Deploying VisualPulse Server: Step-by-Step Guide
Prerequisites
- OS: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or CentOS 8 (assume Ubuntu 22.04).
- Hardware: 4 CPU, 8 GB RAM, 100 GB disk (adjust for scale).
- Network: Static IP, open ports 80, 443, 9000 (app).
- Dependencies: Docker 24+, Docker Compose v2+, git, curl.
- Credentials: SSH access to server, domain name with DNS A record.
1. Prepare the server (Ubuntu)
- Update and install packages:
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sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y sudo apt install -y git curl apt-transport-https ca-certificates gnupg - Install Docker:
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curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh sudo usermod -aG docker $USER - Install Docker Compose:
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sudo apt install -y docker-compose-plugin
2. Obtain VisualPulse Server source or image
- If official Docker image exists:
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docker pull visualpulse/server:latest - If repository provided:
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git clone https://example.com/visualpulse-server.git cd visualpulse-server
3. Configure environment
- Create .env with required variables (example):
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DOMAIN=monitor.example.com [email protected] DATABASE_URL=postgresql://vp_user:strongpass@db:5432/visualpulse SECRET_KEY=generate_a_strongsecret - Protect secrets: store in .env (chmod 600) or secret store.
4. Database and persistence
- Use Docker Compose with Postgres and volume mounts:
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version: “3.8” services:db:image: postgres:15 environment: POSTGRES_USER: vp_user POSTGRES_PASSWORD: strongpass POSTGRES_DB: visualpulse volumes: - vp_db_data:/var/lib/postgresql/dataserver:
image: visualpulse/server:latest env_file: .env ports: - "9000:9000" depends_on: - dbvolumes: vp_db_data:
- Ensure backups: schedule pgdump or use managed DB snapshots.
5. Run and verify
- Start services:
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docker compose up -d - Check logs:
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docker compose logs -f server - Verify app reachable: visit https://monitor.example.com:9000 or via configured ports.
6. Set up HTTPS (Let’s Encrypt)
- Use Nginx reverse proxy and Certbot:
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docker run –name nginx -p 80:80 -p 443:443 -v /etc/letsencrypt:/etc/letsencrypt … - Or use Caddy for automatic TLS with minimal config.
7. Create admin user and initial configuration
- Use provided CLI or web onboarding:
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docker exec -itvisualpulse create-admin –email [email protected] - Configure data sources, alerts, and dashboards.
8. Hardening & maintenance
- Backups: automate DB backups and config exports.
- Monitoring: monitor server resource usage and container healthchecks.
- Security: enable firewall (ufw allow 80,443,9000), keep images updated, rotate secrets.
- Scaling: add worker nodes, move DB to managed service, use object storage for large metrics.
9. Troubleshooting (common checks)
- Container won’t start: check env vars and DB connectivity.
- 502/timeout: confirm reverse proxy config and upstream port.
- High memory: increase instance size or tune retention/ingestion rates.
10. Quick rollback plan
- Snapshot VM before major changes.
- Keep previous Docker image tag.
- Restore DB from latest backup and redeploy previous compose.
If you want, I can generate a ready-to-run Docker Compose file tailored to your environment (Ubuntu vs. CentOS, domain, SSL choice).
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