setup your server.

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Welcome to the Backup Manager. There is not much to see here, yet. Let’s go to Servers in the bottom-left navigation pane.

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Here you will see your server. However, the backup software must be installed on the server before it can be fully connected to the Backup Manager.

Install the Backup Agent

Install

Download the Backup Agent installer for your server’s operating system:

Run the installer on your server. Simply agree to the EULA and proceed through the installation. When the installation is finished, you may be asked to Reboot the server.

Note: If you need help, contact us to have SolVPS Technical Support install the backup agent for you.

Configure Agent

Go to the Start menu and look for Server Backup Agent Configuration Utility. Open the utility and go to the Authorized Server Backup Managers tab.

Screen Shot 2016-06-27 at 10.06.20 PM

Enter the SolVPS Backup Manager Server details and click OK.

  • File Name: CloudBackup
  • Address: https://cdp010.solvps.com

Screen Shot 2016-06-27 at 10.06.48 PM

Click Restart Server Backup Agent in the Services menu of the application.

Screen Shot 2016-06-27 at 10.14.49 PM

Configure Firewall

Finally, we need to allow the backup traffic through Windows Firewall. We have created a script to automate this process. Download the script below and run it in PowerShell with Right Click > Open in PowerShell. (You must be logged in as Administrator or an Admin user).

Download

Activate Server

Return to the Servers page of the Backup Manager, and click the Actions icon > Test Agent Connection to authenticate with the VPS or dedicated server.

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At this point, the server is fully activated, and backups will begin to be created on schedule. We can review the backup schedule, configure extra settings, and manage backup checkpoints.

Review Backup Policy

Click Policy in the navigation pane. This page displays an overview of backup plan status. There are several extra features here including the ability to add specific Microsoft SQL, SQL Server, and Exchange Server databases, and for Linux, MySQL databases, which can be backed up on-demand and selectively restored.

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Run a Backup

The first backup will take place automatically on schedule, but if you want to start a backup immediately, go to the Policy page and click Actions icon > Run Now.

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Conclusion

The server now has an active backup policy, and (hopefully) a secure backup is already running. This process should be repeated for any additional servers that need to be added to the Backup Manager.

Get Cloud Backup/DR for your VPS or dedicated server now: Cloud Backup by SolVPS

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Web Hosting: Quick Setup Guide

Sign Up and Choose a Domain

Select a web hosting plan from: https://www.solvps.com/web-hosting/

Log in to Control Panel

You will receive an email confirmation called New Account Information containing FTP server info, and other info you might need to get started.

You can also proceed directly to the SolVPS Control Panel, where you can manage your web hosting account, find the info mentioned above, and directly log in to your web hosting services.

Click Services > Dashboard in the SolVPS menu (if not logged in, log in here). On the Dashboard, select your web hosting service by clicking Manage Service.

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This is your web hosting account dashboard. From this page you can manage all of the features of your account. Right away you will see the FTP server access details, and quick links to key places like Webmail and File Manager.

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Upload Website with FTP or File Manager

We provide two ways to upload files to your hosting account.

Upload Files via File Manager

In the control panel, click the File Manager quick link. You will be directed to a web file browser where you can directly manage the files hosted on your account.

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The File Manager will load inside the public_html folder by default. This folder is the default web-accessible folder, and you should put your public website files here. Use the +Upload button to upload your files.

To create a simple web page on your account, add a page called index.html or index.php to this folder.

The File Manager supports editing files directly in the web interface. Use the +File and +Folder buttons to create new files. Let’s create a basic index file.

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Click Save, then return to the SolVPS Control Panel and click the Temporary URL, or open a new tab and go to your domain name. You should see the index page you created in the File Manager.

Upload Files via FTP

You can also use any FTP client to connect to your hosting account and manage files. Some of the best FTP clients (and download links) are:

Most FTP clients are very straightforward and easy to use: simply enter the FTP Server, username, and password to connect. The server name and login credentials for your account are provided in the SolVPS Control Panel, and in the New Account Information email.

Update Domain Name Servers (DNS)

Registering a new domain with your hosting account will set up the nameservers automatically. However, if you chose to use an existing domain with the new hosting account, you need to update the domain’s nameservers. This is done at the domain registrar’s website (the company where you bought the domain).

Update the domain’s name servers to:

  • NS1.SOLVPS.COM
  • NS2.SOLVPS.COM

After this update has been completed, your domain will point to SolVPS and connect to your account hosted with us.

Note: It can take up to 6-12 hours for DNS changes to propagate around the world, so you may not see the changes take effect immediately.

Check Backups

We provide continuous, 15-minute backup checkpoints for all web hosting accounts. This is extremely useful because it allows you to:

  • Restore files that were accidentally lost;
  • Roll back changes that were made to a file with no backup;
  • Download up-to-date backups of your entire site.

It’s good to get familiar with the backups interface, in the event that you need to quickly restore a file.

In the SolVPS Control Panel, click cPanel in the Quick Log in menu. Then look for the Cloud Backups link.

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Here you will see a list of backup checkpoints going back in time. Select the checkpoint to browse.

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If you navigate to the /username/public_html/ folder, you will see the files backed up from your account. In this example we see the index.php page that we created earlier.

To restore this file to the version in the backup, simply select the file and click Restore.

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Other Features

Use the SolVPS Control Panel and the cPanel link in the Quick Log in menu to explore all the features available in your account.

Enjoy!

Posted in cPanel/WHM, Featured Guides, Guides & How To's, Tech Support, VPS Hosting, Web Hosting | Tagged , , , , | 2 Responses



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