DevOps Stage 0 - NGINX Configuration

Task Overview:

This task involved setting up and configuring NGINX on a fresh Ubuntu server, creating a custom HTML page, and ensuring NGINX served the page correctly. It demonstrated my ability to work with basic web server configurations.

Step-by-Step Approach:

1. Set Up the Environment:

   • I launched a fresh Ubuntu server and ensured it was up-to-date using:

    sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
   

2. NGINX Installation:

   • I installed NGINX by running:

    sudo apt install nginx -y
   

• After installation, I checked the service status to confirm it was running:
  

   sudo systemctl status nginx
  

• The default NGINX welcome page confirmed a successful installation.

1. Custom HTML Page Configuration:

   • I navigated to the NGINX web directory and created a custom HTML file:

    sudo nano /var/www/html/index.html
   

• I added the following content, replacing placeholders with my name and Slack username:
  

   <h1>Welcome to DevOps Stage 0 - Victor Okonkwo/Teetoflame</h1>
  

• After updating the file, I restarted NGINX to apply the changes:
  

   sudo systemctl restart nginx
  

• I verified the configuration by accessing the server's IP address in a browser.

Challenges Faced:

• I initially faced a permission issue when editing the index.html file. This was resolved by using sudo to gain root access.
• Another challenge was ensuring that my custom HTML page overwrote the default NGINX page, which I confirmed by clearing the browser cache.

Learning and Professional Development:

• This task helped me better understand the fundamentals of web server configuration using NGINX. It provided practical experience in deploying a web server, which is essential in DevOps for managing infrastructure and delivering applications.
• By successfully configuring a web server, I improved my confidence in working with Linux and server management tools.

References:

• NGINX Official Documentation
• Ubuntu NGINX Installation Guide

This documentation summarizes the process and reflects my growing expertise in DevOps, particularly in web server configuration.