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Community ▶ Questions ▶ Can't get minimal Linode to stay OFF!
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Can't get minimal Linode to stay OFF!

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I have configured a small Ubuntu (16.04, IIRC) Linode as a remote development machine, and I don't need it on all the time. In fact, I'd like to keep it powered off when I'm not using it, to reduce the attack surface (in the time dimension).

I've noted recently that the machine is running already when I get ready to boot it. If it was just a few times, I'd say I'd forgotten to power it down, but it happens often enough (and I'm taking care to observe the shutdown now), that I'm sure it's booting itself.

I have another, larger instance, which should, and does, stay online 24x7, reliably. I've been using Linode for 6 years, and Linux for much longer. Not new at this.

Does anyone know why my the machine boots itself up unbidden?

Thanks for any insight.

5 Replies

Probably Lassie is active (I think it's on by default). You can deactivate it and your Linode should then be entirely under manual control.

That looks like it, thanks!

Was confusing in that it appeared to occur at random, but I can see now that shutting the machine down from the command live vs. web or API would cause Lassie to boot it.

Greatly appreciate your answer!

Instead of turning it off, why don't you just firewall everything except the IPs you'll access it from. You can always use lish if you have an IP change and get locked out.

Because they change quite a bit with DHCP at work, mobile, hotspots, hotels, airports, etc.

I've got a firewall set up, and minimal services, but with the machine off, it's a reasonable suspicion that nobody's messing around in there.

I didn't shirk my responsibility to secure it, but power-off protects from problems I haven't thought to fix.

It's a desktop dev environment I access with rdp. It's never going to be a server and have the need to stay up when I'm not.

I wouldn't turn Lassie off but rather turn off the Linode via Linode Manager or the mobile app.

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