Serdar Tekin
Co-Founder & CTO
Cloud infrastructure engineer and Raff Technologies co-founder focused on virtualization, distributed systems, Linux, networking, and reliable production architecture.
101 articles published
Blog Posts(11)
Tutorials(33)
How to Install Ghost CMS on Ubuntu 24.04 with Nginx
Install Ghost CMS on Ubuntu 24.04 with Nginx, MySQL 8, Node.js 22, Ghost-CLI, HTTPS, systemd, backups, and safe updates.
How to Self-Host Plausible Analytics on Ubuntu 24.04
Self-host Plausible Analytics on a Raff Ubuntu 24.04 VM using Docker Compose. Get privacy-friendly website analytics with no cookies, no GDPR consent banners, and full data ownership on your own infrastructure.
How to Install Coolify on Ubuntu 24.04
Install Coolify on Ubuntu 24.04 using the official installer. Secure the dashboard, deploy an app, configure domains, and plan backups and updates.
How to Self-Host Supabase on Ubuntu 24.04 with Docker Compose
Self-host Supabase on a Raff Ubuntu 24.04 VM using Docker Compose. Configure PostgreSQL, Auth, Storage, and the Supabase Studio dashboard for a fully private, production-ready backend-as-a-service stack.
How to Set Up SSH MFA on Ubuntu 24.04 (Tested 2026)
Learn how to add MFA to SSH on Ubuntu 24.04 using libpam-google-authenticator and TOTP. Covers PAM config, KbdInteractiveAuthentication, and multi-user rollout.
How to Use Raff S3 Object Storage with AWS CLI
Connect to Raff S3-compatible object storage using the AWS CLI. This tutorial covers credential setup, bucket operations, file uploads, pre-signed URLs, and lifecycle policies.
Deploy a Node.js App with PM2 on Ubuntu 24.04 (Production-Ready)
Deploy a production-ready Node.js application with PM2 process manager on a Raff Ubuntu 24.04 VM. Covers cluster mode, Nginx reverse proxy, zero-downtime reloads, and startup persistence.
Deploy a Multi-Container App with Docker Compose on Ubuntu 24.04
Deploy a multi-container application with Docker Compose on a Raff Ubuntu 24.04 VM. This tutorial covers a Node.js app with PostgreSQL and Redis using Compose profiles, health checks, and named volumes.
Automate Server Backups with Cron and Rsync on Ubuntu 24.04
Automate server backups on a Raff Ubuntu 24.04 VM. Covers backup scripts, cron scheduling, rsync off-server sync, retention, monitoring, and restore testing.
How to Install MongoDB on Ubuntu 24.04
Install MongoDB 8.0 on Ubuntu 24.04 from the official repository. Enable authentication, create an app user, verify CRUD, and secure port 27017.
How to Install MariaDB on Ubuntu 24.04
Install MariaDB 10.11 on Ubuntu 24.04, secure root access, create an app database and user, verify CRUD, and protect port 3306.
Install Prometheus and Grafana Monitoring on Ubuntu 24.04
Install Prometheus and Grafana on a Raff Ubuntu 24.04 VM for server monitoring. This tutorial covers Prometheus setup, Node Exporter for system metrics, Grafana dashboards, and alerting.
Install fail2ban on Ubuntu 24.04: Stop Brute-Force Attacks
Install and configure fail2ban on a Raff Ubuntu 24.04 VM. This step-by-step tutorial covers SSH jail setup, custom ban rules, log monitoring, and integration with UFW.
Deploy Portainer with Docker on Ubuntu 24.04 (Free CE)
Deploy Portainer CE on a Raff Ubuntu 24.04 VM using Docker. This tutorial covers installation, HTTPS setup, container management, and connecting to Docker Compose stacks.
