DigitalOcean and ServerPilot
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Greetings!
I have been experiencing issues while trying to install NodeBB (see previous posts) and since NodeBB has hosting options using DigitalOcean, I figured this would be an easy setup since I am using the same control panel (ServerPilot) that is used with DigitalOcean to manage my server.
I sent a support request to ServerPilot asking for anything they might be able to offer up. Here is their response ...
NodeBB uses the node.js programming language, not PHP. So, it won't work with ServerPilot. We only support PHP apps.
Thanks,
JustinI am so confused at this point. The ServerPilot website mentions DigitalOcean as a hosting option too, and mentions that ServerPilot was created for DigitalOcean.
If NodeBB works on DigitalOcean, then what's the deal here ???
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Digital Ocean just provides you with a VPS running an operating system. You can install whatever you want onto a Digital Ocean droplet. PHP, Node.JS, Python, you name it, it's doable.
ServerPilot only works with applications built using the PHP language, like wordpress, or magento etc. NodeBB is built in node.js, which isn't PHP. Therefore Server Pilot won't work.
It's like an automatic car being designed to work on the road, then asking why a manual also works on the road, it's the same road, but two different ways of driving on it. (Bad analogy)
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PHP is a popular programming language used to develop website software. While PHP is very popular, Node.js which is also a server side language offers certain benefits over PHP which are utilised in NodeBB.
Therefore, all you need is a VPS with node.js installed. Normally most of them comes with PHP installed. node.js based softwares are not as widely used as PHP. So some hosting companies do not have them installed. It is a simple task ( for a server admin ) to add node.js to a VPS. That make almost every VPS node.js ready if the web hosting company choose to.
By the looks of it ServerPilot has not installed node.js and may not want to deal with installing and maintaining node.js on their VPS.
I hope I gave some idea.
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I will admit it's been an eye opening experience jumping from a shared hosting company to having my own dedicated server. The choice was made to get a dedicated server so I could run my own Minecraft servers without restrictions. It didn't make sense for me to continue paying the hosting company I was using to host my websites since I had this new powerful server.
I started using Ajenti ( http://ajenti.org/ ) to manage my server since other commercial options were not with in my budget. I got to a point where I wanted to see if there was something easier on the market (webserver management) and that's when I found ServerPilot. It's been great but I get the feeling it's very limiting.
It's looking like I need to decide if there's a better webserver management solution, but in doing so I will end up having to re-store two Minecraft servers and five websites.
Anyone have any ideas on what to use for web server management? I'm trying to ween myself off the need for a GUI so if anyone can point me to a place where I can learn what I need in order to manage my server. A gui based solution is still ok
Just to clarify, I'm not running on a VPS, this is a dedicated server where I'm the only one with access to it (other than the company I rent it from) It's also not a managed server. I'm kinda in over my head at times, but I am willing to learn and have the technical aptitude to make it work, I just need to know what I need to learn.
Thanks ... Pops
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@PopsRocker said:
I started using Ajenti ( http://ajenti.org/ )
You need a plugin Ajenti V to run Node.js apps.
http://support.ajenti.org/topic/423122-setting-up-a-nodejs-website-with-ajenti-v-keystone-example/
http://thesabbir.com/how-to-setup-a-ghost-blog-with-ajenti/ -
Thanks @nhl-pl I was using Ajenti V and the only reason I switched away from using it was do to the lack of documentation. I have used the traditional Apache based web server setups for many years and the Nginx server was all foreign to me so it was a challenge any time I wanted to add something or even troubleshooting issues.
It reminds me of when I was evaluating blog/cms alternatives for a Coldfusion based website back when Wordpress was less than a year old. I looked at Wordpress and Drupal and decided to go with Wordpress because at the time Drupal was too complicated and didn't have very good documentation. I switched to Drupal just before Drupal 7 came out and was amazed at the progress it had made and how much simpler it was from what I remembered. It is possible however, that it seemed easier because my knowledge base was a lot bigger.
That was a long winded way of saying I may revisit Ajenti eventually once I have learned more about the Nginx and Node.js way of server management.
Thanks ... Pops
