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Install Debian 11 (Bullseye) Minimal Server

Sunday, 14 November 2021

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How to install a Debian 11 "Bullseye" server. Minimal setup with no GUI and with a minimum of packages installed.

In most production environments, you want to build a server without a GUI. And with a minimum of packages installed, this means that your server uses less memory and CPU resources and has fewer packages to update/maintain, which also improves security by reducing the software "attack surface".

Download Debian

Download the latest DVD amd64 (64-bit) ISO image for Debian

Debian on CDs/DVDs
https://www.debian.org/CD

debian-11.0.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso

Start Debian Installation

Attach the Debian ISO to the virtual machine
debian-11.0.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso

Power on the VM and connect to the console, the Debian installer will start.

The installation will auto-configure the network adapter using DHCP for Internet access

Install

Select Language and Keyboard Layout

Select a language - English

Select your location - United Kingdom

Configure the keyboard - British English

Configure Server Hostname

Configure the network - enter the server hostname
e.g. web-server

Domain name - leave blank

Set up User Accounts

Set root password and save it in your password manager

Verify root password

Set up users and passwords - create another admin user account

Best practice is to create a named account for every admin user that needs to log on to the server and only log on as root when absolutely necessary.

In the next server setup guides, we will disable SSH access for root, so root can only be used to login to the VM console for emergency access.

"Root is your Spiderman costume. It gives you great power but requires great responsibility. It's there in the closet whenever you need it, so you don't have to wear it all the time."
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Username for your account

Set a password for the new user

Verify password

Partition Disks

Partition disks
Guided - use entire disk

In this example, we are creating a single partition that uses the entire disk.

For production servers, you might want to create separate partitions for tmp, user or data files to separate them from the OS.

Having separate partitions allows you to manage disk space usage and backups for different types of data.

Reference:
Debian GNU/Linux Installation Guide
C.3. Recommended Partitioning Scheme
https://www.debian.org/releases/bullseye/amd64/apcs03.en.html by Author

Press [Enter] to select the virtual hard disk

Partition disks - All files in one partition (recommended for new users)

Finish partitioning and write changes to disk

Write the changes to disks - Yes

Configure Package Manager

Scan extra installation media - No

Use a network mirror - Yes

Selecting "Use a network mirror" during setup will add the Debian repositories to your apt sources.list

Select country for mirror

Debian archive mirror - deb.debian.org

The deb.debian.org mirror is backed by a global Content Delivery Network (CDN) that will connect you to the repository that is closest to your geographic/network location.

You can either use the CDN deb.debian.org or your country based DNS name e.g. ftp.uk.debian.org as a mirror. Using the CDN is recommended.

Reference:
ftp.debian.org
This page quickly explain what is ftp.debian.org, and provides some resources.
https://wiki.debian.org/ftp.debian.org
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