Deploy Gitea Self-Hosted Git Server on Ubuntu 24.04
Deploy Gitea on a Raff Ubuntu 24.04 VM with Docker Compose. This tutorial covers setup, database configuration, Nginx reverse proxy, HTTPS with Let's Encrypt, and creating your first repository.", "metaTitle": "Deploy Gitea on Ubuntu 24.04 | Raff Technologies
How to Set Up SSH Keys on Ubuntu 24.04
Set up SSH keys on Ubuntu 24.04 with Ed25519, ssh-copy-id, ssh-agent, safe password disabling, OpenSSH drop-ins, troubleshooting, and key rotation.
How to Install Redis on Ubuntu 24.04
Install Redis on Ubuntu 24.04, enable authentication, test cache operations, configure persistence and eviction, and secure port 6379.
How to Secure Nginx with Let's Encrypt on Ubuntu 24.04
Secure Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04 with Let's Encrypt and Certbot. Verify DNS, enable HTTPS redirects, test renewal, and add HSTS safely.
How to Install MySQL on Ubuntu 24.04
Install MySQL 8.0 on Ubuntu 24.04, keep root on auth_socket, create an app database and user, verify CRUD, and secure port 3306.
Install Node.js on Ubuntu 24.04: Quick Setup with 3 Methods in 10 Minutes
Learn how to install Node.js and npm on Ubuntu 24.04 in 10 minutes with 3 easy methods: NodeSource, nvm, and the default repository. Includes verification steps and your first HTTP server setup.
How to Build a Remote Development VM with code-server and Tailscale
Build a remote development VM with code-server and Tailscale on Ubuntu 24.04. Create a secure browser IDE on a Raff VM without exposing it publicly.
How to Harden an Ubuntu 24.04 Server
Harden an Ubuntu 24.04 server with SSH keys, safe OpenSSH drop-ins, UFW, automatic security updates, service auditing, Fail2Ban, and recovery planning.
How to Set Up a LEMP Stack on Ubuntu 24.04
Set up a LEMP stack on Ubuntu 24.04 with Nginx, MariaDB, and PHP 8.3. Configure a secure database user, PHP-FPM, and an Nginx server block.
How to Deploy Open WebUI with Ollama on Ubuntu 24.04
Deploy Open WebUI with Ollama on a Raff Ubuntu 24.04 VM for a self-hosted ChatGPT alternative. Run local AI models privately with a full web interface.
How to Self-Host n8n on Ubuntu 24.04 with Docker Compose
Self-host n8n on Ubuntu 24.04 with Docker Compose, PostgreSQL, Nginx, HTTPS, execution pruning, security auditing, backups, and safe updates.
How to Set Up UFW Firewall on Ubuntu 24.04
Set up UFW on Ubuntu 24.04 without losing SSH access. Configure IPv4 and IPv6 rules, web ports, source restrictions, logging, and Docker caveats.
How to Install WordPress on Ubuntu 24.04 with Nginx
Install WordPress on Ubuntu 24.04 with Nginx, PHP 8.3, MariaDB, secure file permissions, and a free Let's Encrypt TLS certificate.
How to Deploy OpenClaw AI Agent on Ubuntu 24.04: A Complete Guide with Telegram Integration
Learn how to deploy the OpenClaw AI Agent on Ubuntu 24.04 using the official npm installer. Set up your self-hosted AI agent with Telegram integration, community skills, and persistent memory for enhanced AI functionality.
How to Install Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04
Install and configure Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04: UFW firewall, custom server block, logs, the latest-version option from nginx.org, and a clean uninstall.
How to Install PostgreSQL on Ubuntu 24.04
Install PostgreSQL 18 on Ubuntu 24.04 from the official PGDG repository. Create a database and role, verify SCRAM authentication, and run a CRUD test.
How to Install Nextcloud on Ubuntu 24.04
Install Nextcloud on a Raff Ubuntu 24.04 VM. Covers Apache, MariaDB, PHP 8.3, HTTPS, cron jobs, caching, file upload, and admin checks.
