Newbie seeking server administration advice
What I want to do with the website requires PHP & mySQL, neither of which are installed on their server.
The guy who built & administered their server left the country recently (literally) and they have no one else to replace him (and can't really afford to hire someone on a regular basis as they are a non-profit outfit).
They've given me full access to the server, but I really don't know what I'm doing and have never managed a server or dealt with Linux.
I've researched on how to install these packages...but seeing as that I have zero experience with such things...am incredibly nervous about *learning* on someone else's equipment, especially if there is a good chance I could mess something up.
I have root access via ssh...but again, I've never used this style of server access (I've always dealt with ftp & cpanel on client sites) and am feeling very intimidated with the command prompt way of doing things.
So my questions...or advice I need are....
1. Am I being overly paranoid about not wanting to try and install these packages on my own when I have no experience doing so? Or rather, are these tasks not as difficult or daunting as I'm imagining them to be?
2. If I am being paranoid and installing mysql/php isn't that big of a deal....is it possible that I could cripple the server if I misunderstood the installation instructions and did something incorrectly (mind you, I'm not a complete idiot and can usually follow instructions...but just a 'what if')? Or would the packages just 'not work' and the rest of the server be unaffected?
3. If I'm correct in thinking it would be irresponsible of me to try and install these packages on a client's server when I don't know what I'm doing....what would be the best way to find someone who would know how to do this stuff (and...erm...as inexpensively as possible since this client doesn't have a large budget)?
I browsed the advertising forum and saw that there are definitely people available to hire for this type of job...but because I am so inexperienced with Linux/Web server management...I'm not sure how to determine whether or not the person I hire really knows their stuff. I'd be nervous about hiring someone who was an amateur themselves and giving them full reign over the server.
If it were my own machine...I wouldn't be so concerned about these things and even be excited at the prospect of learning something new...but, for a client....well, it's a whole different situation.
And lastly....
If installing php/mysql really isn't that big of a deal...does anyone know of a good resource for walking people like myself (with zero web server or Linux experience), through it step-by-step. I've read a dozen or more installation guides...but many of them make the assumption that the end-user has basic knowledge of administering a web server (and probably for good reason, eh?).
Any feedback or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
