Maintaining Ghost CMS on a Digital Ocean Ubuntu Server

1. Connect to Your Server

Start by establishing a secure connection to your server:

Replace username with your actual username and your_server_ip with the IP address of your server.

2. Update Package Lists

Refresh your local package index before upgrading:

3. Upgrade Installed Packages

Upgrade the installed packages to their latest available versions:

If there are packages that can be updated with a full upgrade (which may include kernel updates), use:

4. Clean Up Unnecessary Packages

Remove any unnecessary packages and dependencies:

5. Check for Ghost Updates

Switch to the user that manages the Ghost instance (often ghost-mgr) and navigate to the Ghost installation directory (often /var/www/ghost), then check for Ghost updates:

6. Reboot if Necessary

If the kernel or other critical system components were updated, reboot the server to apply these changes:

7. Verify the Kernel Version

Once your system comes back up, you can verify that the new kernel is running:

8. Maintenance Frequency

• Weekly: Check for updates to the system and Ghost CMS.

• Before Any Major Changes: Always create a backup or snapshot, especially before system upgrades or configuration changes.

• After Security Notices: Apply security patches for Ubuntu or Ghost CMS immediately upon release.

• Monthly: Conduct a thorough review and cleanup of unnecessary files or packages and check the server's health.

Remember, regular maintenance ensures the security and efficiency of your server and Ghost CMS.