My first Linode shared CPU server was last year. I kept it for about 6 months before I created a local Linux server on a Raspberry Pi.
It was a little $5 a month single CPU, 1GB ram, 25GB SSD storage Nanode... a portmanteau of 'Nano' and 'Linode as Linode puts it. It was quite convenient to play with from anywhere.
Not that it's important for my experimental needs, but 40GB/1GB network speed and 1TB of monthly transfer is pretty damn good. And I suppose that the server being in Newark, NJ, only 85 miles up the turnpike makes it more reliable? Doubtful it matters much.
I re-upped again today with Linode and pulled another Nanode up for the same low low price of $5 a month. And I did so because I think it's getting risky to port forward a home server and expose it to the Internet...and I need to have one available from outside of my home domain for the things I like to do.
Why is it getting risky?
Its because of old home routers, home routers that haven't been updated and mis-configured home routers are front-facing to the Internet storm. Including Routers that unbeknownst to the customer were allowed to become part of a mesh system by over-reaching ISPs.
Now millions of home routers are threatened by malware because there is almost no guidance from the likes of AT&T, Verizon or Comcast to keep the latest threat - BotenaGo - from entering customer homes. And this isn't new: it's been going on for quite a while. The huge Mirai botnet was discovered in 2016 running around inside people homes.
Obviously you can't physically connect to a Linode as you could a RPi, but if you're not into GPIO connections and soldering, you're lightyears ahead keeping any server instance off of your router unless you're certain isn't subject to the 33 known vulnerabilities or you know how to flash your firmware.
Why take the chance?
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