Service Boot Persistence in Linux

In many cases you need to work with service boot persistence in Linux, which means all those services like ssh, HTTP is started automatically when you boot the system. The best example of the need for this service is when you are installing a remote Linux server which will be accessed using ssh. When you boot the system these services are automatically started in the system.

What is Service Boot Persistence?

Service boot persistence is similar to configuring your Linux system to "auto-start" some programs or services when you boot up your computer. A service is a background application that performs critical things, such as:

• SSH: Allows you to log in to your Linux server remotely (e.g., from another computer).
• Apache (HTTP): Powers websites by hosting a web server.
• Postfix: Manages sending and receiving of emails.

Without boot persistence, you'd need to manually boot these services each time you reboot your Linux system—painful, isn't it? By having them set to automatically start, your remote server, web server, or email server is up and running the instant your system boots.

Why to Configure Service Boot Persistence?

Think you're managing a Linux server in your basement or a data center. You need to be able to reach it remotely with SSH or run a website using Apache. In case the server reboots (e.g., due to a power loss), you do not want to have to login manually to launch those services—if the server's miles away from you! Service boot persistence makes this possible by:

• Ensuring SSH is available for remote logins.
• Keeping your website up with Apache.
• Ensuring email or database services are constantly on.
• Saving sysadmins time when managing many Linux systems.

It's similar to programming your morning coffee maker to brew when you're not yet awake—your Linux system does the hard work for you.

How Service Boot Persistence Works

When your Linux machine boots, it executes a set of startup processes handled by a system called Systemd (or earlier systems such as SysVinit on certain Linux distros). Systemd identifies which services should be started automatically and starts them in the background. For example:

• SSH (typically sshd) begins, opening a remote access door.
• Apache (httpd or apache2) starts up, hosting your site.

Service boot persistence instructs Systemd (or SysVinit) to have certain services as part of this startup process.

How to Set Up Service Boot Persistence on Linux

We can install the services like SSH, Apache, or other services to boot automatically on your Linux system

1. Select the Services You Require

Determine which services (such as SSH for remote login or Apache for websites) you want to start when your Linux system boots.

Common services include:

• SSH (sshd): For remote login.
• Apache (apache2): For web hosting.
• Postfix: For email sending.
• MySQL or PostgreSQL: For databases.

On cloud servers, add services like Docker (for app-in-a-container) or NGINX (another web server) to your boot list.

2. Enable Auto-Start for Services

Order your Linux machine to boot your chosen services automatically during boot time. You can do it by:

• Use a straightforward tool to "enable" the service, e.g., change it to "on."
• For SSH, enable remote access service to be accessible following every reboot.
• For Apache, enable the web server to keep your website active.
• Most Linux distros (e.g., Ubuntu) use a system named Systemd to accomplish this. You just need to tell it which services to start.

update-rc.d ssh enable       # start any service like ssh 
update-rc.d apache2 enable     # Start HTTP service

3. Use User-Friendly Tools to Manage Services

Instead of entering commands, use simple Linux tools with menus to choose which services start automatically. Try using a tool like rcconf, which shows a list of services that you can turn on or off using checkboxes.

• Open up your Linux terminal and run rcconf to get the menu.
• Check the check box beside SSH, Apache, or whatever else you'd like to start up automatically.

rcconf 

Note: Sysv-rc-conf is another one that does the same, enabling you to turn services on/off with an intuitive interface.

4. Check Your Work

Make sure your services start automatically and actually work after a reboot. Reboot your Linux system to check if SSH, Apache, or other services start up.

• For SSH, try to remotely log in from another machine, if it is connect than it is work.
• For Apache, navigate to your site's URL (e.g., http://yourserver.com) and see if it loads.
• If a service won't boot, make sure you started it or get a nice Linux person to help you out.

Conclusion

Service boot persistence is like setting your Linux system to wake up and get to work automatically, starting services like SSH for remote logins or Apache for websites. From picking the right services to using simple tools like rcconf and keeping things secure, you’re ready to keep your Linux PC or server running smoothly.