Category Archives: cloud

proflehman.com live at AWS

The proflehman.com website is officially migrated to AWS!

All data files, about 9 GB, were backed up from IONIS via FTP. Most of that space came from archived family reunion photos (2012, 2014, and 2016) I’d been hosting on the site.

After confirming that both proflehman.com and basingerlehman.com were transferred to AWS, I submitted the online request to cancel my IONIS contract (required a quick phone call for verification). I had been a customer since 2007 and had no issues with IONIS (formerly 1and1.com), but I wasn’t using their resources and wanted to gain experience with AWS.

In AWS Route 53, I created a hosted zone for proflehman.com and updated the name servers. I also added an entry for www.proflehman.com. Using DNS Checker , I could see propagation begin within 5–10 minutes.

I used ChatGPT to guide me through the migration steps, which was very helpful for understanding the process. I also used the bncert-tool to quickly request and install a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate for my WordPress site (It’s running on a Bitnami pre-configured WordPress stack in AWS Lightsail.).

While I’m using Route 53 for DNS, AWS Lightsail appears to offer free DNS for associated domains, unlike Route 53’s $0.50/month hosted zone fee. I haven’t set up DNS for basingerlehman.com yet and am still deciding how to handle it.

Now time to update the WordPress design and maybe start posting more often.

DNS propagation map

Finally … shutting down 1and1.com account

Well, in an effort to “declutter”, I am finally getting around to shutting down the IONIS (formerly 1and1.com account).

  1. It looks like I fixed the image issue by downloading the images and adding them to the media library.
  2. I backed up all files stored at IONIS via FTP. I had images and some conference documents stored.
  3. I saved another copy of my old WordPress site using HTTrack website copier. Note: had to specify that images should be saved, set the minimum link level to check, and turn off the check robo .txt file (whatever that is).
  4. I had to get access to WordPress on AWS again by updating the admin password in the database.
  5. I first transferred basingerlehman.com to AWS Route 53. I had to open the domain at IONIS and get an authorization code. Process took about five days (lost track). Had to validate my email address with ICANN.
  6. So, today I just started the transfer of proflehman.com to AWS Route 53. Will need to fix DNS and need to look at DNS options. AWS Route 53 charges for DNS, not sure it is worth the extra cost.

Stay tuned …

Migrating to AWS …

light sail logo

Finally working on migrating my ProfLehman.com blog to a different server. This post is on the new site hosted at AWS using their Lightsail server. I used the smallest micro server instance with 512 MB of memory and 20 GB of storage which is $3.50 per month (2022). I used the pre-built WordPress image which meant the server was running in a just a few minutes.

Steps …

  • Created the Lightsail server instance
  • Backed-up and downloaded old site using UpdraftPlus WordPress plugin. I used the free version.
  • Uploaded back-up files and restored on new site
  • Logged into mysql to fix WordPress user password that was lost as my original user account was lost in the transfer 🙂
  • Changed the server instance to use a static IP address

So … remaining issues … my images still have a reference back to the old web host. I think this can be changed either by editing the post in WordPress or by going into the database.

My next step is to transfer and link my ProfLehman.com domain name.

Is there anybody out there? … moving the blog.

Is there anybody out there still reading this blog? I doubt it, but that is OK. A new post every two years does not attract a following.

A lot has happened since I started this blog back in August of 2007 including the widespread availability of cloud-based servers.

I have been running a test server on Amazon web serves since May 2019 to see what the cost would be. $9.47 a month or $113.64 a year. Amazon certainly has one of the widest sets of cloud computing services, but seems to be overkill for my personal web site.

It currently costs $131.88 to host this site with IONIS (formerly 1and1.com) which includes two domain registrations for proflehman.com and www.basingerlehman.com.

I am going to try to move this blog to Digital Ocean using their smallest droplet server which is currently $5.00 per month. Digital Ocean does not offer domain name registration, so will need to sort out how to register my domain names. For $60 a year plus the cost of registering my domains I should be able to host my web site on Digital Ocean.

Of course this will require me to install and management my own server, but should provide more flexibility and should learn much along the way. I plan to update this blog throughout the process.

Drop me a line in the comments section if you are still reading this blog or have used a cloud server to host your own website/blog.

-Prof. Lehman

SugarSync no longer free

My “free” 5GB SugarSync account expired recently.  As of early 2014 SugarSync has moved to a paid model.  I started using SugarSync about 3 years ago when my wife needed a way to sync files between our desktop and her laptop.  I was already using a DropBox account to link my home computer and my work laptop and did not want to try to link two free accounts.  There are workarounds, but it was easier to use SugarSync.

Will SugarSync’s be able to survive as a paid service?  It will be difficult to complete with Google Drive (15GB free), Amazon Cloud Drive (5 GB free), and Microsoft OneDrive (7 GB free) as well as many others including DropBox.  SugarSync has a user friendly interface and robust syncing options allowing the user to sync multiple folders to different machines. In the end, as push has come to shove ($60 GB for $74.99) we have chosen not to join the paid model.

Given the small number of files we need to sync with this account, we are going to use a free 2GB DropBox account for the laptop and the web interface for our desktop as needed.

50 GB free storage

Box.net is offering 50 GB of free on-line storage as part of a new promotional.  Users must register and download the iPod app by December 2nd, 2011 in order to get the free storage.  Individual file sizes are limited to 100 MB.  See http://www.box.net

Box.net normally offers 5GB of free storage for personal accounts.