How to Create a MongoDB Instance on a VPS

Deploying MongoDB on a Virtual Private Server (VPS) gives you complete control over your database infrastructure—ideal for developers, startups, and organizations prioritizing performance, flexibility, and data sovereignty. This guide will walk you through the advanced steps to install, configure, secure, and optimize MongoDB on a VPS.

🛠️ Step 1: Update Your System

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Set your hostname and timezone:

hostnamectl set-hostname mongodb-server
timedatectl set-timezone UTC

📦 Step 2: Install MongoDB

1. Import MongoDB GPG Key

wget -qO - https://www.mongodb.org/static/pgp/server-6.0.asc | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/mongodb-server-6.0.gpg

2. Add the MongoDB Repository

echo "deb [ signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/mongodb-server-6.0.gpg ] https://repo.mongodb.org/apt/ubuntu focal/mongodb-org/6.0 multiverse" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mongodb-org-6.0.list

Note: Replace focal with jammy or your version if using Ubuntu 22.04.

3. Install MongoDB

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y mongodb-org

🧪 Step 3: Start and Enable MongoDB

sudo systemctl start mongod
sudo systemctl enable mongod

Check status:

sudo systemctl status mongod

🔐 Step 4: Secure Your MongoDB Server

By default, MongoDB binds to 127.0.0.1. If you want remote access:

1. Edit the Config

sudo nano /etc/mongod.conf

Find the bindIp line under net: and modify:

bindIp: 127.0.0.1,0.0.0.0

2. Enable Authentication

Under the security: section, add:

security:
authorization: enabled

Restart MongoDB:

sudo systemctl restart mongod

👤 Step 5: Create Admin User

Access the MongoDB shell:

mongosh

Create an admin user:

use admin
db.createUser({
user: "admin",
pwd: "StrongPassword123!",
roles: [ { role: "userAdminAnyDatabase", db: "admin" } ]
})

Exit with exit, then test login:

mongosh -u admin -p --authenticationDatabase admin

🛡️ Step 6: Harden the VPS and MongoDB

1. UFW Firewall

sudo ufw allow OpenSSH
sudo ufw allow 27017/tcp
sudo ufw enable

For remote access from a single IP:

sudo ufw allow from YOUR.IP.ADDRESS to any port 27017

2. Fail2Ban (SSH Protection)

sudo apt install fail2ban -y
sudo systemctl enable fail2ban

⚙️ Step 7: Advanced Optimization (Optional)

1. Replica Set for High Availability

Modify /etc/mongod.conf:

replication:
replSetName: "rs0"

Initialize:

mongosh
rs.initiate()

2. Backup Strategy

Use mongodump for backups:

mongodump --out /var/backups/mongodb/$(date +%F)

Automate with cron:

crontab -e
# Daily at 2 AM
0 2 * * * /usr/bin/mongodump --out /var/backups/mongodb/$(date +\%F)

3. Use TLS/SSL for Encrypted Connections

Generate certificates and configure net.ssl section in mongod.conf. This requires more setup and a trusted certificate authority (CA).

🧪 Step 8: Test Your Deployment

You can test remote connectivity:

mongosh "mongodb://admin:StrongPassword123!@your-server-ip:27017/admin"

Replace your-server-ip with your VPS IP or domain name.

📊 Step 9: Monitor Your MongoDB

Consider tools like:

  • MongoDB Atlas Monitoring Agent (optional)

  • Prometheus + Grafana with exporters

  • Custom alerting with cron and logwatch

You can also watch logs directly:

sudo tail -f /var/log/mongodb/mongod.log

✅ Final Checklist

  • MongoDB installed and running

  • Remote access secured

  • Admin authentication enforced

  • Firewall configured

  • Backups in place

  • Optional monitoring enabled

🧩 Conclusion

Running MongoDB on a VPS gives you unmatched flexibility, but it requires careful attention to security, backups, and performance. By following this guide, you’ve created a secure and production-ready MongoDB instance, ready to scale as your application grows.