Run OpenBSD on DigitalOcean for $4/month
This post guides users through setting up OpenBSD on a DigitalOcean Droplet for just $4/month, leveraging custom images and manual configuration. It taps into the nostalgic desire for hands-on system administration and the satisfaction of building a personal web presence from scratch. The Hacker News community appreciates the technical deep dive and the cost-effective approach to running a secure, minimalist server.
The Lowdown
The author shares a detailed guide on how to host a personal website on OpenBSD using DigitalOcean for a mere $4/month, driven by a longing for the 'do-it-yourself' web experience of their youth. The process involves manual steps often overlooked by modern, abstracted cloud platforms, appealing to those who enjoy a deeper level of system control.
- Download and Verify: Users begin by downloading the OpenBSD miniroot image and verifying its SHA256 checksum.
- DigitalOcean Setup: The guide walks through uploading the custom miniroot image to DigitalOcean's storage and then creating a basic Droplet with specific configurations, such as selecting the custom image and adding an SSH key.
- OpenBSD Installation: The core of the guide details the OpenBSD installation via DigitalOcean's web console, covering network setup, user creation, password policies, and disk encryption options.
- Minimalist Configuration: Emphasis is placed on removing unnecessary software sets (like X Window System, games, compilers) to maintain a lean server.
- Post-Installation Steps: Recommendations include securing SSH access by disabling password authentication and referencing OpenBSD's official documentation for further configuration.
This tutorial empowers users to embrace the spirit of self-hosting with a robust and secure operating system on a budget, fostering a connection to the underlying infrastructure that many find rewarding.
The Gossip
Provider Power Plays
Many commenters propose alternative VPS providers, often citing cheaper prices or better features for hosting OpenBSD or other BSDs. Providers like Vultr, RamNode, Netcup, OVH, and BuyVM are mentioned, with some highlighting services that actively support OpenBSD or donate to its foundation. There's also discussion around the rising costs of cloud compute generally, with some users advocating for low-cost dedicated servers as a more economical long-term solution.
DigitalOcean Dissatisfaction
A significant portion of the discussion revolves around negative experiences with DigitalOcean. Users report issues such as poor DDoS attack handling (with DO's solution often being merely changing the IP), unresponsiveness to abuse reports (e.g., phishing sites), and technical problems like dropping UDP datagrams. There's also speculation about their pricing and resource availability, with one user noting a perceived disappearance of compute capacities.
Self-Hosting Security
The comments touch upon the security implications of cloud hosting and self-hosting. Some users point out that cloud providers inherently have access to user data unless it's encrypted, underscoring the importance of full disk encryption. Others discuss strategies for self-hosting at home using tools like Cloudflare Tunnel or Tailscale for secure remote access, weighing the benefits against potential risks like exposing home IP ranges or attracting unwanted attention.