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This guide covers the essential first steps after deploying a new AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux VPS — connecting, updating, and creating a secure administrative user, adapted for the RHEL-family workflow.

Prerequisites

• An AlmaLinux 9 or Rocky Linux 9 VPS
• Root credentials or SSH key provided by your hosting provider

Step 1 — Connect via SSH

ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

Step 2 — Update the System

sudo dnf update -y

Unlike Ubuntu/Debian's two-step apt update && apt upgrade, dnf update both refreshes package metadata and installs updates in one command.

Step 3 — Create a Sudo User

useradd deploy
passwd deploy
usermod -aG wheel deploy

The wheel group is the RHEL-family equivalent of Ubuntu/Debian's sudo group.

Step 4 — Verify Sudo Access

su - deploy
sudo whoami

Expected output: root

Step 5 — Set Up SSH Key Authentication

From your local machine:

ssh-copy-id deploy@YOUR_SERVER_IP

Step 6 — Check firewalld Status

AlmaLinux/Rocky Linux uses firewalld by default, not UFW:

sudo firewall-cmd --state
sudo firewall-cmd --list-all

See How to Configure firewalld on AlmaLinux/Rocky Linux for full configuration detail.

Step 7 — Check SELinux Status

getenforce

SELinux is enabled by default on AlmaLinux/Rocky Linux — a significant difference from Ubuntu/Debian's AppArmor-or-nothing default. See Understanding SELinux Basics on AlmaLinux/Rocky Linux before disabling it, since it provides meaningful additional security.

Step 8 — Set the Hostname

sudo hostnamectl set-hostname myserver.example.com

Step 9 — Set the Timezone

sudo timedatectl set-timezone UTC

Key Differences from Ubuntu/Debian to Keep in Mind

Step 10 — Disable Root SSH Login

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

PermitRootLogin no

sudo systemctl restart sshd

Note the service name is sshd, not ssh as on Ubuntu/Debian.

Common Errors

"Permission denied" running standard commands despite wheel membership — log out and back in for group membership to take effect.

Application fails with a permissions error despite correct file ownership — likely an SELinux context issue, not a standard permission issue; see Understanding SELinux Basics on AlmaLinux/Rocky Linux.

Best Practices

• Don't disable SELinux reflexively — learn to work with it, since it provides genuine additional security
• Use firewalld's zone-based model rather than trying to force a UFW-like mental model onto it
• Follow the same core security principles as any Linux VPS (SSH keys, updates, firewall) adapted to RHEL-family tooling

Related Articles

• How to Use dnf: The Package Manager for AlmaLinux & Rocky Linux
• How to Configure firewalld on AlmaLinux/Rocky Linux
• Understanding SELinux Basics on AlmaLinux/Rocky Linux