Ubuntu¶
A Linux operating system for both servers and desktops, available on every VM in TUKE Cloud.
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Ubuntu Server
No graphical interface. Optimized for performance and command-line work.
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Ubuntu Desktop
With the GNOME desktop environment. Accessible via RDP or SSH.
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LTS support
Versions 24.04 and 26.04 have long-term support and regular security patches.
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Free
No licensing fees, fully open ecosystem.
Available versions¶
| Version | Variant | Supported until |
|---|---|---|
| 24.04 LTS | Server / Desktop | April 2029 |
| 26.04 LTS | Server / Desktop | April 2031 |
Which version should you pick?
For a new project use 26.04 LTS. Choose 24.04 only if you need compatibility with older software.
Server vs. Desktop¶
- Ubuntu Server
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No GUI, minimal resource usage. Ideal for web applications, APIs, databases, containers and long-running services. You connect via SSH.
- Ubuntu Desktop
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A complete graphical environment. Suitable for teaching, IDE-based development and testing graphical applications. You connect via RDP or SSH.
What Ubuntu is used for in TUKE Cloud¶
| Area | Examples |
|---|---|
| Web applications | Nginx, Apache, Django, Flask, Node.js |
| Databases | PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB, Redis |
| Containers | Docker, Podman, Kubernetes (k3s) |
| Automation | Ansible, Terraform, CI/CD runners |
| Research | Python, R, scientific libraries, compute jobs |
| Teaching | Courses on operating systems, networking, DevOps and security |
First steps after creating a VM¶
Connect via SSH¶
Update the system¶
Speed up package downloads
TUKE runs its own mirror of the Ubuntu archive. Once configured, apt pulls data from the university network instead of servers abroad.
Install what you need¶
Do not uninstall VMware Tools
The open-vm-tools package is required for the VM to work correctly. Removing it leads to VM cancellation and data loss.
Frequently asked questions¶
How do I connect to Ubuntu Desktop graphically?
Via RDP to the DNS name from the activation email. On Linux use for example Remmina, on Windows use Remote Desktop.
The system asks for a restart after apt upgrade
Restart the VM with sudo reboot. Data on disk is preserved.