1: Getting Started

This guide is designed for IT professionals who are familiar with Linux, servers, networking, and modern DevOps practices. If you're comfortable with Docker, containerization, and command-line administration, you're in the right place. 

 Prerequisites 

 Before installing Infinity Tools, ensure you have: 

 Required 

 

 ✅ Linux Server - Any modern Linux distribution (Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, Fedora, Arch, etc.) 

 ✅ Root/Sudo Access - Full administrative privileges 

 ✅ Internet Connection - Required for downloading dependencies and Docker images 

 ✅ Minimum 2GB RAM - Recommended 4GB+ for running multiple services 

 ✅ 20GB+ Storage - For applications and data (more recommended for production) 

 

 Technical Knowledge Assumed 

 This guide assumes you're familiar with: 

 

 Linux command-line operations 

 Docker and Docker Compose 

 Basic networking concepts (ports, DNS, reverse proxies) 

 SSL/TLS certificates and Let's Encrypt 

 SSH connections and key management 

 System administration basics 

 

 Server Setup Options 

 Option 1: Self-Hosted Server 

 If you have physical hardware or are running a virtualization platform: 

 Requirements: 

 

 Physical server or VM with a supported Linux distribution 

 Direct internet access or through a router/firewall 

 Ability to configure DNS records (for SSL certificates) 

 

 Considerations: 

 

 Network configuration and firewall rules 

 Static IP address recommended 

 Domain name for SSL certificates (optional but recommended) 

 

 Option 2: Cloud/VPS Provider 

 Most IT professionals will use a cloud provider. Popular options include: 

 Hetzner Cloud (Recommended) 

 

 Excellent price-to-performance ratio 

 EU-based with strong data protection 

 Simple interface, great for automation 

 Starting at ~€4/month for basic instances 

 

 DigitalOcean 

 

 Developer-friendly interface 

 Strong documentation and community 

 Good performance and reliability 

 Starting at $6/month for basic droplets 

 

 Other Options: 

 

 AWS EC2, Google Cloud Platform, Azure (more complex but powerful) 

 Linode, Vultr, Scaleway (good alternatives) 

 Any provider that offers a Linux server with root access 

 

 Server Configuration 

 Regardless of your hosting choice, configure your server with: 

 

 Fresh Linux Installation 

 

 Clean install of your preferred distribution 

 All security updates applied ( apt update && apt upgrade or equivalent) 

 

 

 Non-Root User with Sudo 

 

 Create a user account with sudo privileges 

 SSH key authentication configured (password auth disabled recommended) 

 

 

 Basic Firewall 

 

 At minimum, allow SSH (port 22) and HTTP/HTTPS (ports 80/443) 

 UFW or firewalld configured and enabled 

 

 

 DNS Configuration (for SSL certificates)

 

 Domain name pointing to your server's IP address 

 If using Traefik, ensure DNS A record is configured before installation 

 

 

 

 System Requirements 

 Minimum Specifications 

 

 CPU: 1 core (2 cores recommended) 

 RAM: 2GB (4GB+ recommended) 

 Storage: 20GB SSD (more for production workloads) 

 Network: Stable internet connection 

 

 Recommended for Production 

 

 CPU: 2-4 cores 

 RAM: 4-8GB 

 Storage: 50GB+ SSD with backup storage 

 Network: 100Mbps+ connection 

 

 Storage Considerations 

 Infinity Tools stores data in /opt/speedbits/ by default: 

 

 Application data volumes 

 Database files 

 Configuration files 

 SSL certificates 

 

 Ensure sufficient disk space and consider: 

 

 Using separate volumes for databases 

 Regular backup strategies 

 Monitoring disk usage 

 

 What You'll Need Before Installation 

 1. Domain Name (Optional but Recommended) 

 For automatic SSL certificates via Let's Encrypt: 

 

 A domain name you control 

 Ability to create DNS A records 

 DNS pointing to your server's IP address 

 

 Without a domain: You can still use Infinity Tools with self-signed certificates or IP-based access, but SSL won't be automatically trusted by browsers. 

 2. Email Address 

 For SSL certificate notifications and administrative purposes: 

 

 Valid email address (for Let's Encrypt certificate warnings) 

 Consider a dedicated email for server administration 

 

 3. SSH Access 

 Ensure you can: 

 

 Connect to your server via SSH 

 Use sudo/root privileges 

 Transfer files if needed (SCP/SFTP) 

 

 Next Steps 

 Once your server is ready: 

 

 SSH into your server 

 Download or transfer Infinity Tools installer 

 Run the installer (covered in the next article) 

 

 The installation process will: 

 

 Check system readiness 

 Install Docker if needed 

 Set up Infinity Tools in /opt/InfinityTools/ 

 Create the infinity-tools command for easy access 

 

 Quick Reference 

 Installation Path: /opt/InfinityTools/ Command: sudo infinity-tools Data Directory: /opt/speedbits/ Configuration: /opt/speedbits/_configuration/ 

 Common Considerations 

 Firewall Ports 

 Default ports used by Infinity Tools: 

 

 80/443 - HTTP/HTTPS (Traefik) 

 22 - SSH 

 Various - Application-specific ports (configurable) 

 

 Docker Resources 

 Docker will be installed if not present. Consider: 

 

 Docker daemon configuration 

 Storage driver selection 

 Network configuration 

 Resource limits 

 

 Backup Strategy 

 Infinity Tools includes Borgmatic for backups, but you should also: 

 

 Plan for backup storage location 

 Configure retention policies 

 Test restore procedures 

 

 Troubleshooting 

 Common Issues 

 Port conflicts: Check for existing services using ports 80/443 or other expected ports. 

 Network issues: Ensure firewall allows necessary traffic and DNS is properly configured. 

 Ready to Install? 

 Once your server meets these prerequisites, proceed to the installation guide which will cover: 

 

 Establishing SSH connection 

 Getting Infinity Tools onto your server 

 Running the installer 

 Initial configuration 

 

 

 Next: Installation and Initial Setup Guide (Article 2)