David Brelkov

About

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

About This Blog

Alvex is a tech blog run by an independent developer based in Ukraine.

What We Write About

Server management and Linux administration
Web development and hosting
Cybersecurity and best practices
Open source tools and projects
Technology news relevant to Ukraine and Eastern Europe

Our Setup

This blog runs on a VPS server with the following stack:

Ubuntu 24.04 Linux
Nginx web server
Hugo static site generator
Certbot SSL certificate
Netdata server monitoring
Fail2ban security protection
Automated daily backups

Our Mission

To share real practical knowledge about running servers and building web projects. No fluff. Just real experience.

How I Monitor My Server 24/7

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why Server Monitoring Matters

A server that nobody watches is a server waiting to fail. As a developer running my own infrastructure in Ukraine I need to know my server is healthy at all times.

What Is Netdata?

Netdata is a free open source monitoring tool. It watches your server every second and shows beautiful real time charts of CPU usage, memory, disk space and network traffic.

What I Can See Now

CPU usage in real time
RAM consumption
Disk space remaining
Network traffic in and out
All running processes and services

Why This Is Important

As a server operator you need to know immediately if something goes wrong. Netdata gives that peace of mind. Everything is visible in one beautiful dashboard.

How I Secured My Server From Hackers

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Reality of Running a Server in 2026

I am a developer based in Ukraine running my own VPS server. Within minutes of putting a server online, automated attacks begin. This is not theory — today I found 36 failed login attempts and 3 malicious IP addresses already blocked.

What Is Fail2ban?

Fail2ban is a free open source security tool that monitors your server logs in real time. If any IP address fails to login too many times, it gets automatically banned.

Week One Progress Report

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

One Week In

It has been one week since I launched this server and blog. Here is what I accomplished.

What I Built This Week

Set up a Linux VPS server from scratch
Installed and configured Nginx web server
Built a professional blog using Hugo and PaperMod
Connected a real domain name
Installed SSL certificate for HTTPS security
Set up 24/7 server monitoring with Netdata
Configured automatic daily backups
Installed Fail2ban security protection

What I Learned

Managing your own server is completely different from shared hosting. You have full control over everything. That means more responsibility but also more freedom and knowledge.

Why I Chose A VPS Over Shared Hosting

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What Is A VPS?

A VPS stands for Virtual Private Server. It is your own piece of a powerful computer located in a data center. You have full control over it.

Why Not Use Shared Hosting?

Shared hosting means you share a server with hundreds of other websites. You have no control. You cannot install what you want. You cannot configure anything deeply.

With a VPS you are the boss of your own infrastructure.

Why I Started This Blog

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Who I Am

My name is David Brelkov. I am an independent developer based in Ukraine. I built this server and blog to share what I learn about web development, servers, and technology.

Why I Built This Server

Instead of using shared hosting, I wanted full control over my own infrastructure. Running your own VPS teaches you how the internet really works.

What I Am Building

This blog will cover server management, web development, security, and technology topics relevant to developers in Ukraine and beyond.

Contact

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Get In Touch

Have a question or want to collaborate? Fill out the form below and I will get back to you.