Free SSL on IIS with Let's Encrypt and win-acme
Install a free Let's Encrypt certificate on IIS with win-acme, bind it to your site, and verify automatic renewal on a Raff Windows VPS in 45 minutes.
Read articleConfigure TempDB for MSSQL Performance on a Windows VPS
Eliminate TempDB allocation contention with multiple equal-sized data files. Min(8, vCPU) files, fixed autogrowth, optional separate disk.
Read articleMSSQL Standard vs Enterprise — When to Pay More
Compare SQL Server Standard and Enterprise for Windows VPS workloads, including SQL Server 2025 limits, licensing, high availability, and when Enterprise is worth paying for.
Read articleIIS Application Pool Tuning for Production on Windows Server
Tune IIS application pools for production on a Windows VPS: idle timeout, AlwaysRunning, No Managed Code, recycling, identity, and memory limits.
Read articleMSSQL Memory Tuning on a Windows VPS: Set Max Server Memory Safely
Learn how to set SQL Server max server memory on a Windows VPS, reserve RAM for Windows, and verify the setting with sqlcmd.
Read articleMSSQL Backup Strategy on a Windows VPS: Full, Differential, and Log Backups
Back up SQL Server on a Windows VPS with a practical strategy for full, differential, and log backups, off-server copies, retention, and restore testing.
Read articleConfigure Windows Firewall on a Windows VPS
Check Windows Firewall profiles, inspect RDP rules, create a safe test inbound rule, and clean it up on a Raff Windows Server VPS.
Read articleRDP Performance Tuning for Smooth Remote Desktop
Tune Remote Desktop on a Windows VPS by checking RDP connectivity, AVC 444 policy, visual effects, client settings, and server CPU/RAM usage.
Read articleHow to Migrate Windows Server 2016 to 2025: Side-by-Side AD DS, File Shares, and SQL Guide
Move from Windows Server 2016 before support ends. Plan a side-by-side migration to Windows Server 2025 on Raff for AD, files, SQL, apps, and cutover.
Read articleWindows Update Strategy on Production Servers
Update Windows Server safely on a production VPS: snapshot first, patch on a controlled schedule, scan with PowerShell, and verify reboot state.
Read articleMulti-User RDP: 2 Admin Sessions vs RDS Session Host
Decide when built-in 2-admin-session RDP is enough, when RDS Session Host is required, and how CAL licensing affects your Windows VPS workload.
Read articleHow to Set Up SMB over QUIC on Windows Server 2025 with a Let's Encrypt Certificate (No VPN Needed)
Windows Server 2025 brings SMB over QUIC to Standard and Datacenter editions, not just Azure Edition. We walk through the full setup: File Server role, free Let's Encrypt certificate via win-acme, SMB binding, and a Windows 11 client connection. Tested live on a Raff Server in Virginia.
Read articleHow to Host ASP.NET Core 10 on IIS — Windows Server Guide (2026)
Step-by-step guide to hosting ASP.NET Core 10 apps on IIS on a Windows Server VPS. Covers IIS install, .NET 10 Hosting Bundle, app pool config, deployment, and common errors. Tested end-to-end on Raff.
Read articleSQL Server 2025 Security Hardening on a Windows Server VPS (2026 MSP Guide)
Step-by-step SQL Server 2025 hardening on a Windows Server VPS: disable sa, least-privilege app logins, SQL Server Audit, TCP/IP enable, firewall scoping, and Let's Encrypt cert replacement. End-to-end MSP guide tested on Raff.
Read articleWindows Server Hardening Checklist: Secure Your VPS Before Production
Harden a Windows Server VPS before production with practical checks for accounts, RDP, firewall rules, Defender, audit logging, updates, and services.
Read articleWindows Server Licensing on Raff: Evaluation, SPLA, and BYOL Explained
Three license paths for Windows Server on a Raff Cloud Server: the 180-day evaluation, SPLA monthly via Raff, or BYOL with Software Assurance. Plus RDS CALs, M365 Apps SCA, and per-core minimums — cited to Microsoft Learn.
Read articleRDS CAL Licensing on Windows Server: Per-User vs Per-Device, BYOL vs SPLA
2 admin RDP sessions are free; multi-user RDP needs an RDS CAL per user or device. How to pick per-user vs per-device, and when to use BYOL vs SPLA in 2026.
Read articleInstall SQL Server 2025 on a Windows Server VPS (Standard Developer, 2026 Guide)
End-to-end install guide for SQL Server 2025 Standard Developer on a Windows Server VPS. Covers winget setup, Custom wizard, tempdb, firewall, and post-install CU application.
Read articleSelf-Host QuickBooks Desktop Multi-User on a Windows Server VPS (2026 Guide)
How to install QuickBooks Desktop in multi-user mode on a Raff Windows Server VPS. Covers QBDSM setup, dynamic ports, firewall, Windows users, RDS CALs, and what Intuit's docs don't emphasize — based on real end-to-end testing on Raff infrastructure.
Read articleWindows Server 2019 vs 2022 vs 2025: Which Version to Choose in 2026
Server 2022 mainstream support ends October 2026, so Server 2025 is the better choice for new deployments. The exceptions — when 2022 or even 2019 still win.
Read articleConnect to a Windows VPS via RDP (Windows, macOS, Linux, Mobile)
Step-by-step RDP connection from Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android to a Raff Windows Server 2025 VPS, plus the five errors that block first logins.
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