How to Deploy Uptime Kuma with Docker on Ubuntu 24.04
Deploy Uptime Kuma with Docker on a Raff Ubuntu 24.04 VM. Covers Compose, Caddy HTTPS, admin setup, monitor creation, and dashboard verification.
How to Install Docker on Ubuntu 24.04
Install Docker Engine and Docker Compose on Ubuntu 24.04 from Docker’s official APT repository. Verify the service, learn basic commands, and uninstall cleanly.
Guides(49)
VPS for Application Hosting: When It Fits Small Teams
Learn when VPS application hosting fits small teams, when one VM is enough, and when to separate services, use an app platform, or move toward Kubernetes.
Restic vs Borg vs Rsync: Backup Tools for Cloud Servers
Compare Restic vs Borg vs Rsync for cloud server backups, including S3 storage, SSH repositories, encryption, retention, migrations, and restore fit.
Cloud VM Patch Management: Maintenance Windows, Risk, and Rollback
Learn cloud VM patch management for maintenance windows, emergency fixes, deferrals, verification, and rollback planning on production servers.
How to Choose a U.S. Cloud Server for Latency and Compliance
Learn how to choose a U.S. cloud server for latency, data location, security, and compliance using a practical region and network decision framework.
When to Add a Volume Instead of Resizing a VM Disk
Learn when to add a block storage volume instead of resizing a VM disk, and how to choose between VM disk, volumes, and object storage.
Block Storage Volume Setup for Linux VMs
Learn how to safely set up block storage volumes on Linux VMs with disk checks, mount paths, fstab, permissions, backups, and restore planning.
Database Storage on Block Volumes: Layout, Monitoring, and Recovery
Learn database storage on block volumes, including disk layout, IOPS and latency monitoring, capacity planning, backups, and recovery decisions.
n8n Self-Hosted: When Workflow Automation Makes Sense
Understand n8n self-hosted automation, when self-hosting makes sense, and how to plan security, backups, scaling, private access, and recovery for production.
Infrastructure Automation on Raff: Scripts, Cloud-Init, APIs, and IaC
Understand infrastructure automation on Raff across Terraform, API, CLI, cloud-init, credentials, drift, approvals, recovery, and operating boundaries.
Load Balancing Explained: L4, L7, Health Checks, and Failover
Understand load balancing, L4 vs L7 routing, health checks, failover, draining, state, TLS, and multi-node architecture decisions.
Block Storage Volumes for Databases, Containers, and App Data
Understand when block storage volumes fit databases, containers, and application data, including sizing, backups, recovery, and when object storage is better.
Block Storage vs Local Disk: How to Choose
Learn how block storage vs local disk differs in lifecycle, performance, persistence, backups, database fit, and recovery planning for cloud workloads.
Backup Monitoring: Failures, Age, Alerts, and Recovery Evidence
Learn how backup monitoring detects failed and stale recovery points, broken chains, storage issues, and restore evidence that no longer meets production recovery objectives.
Backup Retention Policy Explained: Production VM Recovery Points
Learn how a backup retention policy sets daily, weekly, and monthly recovery points for production VMs while balancing restore needs, risk, and cost control.
Linux Volume Expansion: Filesystem Growth and Verification
Learn Linux volume expansion across disks, partitions, LVM, ext4, and XFS, with safer checks, verification, and rollback planning for production VMs.
S3 Lifecycle Policy: Retention, Versioning, and Cleanup
Understand S3 lifecycle policy decisions for object retention, versioning, expiration, cleanup, backup archives, and S3-compatible storage cost control.
S3 Bucket Security: Credentials, Policies, and Private Access
Learn S3 bucket security for credentials, policies, private access, presigned URLs, logging, recovery, and S3-compatible object storage boundaries.
VM Disk Storage for Production Apps: Capacity, Performance, and Failure Risks
Learn how to evaluate VM disk storage for production apps, including capacity planning, local storage benefits, failure risks, and when to use other storage layers.
