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Instant Server - Click the button to get a virtual private server

instantserver.io

71–80 of 81 posts

Re: Instant Server - Click the button to get a virtual private server

#71

This is brilliant. I'm flabbergasted why every single virtual server I've ever tried has had some gotcha that made it agonizing. Why is it so hard to have one-click templates that give you a server that can run 90% of what a user needs, say apache/php/ruby/node/mysql/postgresql/ssh with cpanel (or equivalent), already installed and set up "the right way" so you can easily add domains? I know the reasons why this hasn…

use provisioning software like chef or puppet. using knife in chef i can spawn a new rackspace instance, install and configure my entire stack, and deploy my application all in one command. i can launch an exact copy of an application in 5 - 10 minutes - during which i do nothing but sit and watch the entire chef-client run go by. it's about as turn-key as it gets. of course writing out our entire configuration process in ruby is a bit of work - but it's front-loaded work that you never have to repeat and saves you months of tweaking and copying configuration files. you can subsequently modify quite easily to fit new deployments and new applications.

if you need it to be quicker you simply take a snapshot of the resulting instance and clone it to new instances.

Re: Instant Server - Click the button to get a virtual private server

#73
post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>That sounds like an absolute disaster from a security, maintenance, and resource usage perspective. Installed and available are a huge sight different from running and exploitable, though. I can have a completely unpatched Apache from 5 years ago, it's invulnerable to foes up to and including the NSA unless the app is running and listening on a port :) Would be trickier, but not impossible for more system-level apps…

What makes you assume an apache httpd install is secure simply because it is not running an "app"? http://httpd.apache.org/security_report.html

I think he meant it's invulnerable if httpd (the "app") isn't running.

Re: Instant Server - Click the button to get a virtual private server

#74
post #11

I wouldn't advertise the "Made in USA", especially not after the NSA scandal.

At least change it to "Free NSA monitoring!"

"Free NSA backups[1]"

[1] To restore from backup, if you're a US citizen- commit a terorist or copyright offence, and collect your backedup data from your attorney at your court appearance. Non citizens can just attempt a border crossing.

Re: Instant Server - Click the button to get a virtual private server

#76
Interesting. http://simpleredis.com is a similar service, but for Redis instances (for testing, CI etc), including a nice console. Instances terminates after one hour, but you can run an instance forever if you validate your email.

Been thinking about doing the same for VPS, but using LXC instead (actually already using it for internally for running tests, CI etc).

Re: Instant Server - Click the button to get a virtual private server

#77
post #10

The CAPTCHA really cramps your 'instant' style :( It would be great if it had more convenient ways of preventing abuse. Perhaps look at IP/current server load/user agent patterns/etc to give most people the benefit of the doubt, and only fall back to a CAPTCHA in edge cases? Thinking about it more, just using an easier CAPTCHA would go along way to making it more user friendly. ReCaptha is hard. It usually takes me 2…

I'm the creator. I didn't want to use a captcha, but had to put one on with all the demand. I'll switch to an easier one, if anyone has any other ideas let me know! Requiring signing in with a google account would also stop abuse, but that seems equally annoying.

What about a choice? Either use the slightly more annoying signin with a captcha or the easier signin with a Google account without a captcha.

Re: Instant Server - Click the button to get a virtual private server

#78
post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What makes you assume an apache httpd install is secure simply because it is not running an "app"? http://httpd.apache.org/security_report.html

I think he meant it's invulnerable if httpd (the "app") isn't running.

In the context of web applications, would it make sense to stop using the word "app" to refer to software/daemons available in the distribution repositories, and instead only use "app" to mean the products and services built on the former?

Re: Instant Server - Click the button to get a virtual private server

#79

This is brilliant. I'm flabbergasted why every single virtual server I've ever tried has had some gotcha that made it agonizing. Why is it so hard to have one-click templates that give you a server that can run 90% of what a user needs, say apache/php/ruby/node/mysql/postgresql/ssh with cpanel (or equivalent), already installed and set up "the right way" so you can easily add domains? I know the reasons why this hasn…

Abuse abuse abuse. If I can spinup 35 minute servers for bad things, how do you keep me from doing it again without tying in billing information?

No kidding. I'm surprised, and a bit distrubed, that Amazon hasn't revoked their API keys yet.

What are they doing to prevent this kind of abuse from happening?

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