Learning path

Moodle Foundation Series

Install, secure, operate, back up, optimize, and monitor a Moodle environment on Ubuntu.

10 tutorials Playlist: Moodle Server Administration: Install, Secure & Operate

Open the YouTube playlist

10 published steps, in learning order

One Moodle environment, followed from installation through to a controlled update. Steps 1 and 2 have a watch page here; the rest link straight to the video on YouTube.

  1. Step 01 · Build

    Install Moodle 5.2 on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS — Complete Step-by-Step guide for Beginners

    A working Moodle 5.2 installation on a Linux server, with the core web stack configured and the result verified.

    27:02 Moodle 5.2 · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS · Apache · MariaDB · PHP 8.3

  2. Step 02 · Operate

    Moodle 5.2 Cron & Outgoing Email Setup on Ubuntu 24.04 — Step by Step

    Moodle scheduled tasks run from system cron and the initial outgoing-email path is tested in a controlled Mailpit setup.

    31:24 Moodle 5.2 · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS · system cron · Mailpit

  3. Step 03 · Secure

    Moodle on a Server: Secure It Before Going Live (Firewall, Database & Mailpit Lockdown)

    A smaller, verified network exposure boundary before public access.

    16:23 Moodle 5.2 · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS · UFW · MariaDB · Mailpit

  4. Step 04 · Secure

    Free HTTPS for Moodle with Let's Encrypt — Domain + SSL Setup on Ubuntu 24.04

    A Moodle site reached through a verified HTTPS configuration.

    25:19 Moodle 5.2 · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS · DNS · Let's Encrypt · HTTPS

  5. Step 05 · Secure

    How to Harden Moodle 5.2 on Ubuntu 24.04: SSH, Fail2ban & HSTS

    A reduced administrative attack surface with the applied controls verified.

    25:14 Moodle 5.2 · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS · SSH · Fail2ban · HSTS

  6. Step 06 · Operate

    Moodle Backup Verification: Test a Real Restore Safely

    A backup process whose recovery path has been tested rather than assumed.

    23:09 Moodle 5.2 · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS · database · moodledata · application code

  7. Step 07 · Operate

    Moodle 5.2 Outgoing Email Setup — SMTP, SPF, DKIM & DMARC

    Real Moodle email delivery through an authenticated and verified sender configuration.

    30:26 Moodle 5.2 · authenticated SMTP · SPF · DKIM · DMARC

  8. Step 08 · Operate

    Moodle 5.2 Redis® Setup: Sessions + MUC Caching

    Verified Redis-backed sessions and application caching in the single-server lab design.

    21:41 Moodle 5.2 · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS · Redis · sessions · MUC

  9. Step 09 · Operate

    Catch Moodle Problems Before Users Do — Health Checks & Alerts

    Repeatable health checks and alerting that expose failures before they remain silent.

    20:16 Moodle 5.2 · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS · systemd · SMTP alerts · recovery checks

  10. Step 10 · Operate

    How to Update Moodle 5.2.2 Safely (Beginner Admin Guide)

    A Moodle 5.2.2 update completed through a documented and recoverable workflow.

    9:09 Moodle 5.2.2 · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS · Git · backup · rollback

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