[rudra]

HI,

 P4V has multiple KVM VPSs without control panel. So the VPS owners are forced to contact staff/admin when they lock themselves out of SSH somehow or want a reinstall of OS.

Now here is what I propose to enable you guys to restore SSH and reinstall OS on your own in all of the scenarios except one [ tell you at the bottom ].

1) restore SSH -

setup a github public account and fix a specific file over there that will be used as our flag.

Now we make a script that periodically checks that flag for some predetermined sign and when it gets that sign, it just uninstalls and reinstalls SSH, restores your sshd settings and makes sure that the designated port is accessible from outside though firewall.

The sign can be a simple 'yes' or anything you like.

You can incorporate network checks and reset option in the script too !!

2) Reinstall OS -

This will be almost similar.. almost

Here you use a preseed file with basic netboot iso install image that is loaded and run through grub to prepare a basic system automatically [ unattended ] and ssh is enabled which you can use to login to complete the steps.

Here also we use another script that periodically checks a flag.

I can help you guys with the preseed file for ubuntu and how to set that up. For other OS, you will have to experiment I guess.

So we mainly use cron to run a script that checks say every hour for our two flags. So even if we lose access to the system, It can do a sort of reset to let us back in or reinstall OS for us.

The big plus i see is more freedom for both staff and VPS owners.

What do you guys say ?


NOTE. - If you nuke the system so hard that nothing is working inside and even the cron, base system is corrupted, then I guess you will have to contact the staff. But let me hazard a guess, you guys rarely end up in that kind of scenario. It is mostly wanting to start fresh with an OS. isn't it?

Edit2: also check
https://post4vps.com/Thread-default-OS-r...4#pid37904

[deanhills]

@rudra  On the face of it it sounds like a brilliant idea.  Worth trying.  Only obstacle I see is on the sponsor side in case of firewall issues.  VPSs are much more stricter monitored than before.

Is it possible for you to do a step by step tutorial for Ubuntu?  And then we can see whether it works for Ubuntu on one of our VPSs here.

If you like, we could provide you with a spare post4vps VPS without a control panel (on loan) to try the OS re-installation process out step by step, and to work through potential issues if any should crop up.  Since you are more experienced, it would be easier to recognize issues, than to get those less experienced with VPSs without panels to do the experimentation first.

It will have to be a genuine step by step tutorial right from opening a github account to setting everything up. And then hopefully you could be around for addressing inquiries. Just until the system works flawlessly.