How to Install Redis on Ubuntu Linux

How to install Redis on Ubuntu Linux

To install Redis Ubuntu systems use, open your terminal and run the apt update command followed by sudo apt install redis-server. This downloads and sets up the Redis database service on your machine using the default package manager, so you can start running caching tasks right away without extra downloads.

The latest Redis version installation on Ubuntu requires adding a separate repository. Ubuntu's default software stores often contain older Redis versions. Adding the official Redis repository ensures access to the most recent stable release, offering updated features and security patches.

Installing 💿 Redis on Ubuntu Linux is a simple process. Execute the following commands to add Redis software to your Ubuntu operating system. This installation method ensures you get the latest stable version of Redis, version 7.0, which offers improved performance and security features.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install redis-server

After running the above commands, the Redis server should be installed and ready to use. The commands below can stop, start and enable Redis Server to start up every time the system boots up automatically.

sudo systemctl stop redis-server
sudo systemctl start redis-server
sudo systemctl enable redis-server

To verify if the server is running, run the commands below

sudo systemctl status redis-server

That should display the status of the Redis Server service:

Output:
redis-server.service - Advanced key-value store
   Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/redis-server.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: active (running) since Fri 2019-11-29 09:02:30 CST; 15s ago
     Docs: http://redis.io/documentation,
           man:redis-server(1)
 Main PID: 26589 (redis-server)
    Tasks: 4 (limit: 4674)
   CGroup: /system.slice/redis-server.service
           └─26589 /usr/bin/redis-server 127.0.0.1:6379
...

This is how you know Redis is running

How to configure Redis on Ubuntu Linux

To configure Redis Ubuntu setups for outside connections, open the redis.conf configuration file located in the /etc/redis directory using a text editor like nano. Find the bind 127.0.0.1 line and change it to allow remote IP addresses, then restart the Redis service using systemctl restart redis-server to apply the changes.

This restriction prevents other computers or remote servers from connecting to Redis. The access is limited to the special local IP address 127.0.0.1, which always points to the current machine.

Redis server and its support applications run on one computer. Remote access is not needed because all communication occurs on this single host computer.

Remote access for the Redis server becomes necessary when the Redis database runs on one computer and the applications that use it run on a different computer. This setup allows applications to connect to and use the Redis data stored on the separate server, essential for distributed systems where services are spread across multiple machines.

To allow remote access, open the Redis configuration file by running the commands below:

sudo nano /etc/redis/redis.conf

It is replacing 127.0.0.1 with all zeros ( 0.0.0.0 ) or restricting access to a specific host IP needing access to Redis.

# IF YOU ARE SURE YOU WANT YOUR INSTANCE TO LISTEN TO ALL THE INTERFACES
# JUST COMMENT THE FOLLOWING LINE.
# ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
bind 0.0.0.0 ::1

# Protected mode is a layer of security protection, in order to avoid that
# Redis instances left open on the internet are accessed and exploited.

Save the file and exit.

After making the changes to the file, restart the Redis service.

sudo systemctl restart redis-server

Verify that Redis is listening for all connections on 0.0.0.0 by running the commands below:

ss -an | grep 6379

It would be best if you got an output as shown below:

Output:
tcp  LISTEN 0      128       0.0.0.0:6379             0.0.0.0:*                                   
tcp  LISTEN 0      128      [::1]:6379                [::]:*

If you're also running an Ubuntu firewall, simply add the policy below to allow all hosts on your subnet ( 192.168.0.0 ) access to the Redis server and port number.

sudo ufw allow proto tcp from 192.168.0.0/24 to any port 6379

That should do it.

To test if Redis hosted on IP address 192.168.0.2 is responding to remote hosts. Type the commands below from the remote server.

redis-cli -h 192.168.0.2 ping

The Redis server should respond with a pong

If you receive a correct reply, then all is done.

Conclusion:

• Redis is a powerful in-memory data structure store that enhances the performance of dynamic applications and websites.
• Installing and configuring Redis on Ubuntu Linux is straightforward and allows users to leverage its capabilities effectively.
• It is essential to adjust Redis settings for remote access if the server and applications are on different hosts.
• Always remember to use security measures such as protected mode to safeguard your Redis instance from unauthorized access.
• Testing connectivity through the Redis CLI ensures that the configuration is successful and operational.
• With Redis, users can improve application speed and efficiency, making it a valuable addition to their technology stack.