This guide will walk you through setting up an Ubuntu virtual server on Linode, accessing it, installing Ansible, cloning a repository, and running an Ansible playbook.

Prerequisites

• A Linode account or other Linux web hosting provider
• A registered domain name (optional but recommended)

Steps

1. Create an Ubuntu Virtual Server on Linode

1. Log in to Linode or your web hosting provider:

   • Visit Linode.com and log in to your account.

2. Create a New Linux virtual server:

   • Click the “Create Linode” button.
   • Select Ubuntu as the distribution and choose the version you prefer.
   • Choose a plan that suits your needs.
   • Select a data center region close to your location for better performance.
   • (Optional) Configure additional settings such as backups or VLAN if needed.

3. Assign a Domain Name (Optional):

   • If you have a registered domain name, configure DNS settings to point to your Linode server’s IP address.
   • Manage DNS settings through your domain name registrar’s website.

4. Complete the Linode Setup:

   • Click “Create Linode” to finalize the setup.
   • Note the domain name assigned to your Linode.

2. Get Access to the Server

Using SSH

1. Open an SSH Client:

   • On Windows, use PuTTY. On macOS or Linux, use the terminal.

     ssh root@your-domain-name-dot-com
     

2. Connect to Your Linode:

   • Open PuTTY (Windows) or your terminal (macOS/Linux).
   • Enter the IP address of your Linode server.
   • Use the default SSH port (22) for the connection.

3. Login:

   • Enter the username (root or the username you specified during setup).
   • Enter the password created during the Linode setup process.

   Note: For enhanced security, consider setting up SSH keys and disabling password authentication.

3. Install Ansible on the Virtual Server

1. Add user account and update the software packages list:

   • Update software packages list:

     apt update
     

2. Install Ansible:

   • Follow the Ansible Installation Guide for detailed instructions.
   • Typically, you can install Ansible with:

     apt install ansible
     

3. Verify Installation:

   • Check the installation by running:

     ansible --version
     

   • You should see the version information for Ansible.

4. Clone the Repository

1. Clone the Repository:

   • Use the following command to clone the repository:

     git clone https://github.com/suomisoft/install_scripts/
     

2. Navigate to the Repository Directory:

   • Change to the directory of the cloned repository:

     cd install_scripts
     

5. Run the Ansible Playbook

1. Execute the Playbook:

   • Run the following command to start the Ansible playbook:

     ansible-playbook social_web_cloud.yml
     

2. Follow the Prompts:

   • Answer any prompts provided by the playbook to complete the configuration.