---
myst:
  html_meta:
    description: Ubuntu Server how-to guides for installation, security, networking, databases, virtualization, containers, and system administration tasks.
---

(how-to)=
# Ubuntu Server how-to guides

If you have a specific goal, but are already familiar with Ubuntu Server, our how-to guides have more in-depth detail than our tutorials and can be applied to a broader set of applications. They'll help you achieve an end result but may require you to understand and adapt the steps to fit your specific requirements.

## Server installation

Our list of {ref}`installation guides <how-to-server-installation>` contains installation instructions for a variety of architecture-specific and advanced setups. For a general installation, or if you're just getting started with Ubuntu, you may prefer to use our {ref}`basic installation <basic-installation>` tutorial.

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:titlesonly:

installation
```

## Security

{ref}`System security <how-to-security>` is a crucial topic for any Ubuntu user. In addition to general security topics such as setting up a firewall, AppArmor profiles and user/group management, you will also find how-to guides on:

* **Authentication** with Kerberos, network user authentication with SSSD and physical authentication with smart cards
* **Cryptography** with OpenSSH
* **Virtual Private Networks** OpenVPN and WireGuard VPN

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:titlesonly:

security
```

## Networking

{ref}`Our networking section <how-to-networking>` is where you will find how-to guides on a broad range of networking topics, such as:

* **Network tooling and configuration** including time synchronisation, DHCP for IP address assignment, Domain Name Service (DNS) (and more!)
* **Network shares** for sharing resources (files, services, directories) across networks, including integration with Windows

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:titlesonly:

networking
```

## Managing software

{ref}`Managing software <how-to-managing-software>` provides guides on topics including:

* **Software updates** and configuration
* **Upgrading your Ubuntu release**
* **Bug reporting**

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:titlesonly:

software
```

## Data and storage

{ref}`The data and storage section <how-to-data-and-storage>` covers the following:

* **Managing data** in the OpenLDAP and databases topics
* **Storage and backups**, including partitioning (with LVM), backup utilities, and version control

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:titlesonly:

data-and-storage
```

## Mail services

Our {ref}`how-to-mail-services` section shows you how to set up:

* **Mail User Agents** (Thunderbird)
* **Mail Transfer Agents** (Postfix and Exim4)
* **Mail Delivery Agents** (Dovecot)

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:titlesonly:

mail-services
```

## Web services

Our {ref}`Web services section <how-to-web-services>` shows how to set up the different components of web servers, including:

* **Apache2** and **nginx**
* **Squid proxy servers**
* **Web programming** (PHP and Ruby)

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:titlesonly:

web-services
```

## Graphics

The {ref}`how-to-graphics` section contains guides on how to set up both on-system and virtual GPU.

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:titlesonly:

graphics
```

## Virtualisation

Our {ref}`Virtualisation <how-to-virtualisation>` section contains installation and usage guides for common virtualization tools available in Ubuntu, across various layers of abstraction, from Multipass to QEMU.

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:titlesonly:

virtualisation
```

## Containers

Our {ref}`Containers <how-to-containers>` section includes installation and usage guides for the most popular container tooling available in Ubuntu:

* **LXD**, which can also now be used to create virtual machines
* **Docker** and **rocks**

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:titlesonly:

containers
```

## High Availability

{ref}`High Availability <how-to-high-availability>` is a method for clustering resources to ensure minimal downtime if a particular component fails. This section shows how to set up various components of a High Availability setup.

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:titlesonly:

high-availability
```

## Observability

{ref}`Observability <how-to-observability>` is a name given to the collection of tools used to monitor your infrastructure. In Ubuntu, you can use the classic Logging, Monitoring, and Alerting (LMA) stack, or the newer [Canonical Observability Stack](https://charmhub.io/topics/canonical-observability-stack).

This section focuses on the classic LMA stack.

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:titlesonly:

observability
```

## Debugging

{ref}`These debugging pages <how-to-debugging>` are for readers interested in
analyzing the state of their Ubuntu system.

```{toctree}
:hidden:
:titlesonly:

debugging
```