Installing LEMP

“LEMP” uses Nginx instead of Apache in the Linux web-server stack. Nginx, pronounced “engine-x”, handles web requests.

LEMP on Debian-based systems

The historical installation procedure is outlined below.

Install Nginx

Nginx is an Apache alternative known for its performance and configuration model.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nginx

When using ufw, inspect Nginx’s firewall profiles for HTTP and HTTPS:

sudo ufw app list |grep Nginx

Example output:

  Nginx Full
  Nginx HTTP
  Nginx HTTPS

Nginx Full permits both HTTP and HTTPS ports; Nginx HTTP permits HTTP, and Nginx HTTPS permits HTTPS. The example selects Nginx Full. Opening the HTTPS port alone does not configure TLS; this omission is recorded in the archive warning.

sudo ufw allow in "Nginx Full"

Install MySQL Server

Install MySQL to organise and access application databases:

sudo apt install mysql-server

Run the initial configuration utility for password-related settings:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

VALIDATE PASSWORD PLUGIN can be used to test passwords
and improve security. It checks the strength of password
and allows the users to set only those passwords which are
secure enough. Would you like to setup VALIDATE PASSWORD plugin?

Press y|Y for Yes, any other key for No

Choose Y for yes at the password-validation prompt shown here:

There are three levels of password validation policy:

LOW    Length >= 8
MEDIUM Length >= 8, numeric, mixed case, and special characters
STRONG Length >= 8, numeric, mixed case, special characters and dictionary file

Please enter 0 = LOW, 1 = MEDIUM and 2 = STRONG:

The example chooses option 1 for the medium policy:

Using existing password for root.

Estimated strength of the password: 100
Change the password for root ? ((Press y|Y for Yes, any other key for No) :

Answer n at the next prompt shown in this example.

Inspect the MySQL users:

sudo mysql

In the SQL shell, enter:

mysql> SELECT user,authentication_string,plugin,host FROM mysql.user;

Example output:

+------------------+-------------------------------------------+-----------------------+-----------+
| user             | authentication_string                     | plugin                | host      |
+------------------+-------------------------------------------+-----------------------+-----------+
| root             |                                           | auth_socket           | localhost |
| mysql.session    | *THISISNOTAVALIDPASSWORDTHATCANBEUSEDHERE | mysql_native_password | localhost |
| mysql.sys        | *THISISNOTAVALIDPASSWORDTHATCANBEUSEDHERE | mysql_native_password | localhost |
| debian-sys-maint | *FA769377A401A7D25BE1CA89AFF17BF607F876FF | mysql_native_password | localhost |
+------------------+-------------------------------------------+-----------------------+-----------+
4 rows in set (0.00 sec)

The output shows auth_socket. The original example changes authentication using the literal sample password password; review the archive warning before treating it as a usable setup.

mysql> ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'password';

Apply the privilege-table change:

mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Check the table again:

mysql> SELECT user,authentication_string,plugin,host FROM mysql.user;

+------------------+-------------------------------------------+-----------------------+-----------+
| user             | authentication_string                     | plugin                | host      |
+------------------+-------------------------------------------+-----------------------+-----------+
| root             | *3636DACC8616D997782ADD0839F92C1571D6D78F | auth_socket           | localhost |
| mysql.session    | *THISISNOTAVALIDPASSWORDTHATCANBEUSEDHERE | mysql_native_password | localhost |
| mysql.sys        | *THISISNOTAVALIDPASSWORDTHATCANBEUSEDHERE | mysql_native_password | localhost |
| debian-sys-maint | *FA769377A401A7D25BE1CA89AFF17BF607F876FF | mysql_native_password | localhost |
+------------------+-------------------------------------------+-----------------------+-----------+
4 rows in set (0.00 sec)

Install PHP

PHP executes scripts, retrieves database content and generates responses. Unlike the Apache example, this stack uses php-fpm:

sudo apt install php php-fpm php-mysql

This completes the package-installation part of the original notes.

Finishing

The components form a basis for a LEMP server. Nginx/PHP-FPM integration and site configuration are missing from these archived notes and still need to be completed.