Managing an Ubuntu VPS for Ethiopia:

Natnael Getachew — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 07:17:12 +0000

When working to integrate my system with core banking in Ethiopia, one of the key prerequisites was to have a VPS with an IPsec VPN connection to the bank’s network. Aside from all the other unnecessary hoops they make you jump through, this is actually essential—and I thought, finally, something reasonable,

To meet this, I first procured a VPS from a provider. All I received was an IP address and SSH credentials—no management dashboard or fancy control panel not used to this.

I knew the VPS was running Ubuntu, but I wasn’t immediately familiar with managing it via command line. Using SSH, I connected:

ssh user@your-server-ip

Once logged in, I faced a bare-bones shell prompt with no graphical interface. This is typical since Linux servers usually run without GUIs by default to optimize resource usage.

Since my goal was to efficiently manage server processes related to the banking integration—like configuring IPsec tunnels, monitoring system resources, and managing services—I wanted a lightweight, browser-accessible interface.

Then I come across Cockpit. It’s a modern, web-based server management tool that runs smoothly on Ubuntu and allows real-time monitoring of CPU load, memory usage, and running services, which is critical when maintaining secure, stable VPN connections.

To install Cockpit on Ubuntu, all you need to do is:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install cockpit -y
sudo systemctl start cockpit
sudo systemctl enable cockpit
After installation, I accessed the interface by navigating to:

https://your-server-ip:9090

Cockpit provides a clean dashboard to oversee the VPS health and quickly troubleshoot if the IPsec VPN connection or other critical services encounter issues.

Why Not cPanel?

I initially considered cPanel because I have used it for years to manage multiple servers and clients. However, cPanel only supports CentOS and AlmaLinux, not Ubuntu, making it incompatible with my VPS OS. Given the need for stability and compatibility, switching OS wasn’t an option.

Summary

For anyone setting up an Ubuntu VPS to integrate with core banking systems—especially when IPsec VPN configuration and ongoing server monitoring are required—Cockpit offers a practical GUI solution without the overhead of heavier management tools.

It strikes a good balance between functionality and simplicity, making server management easier while ensuring your secure banking connection stays reliable.

DEV Community: Natnael Getachew

Managing an Ubuntu VPS for Ethiopia: