Linux & Cloud Native Infrastructure Engineer
Noah Choi is a senior infrastructure engineer specializing in sovereign, self-hosted deployments using open-source technologies. With over a decade architecting production Linux systems, containerized workloads (Docker, Kubernetes), and cloud-native CI/CD pipelines, Noah focuses on reducing vendor lock-in and enabling organizations to maintain control. His expertise includes hardened Ubuntu deployments, reverse proxy configuration (Nginx, Caddy), database optimization (PostgreSQL, MySQL), and secure API development. At Vucense, Noah writes comprehensive tutorials for developers and DevOps practitioners building sovereign, auditable infrastructure without cloud vendor dependencies.
Use Caddy as a sovereign reverse proxy with automatic TLS for Docker containers. Covers reverse_proxy directive, load balancing, health checks, and zero-config HTTPS.
Set up Caddy web server on Ubuntu 24.04 for automatic HTTPS with Let's Encrypt. Covers Caddyfile syntax, systemd service, reverse proxy, and first site configuration.
Tune PostgreSQL 17 for production on Ubuntu 24.04. Covers shared_buffers, work_mem, autovacuum, query optimisation with EXPLAIN ANALYZE, HNSW pgvector tuning, connection pooling, and indexing strategies.
Configure MySQL 9 primary-replica replication on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS in 2026. Covers GTID replication, binary logging, replica setup, monitoring replication lag, promoting a replica, and failover patterns.
Configure Nginx as a reverse proxy on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS in 2026. Covers upstream blocks, SSL termination, load balancing, security headers, rate limiting, WebSocket proxying, and caching.
Master Linux networking on Ubuntu 24.04. Covers ip command, ss for connections, UFW firewall, DNS resolution, network interfaces, static IPs, and systematic troubleshooting workflows.
Install and configure Apache 2.4 on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS in 2026. Covers virtual hosts, SSL with Let's Encrypt, .htaccess, security hardening, mod_rewrite, reverse proxy, and performance tuning.
Schedule tasks with cron and systemd timers on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Covers crontab syntax, user and system cron, systemd .timer units, anacron, logging, and migrating from cron to systemd timers.
Complete bash scripting guide for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Variables, arrays, conditionals, loops, functions, error handling, argument parsing, and real-world automation scripts. Fully tested with expected output.
Install K3s on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS — the lightweight Kubernetes for home labs, edge, and small production clusters. Single-node and multi-node setup, Helm, Nginx ingress, and sovereign deployment.
Complete SSH hardening for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS — Ed25519 keys, disable password auth, port knocking, 2FA with TOTP, fail2ban integration, and SSH certificate authorities. Fully tested.
Master Linux user and group management on Ubuntu 24.04. adduser, usermod, groupadd, su, sudo, /etc/passwd, /etc/shadow, SSH key provisioning, and service accounts. Fully tested.
Install PostgreSQL 17 on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS with pgvector, pg_stat_statements, and production config. Covers users, databases, remote access, automated backups, and sovereign AI embeddings.
Install MySQL 9.0 on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS step-by-step. Covers secure installation, user creation, remote access, firewall config, performance tuning, and automated backups. Fully tested.
Master Linux file permissions with practical examples. chmod numeric & symbolic, chown, umask, SUID/SGID/sticky bit, ACLs, and real-world scenarios every developer hits. Ubuntu 24.04.
Complete Ubuntu 24.04 LTS server setup guide with 20 essential post-install steps. SSH hardening, UFW firewall, fail2ban, unattended-upgrades, swap, and sovereign server baseline. Fully tested.
Install and configure Nginx on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS step-by-step. Covers UFW firewall, server blocks, SSL with Let's Encrypt, security headers, and performance tuning. Fully tested.
Stop renting your digital life from Big Tech. Build a sovereign home server to host your own cloud, passwords, AI models, and media in 2026.