Managed Database Migration Checklist: Data, Downtime, and Rollback
A managed database migration checklist covering discovery, backups, testing, cutover, validation, rollback planning, and production recovery.
Database Incident Runbook: Connection Exhaustion, Disk Pressure, and Failover
Learn a database incident runbook for connection exhaustion, disk pressure, failover, recovery validation, communication, and post-incident action.
Database Restore Testing: RPO, RTO, and Recovery Validation
Learn database restore testing for small teams, including RPO, RTO, backup integrity, point-in-time recovery, application validation, and recovery evidence.
Database Monitoring for Small Teams: Slow Queries, Connections, Replication Lag, and Alerts
Database monitoring for small teams covering slow queries, connections, locks, replication lag, alerts, capacity, backups, and recovery evidence.
Database Reliability Operations for Small Teams: A Practical Framework
Learn database reliability operations for small teams: monitoring, replication, failover, backups, recovery, ownership, testing, and managed-service trade-offs.
MySQL vs MariaDB for Production Apps: Hosting and Operations
Learn MySQL vs MariaDB for production apps: compare compatibility, hosting, backups, replication, monitoring, upgrades, and managed or self-hosted operations.
PostgreSQL Hosting for SaaS: Sizing, Connections, and Operations
Learn PostgreSQL hosting for SaaS apps: choose managed or self-hosted, size compute and storage, plan connections, recovery, monitoring, and growth safely.
Nginx vs Apache: Which Web Server to Choose in 2026
Compare Nginx and Apache by architecture, reverse proxying, .htaccess, WordPress, PHP-FPM, performance testing, security, migration risk, and operations.
Managed vs Self-Hosted Databases: What Small Teams Should Choose
Compare managed and self-hosted databases across operational ownership, backups, recovery, high availability, control, security, scaling, portability, and total cost.
DNS for Cloud Applications: Records, TTL, and Failover
Plan DNS for cloud applications across record types, TTL, caching, migrations, load balancing, failover, DNSSEC, CAA, and end-to-end monitoring.
SaaS Infrastructure Cost: From MVP to Series A
Build a stage-based SaaS infrastructure budget from MVP to Series A across compute, databases, storage, environments, recovery, and operating cost.
Microservices vs Monolith: A Decision Framework for Small Teams
Compare microservices vs monolith for small teams, including modular monoliths, scaling, ownership, data boundaries, operational cost, and migration signals.
Object Storage vs Block Storage vs VM Disk: How to Choose
Compare object storage, block storage, and VM disk by access model, workload fit, scaling, and recovery needs to choose the right cloud storage layer.
VPS vs Reseller Hosting: Which Model Fits Agencies and Multi-Site Hosting?
Compare VPS and reseller hosting for agencies by client isolation, control, support, margins, scaling, migration, and operational responsibility.
VPS Hosting With or Without cPanel: Cost, Control, and Management Trade-Offs
Compare VPS hosting with and without cPanel across license cost, resource use, control, email, security, multi-site management, and custom app compatibility.
Managed vs Unmanaged VPS: Responsibilities, Support, and Total Cost
Compare managed and unmanaged VPS hosting by responsibility, support scope, security, backups, control, and the true cost of operating a server.
VPS vs Dedicated Server: Cost, Performance, and When to Upgrade
Compare VPS and dedicated servers by cost, performance, isolation, scaling, recovery, and the workload signals that justify upgrading to physical hardware.
KVM VPS vs OpenVZ Containers: Isolation, Kernel Control, and Performance
Compare KVM VPS and OpenVZ containers across isolation, guest kernel control, operating systems, performance, resource guarantees, and workload fit.
What Is a Hypervisor? Type 1 vs Type 2 Explained
Learn what a hypervisor is, how Type 1 and Type 2 hypervisors differ, and how they allocate CPU, memory, storage, networking, and VM isolation.
VPS vs VDS: Is There a Real Difference in Hosting?
