HM BASTION / FIELD NOTES # The Bastion Journal A field library for the people building, securing and running their next deployment. Practical guides: 18 Topics: 05 [ Start here Planning 3 min read ## VPS, dedicated or web hosting: choose the responsibility you need Match your application, operating responsibilities and resource needs to the three HM Bastion hosting families. Read the guide ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/vps-dedicated-or-web-hosting/) THE FIRST DEPLOYMENT DOSSIER ## A stronger start, in four reads. Choose the right hosting, understand its resources, pick a region and prepare your first payment. - [VPS, dedicated or web hosting: choose the responsibility you need 3 min read](https://hmbastion.com/blog/vps-dedicated-or-web-hosting/) - [Read a server specification: CPU, memory, storage and network 3 min read](https://hmbastion.com/blog/understand-server-resources/) - [Switzerland or Germany: choose a hosting region with a practical checklist 4 min read](https://hmbastion.com/blog/switzerland-or-germany-hosting/) - [Crypto checkout: check the asset, network and payment instruction together 3 min read](https://hmbastion.com/blog/crypto-checkout-network-checklist/) PICK A MISSION ## Three routes through the fortress. Follow a practical reading path, or find one specific answer in the library below. ### Choose your foundation Move from a project brief to a configuration you can explain. - [VPS, dedicated or web hosting: choose the responsibility you need](https://hmbastion.com/blog/vps-dedicated-or-web-hosting/) - [Read a server specification: CPU, memory, storage and network](https://hmbastion.com/blog/understand-server-resources/) - [Switzerland or Germany: choose a hosting region with a practical checklist](https://hmbastion.com/blog/switzerland-or-germany-hosting/) ### Protect and recover Connect everyday maintenance with access controls and a recovery plan. - [Secure SSH access to your VPS and preserve a recovery route](https://hmbastion.com/blog/secure-ssh-access-vps/) - [Run a restore drill: turn RPO and RTO into a recovery procedure](https://hmbastion.com/blog/backup-restore-drill-rpo-rto/) - [DDoS protection and backups: build two different lines of defence](https://hmbastion.com/blog/ddos-protection-and-backups/) ### Deploy and operate Work through payment, website management and the next operational step. - [Run Docker on a VPS with a production operating plan](https://hmbastion.com/blog/docker-vps-production-checklist/) - [Move hosting with a tested cutover and a realistic rollback plan](https://hmbastion.com/blog/hosting-migration-cutover-rollback/) - [Monitor a VPS with signals that lead to a useful first response](https://hmbastion.com/blog/vps-monitoring-first-response/) THE COMPLETE FIELD LIBRARY ## Find your next answer. Search titles, summaries and topics. All guides open as complete articles. Search guides 18 guides found All guides 18 Planning 4 Infrastructure 6 Security 5 Payments 1 Web hosting 2 [ Planning 3 min read ## VPS, dedicated or web hosting: choose the responsibility you need Match your application, operating responsibilities and resource needs to the three HM Bastion hosting families. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/vps-dedicated-or-web-hosting/) [ Infrastructure 4 min read ## Switzerland or Germany: choose a hosting region with a practical checklist Compare audience routes, application dependencies, regional prices and deployment requirements before choosing Switzerland or Germany. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/switzerland-or-germany-hosting/) [ Infrastructure 3 min read ## Read a server specification: CPU, memory, storage and network Understand virtual cores, ECC memory, NVMe storage and the difference between aggregate network capacity, port speed and included bandwidth. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/understand-server-resources/) [ Security 3 min read ## DDoS protection and backups: build two different lines of defence Understand what traffic mitigation, application security, replication, snapshots and independent backups each contribute to a hosting recovery plan. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/ddos-protection-and-backups/) [ Payments 3 min read ## Crypto checkout: check the asset, network and payment instruction together Follow HM Bastion’s separate crypto selection and payment pages, with a clear checklist for supported networks, exact amounts, expiry and order status. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/crypto-checkout-network-checklist/) [ Web hosting 4 min read ## WordPress on cPanel or Plesk: choose a panel and keep a maintenance routine Compare HM Bastion’s Keystone Web and Gateway Web ranges, then plan WordPress updates, access, backups and migration checks. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/wordpress-cpanel-or-plesk/) [ Web hosting 5 min read ## A faster WordPress site starts with finding the slow layer Separate browser weight, uncached PHP work, database queries and cache behaviour before changing a WordPress hosting configuration. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/wordpress-performance-cache-diagnosis/) [ Infrastructure 5 min read ## Size a SQL database around its working set and expensive queries Use query plans, concurrency, memory behaviour and storage growth to distinguish a database resource shortage from inefficient application work. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/sql-database-sizing-query-bottlenecks/) [ Security 5 min read ## Keep HTTPS working through the whole certificate lifecycle Plan domain validation, certificate renewal, deployment and external checks so HTTPS remains correct after the first successful installation. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/https-tls-certificate-lifecycle/) [ Infrastructure 5 min read ## IPv4, IPv6 and firewalls: review the paths into your server Inventory listening services, public addresses and firewall policies across both IP families before publishing an application or changing network access. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/ipv4-ipv6-firewall-exposure/) [ Planning 5 min read ## Build a VPS capacity test that answers a real planning question Define a representative workload, useful success criteria and safe stop conditions before comparing VPS resource allocations or planning a traffic increase. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/vps-capacity-load-testing-plan/) [ Security 6 min read ## Hosting incident: coordinate recovery and write a useful support request Coordinate a hosting incident with a clear owner, a factual timeline, protected evidence, reversible changes and a concise support request. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/incident-response-useful-support-brief/) [ Security 5 min read ## Secure SSH access to your VPS and preserve a recovery route Build a practical SSH access policy with verified host keys, individual accounts, tested authentication and a recovery path. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/secure-ssh-access-vps/) [ Security 5 min read ## Run a restore drill: turn RPO and RTO into a recovery procedure Set recovery targets, build a coherent backup set and measure a safe restore with application-level checks. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/backup-restore-drill-rpo-rto/) [ Planning 5 min read ## Move hosting with a tested cutover and a realistic rollback plan Plan application data, destination checks, DNS changes and the point after which rollback needs data reconciliation. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/hosting-migration-cutover-rollback/) [ Planning 5 min read ## Run Docker on a VPS with a production operating plan Plan container resources, persistent data, published ports, releases and bounded logs before deploying a Compose application. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/docker-vps-production-checklist/) [ Infrastructure 5 min read ## Monitor a VPS with signals that lead to a useful first response Build a focused service dashboard, actionable alerts and an initial diagnostic sequence for errors, latency and resource pressure. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/vps-monitoring-first-response/) [ Infrastructure 5 min read ## DNS records and TTLs: prepare a change you can verify Understand address, alias and mail records, plan for cached answers and verify a DNS change without confusing it with application readiness. ](https://hmbastion.com/blog/dns-records-ttl-cutover-checklist/) Choose your next foundation. Compare the actual resources, region and options in our hosting catalogue. The team can help with requirements that need a closer look. [Explore hosting](https://hmbastion.com/hosting/) [Talk to the team](https://hmbastion.com/support/)