SRJahirTech

AWS + Linux Combo — Part 9
Production Server Setup

This part moves you from practice mode to real production thinking. Production servers are not playgrounds. Every decision here affects security, uptime, and trust.

What Is a Production Server?

A production server is a system that serves real users. If it goes down, business stops. That is why discipline matters more than shortcuts.

Golden Rules of Production Servers

• No experiments directly on live server
• No root login for daily work
• No unnecessary software installed
• Logs must always be readable

Create a Non-Root User

adduser appuser
usermod -aG sudo appuser

Root should be used only for emergencies. Daily work should always be done via a limited user.

Disable Root SSH Login

nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Change:

PermitRootLogin no

Restart SSH:

systemctl restart ssh

Production Folder Structure

/var/www        → application code
/etc            → configuration files
/opt            → optional tools
/var/log        → logs

Random folders and messy structure is a sign of beginner setup. Professionals keep servers predictable.

Why Security Comes First

Open servers are scanned automatically by bots. You are not attacked because you are important — you are attacked because you exist.

Mindset Shift

Production server is not your laptop. It is a shared responsibility between you, your team, and the business.