Learn how VPS and VDS differ in CPU allocation, isolation, performance, storage, cost, and terminology—and what to verify before choosing a server.
VPS Explained: How Virtual Private Server Hosting Works
Learn how VPS hosting works, from virtualization and resource allocation to networking, storage, isolation, performance, security, and server management.
Reverse Proxy vs Load Balancer: Differences, Use Cases & Architecture
Compare reverse proxies and load balancers across L4/L7 routing, TLS, health checks, failover, session state, scaling, and production architecture.
Private Cloud Networks Explained: VPC Design Best Practices
Learn how private cloud networks, CIDR ranges, subnets, routing, and firewall rules isolate multi-VM workloads and databases on Raff.
Storage and Recovery Architecture for Production Apps
Learn how to design production app storage and recovery with VM disks, volumes, object storage, backups, and restore testing.
Object Storage Events on Serverless Functions: File Processing Without Workers
Learn how to use object storage events with serverless functions for upload processing, prefix filters, retries, status tracking, and Raff workflows.
Portable Serverless Handlers: Avoiding Lambda Lock-In
Learn how portable serverless handlers reduce Lambda lock-in, keep functions easier to move, and support standard runtimes on Raff Functions.
Webhooks on Serverless Functions: When to Use Functions Instead of VMs
Learn when to use serverless functions for webhooks, when VMs are better, and how to design webhook retries, logs, security, and storage.
Cron Jobs on Serverless Functions vs Cron on a VM
Learn when to run cron jobs on serverless functions or VMs, with examples for scheduled tasks, reports, syncs, retries, and Raff Functions.
Long-Running Serverless Functions for AI, ETL, and Batch Jobs
Learn when to use long-running serverless functions for AI, ETL, batch, cron, and storage events, and when Raff VM is a better fit.
Serverless Function Pricing: CPU, Memory, Requests, and Egress
Learn how serverless function pricing works for CPU, memory, requests, egress, cron jobs, webhooks, storage events, and Raff Functions.
VPS vs Cloud VM vs Cloud Server: What’s the Difference?
Learn the difference between VPS, cloud VM, and cloud server, when the terms overlap, and how to choose the right virtual server for apps, websites, and workloads.
Comparisons(8)
AWS Lambda Alternative 2026: Pricing, Performance & Features
Considering AWS Lambda? Raff Functions offers free requests and egress, active-CPU pricing, and jobs beyond Lambda's 15-minute limit.
Neon Alternative 2026: Pricing, Performance & Features
Considering Neon? Raff PostgreSQL starts at $7.99/mo with fixed plans, backups, PITR, pooling, and private networking.
Amazon RDS Alternative 2026: Pricing, Performance & Features
Considering Amazon RDS? Compare AWS RDS and Raff Managed PostgreSQL pricing, features, backups, reliability, and migration options.
Cloudflare R2 vs Raff Object Storage: Pricing and Backups (2026)
Compare Raff Object Storage and Cloudflare R2 across pricing, egress, request fees, S3 compatibility, backup workflows, and developer fit in 2026.
Raff vs Railway: VM Control or Developer PaaS? (2026)
Compare Raff and Railway across VM control, PaaS workflows, pricing, scaling, storage, and developer experience to choose the right platform in 2026.
Hetzner Alternative 2026: Pricing, Performance & Features
Considering Hetzner? Raff offers 2 vCPU, 4 GB and 80 GB for $13.99/mo with unmetered 3 Gbps bandwidth and 3 backup slots.
DigitalOcean Droplet Pricing 2026: Basic Plans vs Raff
DigitalOcean Droplet pricing explained: Basic 2 vCPU / 4 GB is $24/mo before backups and overage. Raff runs the same class for $13.99/mo with unmetered bandwidth.
OVHcloud Alternative 2026: Pricing, Performance & Features
Considering OVHcloud? Raff offers 2 dedicated vCPU, 4 GB RAM and 80 GB NVMe for $27.99/mo with unmetered bandwidth.