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I'm running an OpenVPN server on Ubuntu Server as user fredrik. I want to install a Minecraft server on the same machine and according to this tutorial: How to set up Minecraft Server, I need to create a user called minecraft.

I would presume that this is not necessary and that I can run the Minecraft server as fredrik, but, it might be nice to have those separated into two accounts?

I wanted to check if I can, in fact, run a Minecraft server and an OpenVPN server on the same machine? And if I can/need/should create a second user?

Thank you for your input!

Fredrik Burmester
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1 Answers1

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Yes you can run, multiple processes on multiple users. Nothing extraordinary has to be done, just run the server on user minecraft and owner of the server process will be minecraft user. Meanwhile OpenVPN is ran by the user fredrik.

This has no special benefits, you can just run the Minecraft process on fredrik as well.

Security wise this may provide you some benefits. You can limit minecraft user to specific folders and customize the settings of the user.

Currently I have a machine just like you've described on Google Cloud. It does serve both OpenVPN and minecraft.

tl;dr: Yes you can run and you don't have to, but it'd be nice if you did.

Here's a screenshot of how my task manager looks like (notice multiple users running tons of processes):

imgur-htop

PS: Accessing to minecraft over VPN may cause problems. I used Digital Ocean as my VPN before, Mojang blocks access to those and I couldn't login to my account. Google Cloud however works fine.

Tuğberk Kaan Duman
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  • Thank you! I don't really need the security benefits, it was mostly for organizing that I felt it might be nice to separate the processes into different users. And no I won't be accessing Minecraft through VPN I'm only using the OpenVPN server as a way to connect to my home network whilst away. – Fredrik Burmester May 03 '18 at 19:30
  • You should be good to go. If you're using ssh access to your server don't forget to run minecraft on `screen` so that process will not end after you close the ssh window. You can create a screen with `screen -t Minecraft` and run the server afterwards inside that screen. Pressing `CTRL + A` and `CTRL + D` will detach the window and your Minecraft server will always run. To access it again type `screen -r` on your next visit. – Tuğberk Kaan Duman May 03 '18 at 19:33