For home users and technical staff in companies, server maintenance has become a very important task. That work that computer scientists or specialized personnel do, and that no one from the rest of the company’s departments understands, is the key for everything to go smoothly. In this article, you will learn the most important steps to correctly maintain NAS or servers, whether for home use or for your company.
Preventive maintenance of servers is key to increasing the useful life of the equipment, avoiding the risk of breakdown, keeping the facilities in proper working order and preventing problems that may affect the continuity of all services and even the proper functioning of the business. Here you will see the steps of server maintenance to achieve maximum security for your data.
Perform system and software updates
Keeping your server software updated is one of the most effective measures to avoid vulnerabilities. Make sure you install the latest versions of operating systems, applications, and security patches. This will prevent possible attackers from taking advantage of known security gaps. You can configure your server to install updates automatically or perform regular manual checks.
Nowadays, any operating system aimed at NAS or servers receives updates completely automatically, however, it is advisable to manually check for new updates, to be sure that we are with the latest version that corrects different bugs. and vulnerabilities that have been detected. A very interesting option is to monitor it with software like Telegraf and Grafana to see if there are new updates, and in this way, notify us by email, Telegram or any other form of messaging.
Set up two-step authentication
Remember when using a password was enough? Nowadays, having two-factor authentication (2FA) is key. With this extra layer of security, in addition to the password, you will need an additional verification code, such as one you receive on your mobile. This makes access difficult for potential intruders, even if they know your password.
Currently all operating systems have the possibility of adding a second authentication factor, generally through an authenticator app such as Google Authenticator or similar applications. This adds a very important additional layer of security, since they will not be able to hack the server with brute force or dictionary attacks.
Monitor logs
Constant monitoring allows you to detect any suspicious activity or performance issues before they wreak havoc. Reviewing activity logs and paying attention to resource usage and unauthorized access alerts is essential for security. Monitoring tools can help you stay aware of what’s happening on your server, as well as send you alerts about unusual activities.
Generally, what is used to monitor the servers is Telegraf, or directly some software that uses SNMP to collect all the data efficiently, and later save it in a database such as InfluxDBv2, and then display everything with graphics using Grafana. In this way, we will be able to monitor in detail every last parameter of the server, and see what is happening with very advanced graphics.
Make regular backups
Never underestimate the importance of a backup. Set up automatic backups of your critical data and ensure it is stored in a secure and accessible location. Test from time to time that the restore works correctly, so you know that your data will be safe in case of a failure or unexpected attack. The most advisable thing today is to make several copies, either on an external server, on an offline medium such as a hard drive, or directly in the cloud.
On NAS servers we have by default many official applications to make backups, such as HBS3 on QNAP NAS, but we also have standard software that can be installed on any server such as Rsync, which will allow us to make very fast and effective copies.
Strict security policies
Establishing and following clear security policies when using the server is essential. Limit access only to those who truly need it and assign specific permissions. For example, use access control lists to restrict unwanted traffic and disable services and ports you don’t use. In this way, you reduce the vulnerable points that could be exploited by intruders.
You must always limit access to the server as much as possible, with restrictive user permissions so that they do not perform actions that should not be done. Good management of users and groups is essential.
Although it may seem basic, installing and regularly updating antivirus and antimalware on the server is still an essential practice. These tools can detect and remove threats before they become bigger problems. Schedule regular scans and review the results to keep your server infection-free. The most dangerous threat to a server or NAS is ransomware, and this type of malware will encrypt all the data and then demand a ransom.
Conduct security audits
Security audits allow you to identify and fix vulnerabilities before they are exploited. You can perform evaluations such as penetration testing and vulnerability analysis to have a clear diagnosis of the security status of your server. Document results and take corrective action to keep security on track.
As you can see, maintaining the security of a server is an ongoing process that requires attention to detail and a good maintenance strategy. By following these seven steps, you will be able to strengthen your server and protect the information it handles, thus avoiding problems that could be very expensive in the long term.
