At this point the server is running on the local network with a static IP in place.
Now I want to be able to access it properly from my main Windows machine without needing to stay inside the VirtualBox console.
This is the first step where the server becomes something I can manage remotely.
For those who don't know, SSH (Secure Shell) is a secure way to remotely access and manage a server over a network. It is a command-line tool that allows you to connect to and control another computer remotely.
I install the SSH server on Ubuntu:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install openssh-server
Once installed, I check that it is running:
systemctl status ssh
If it is active, the server is now ready for remote connections.
From my Windows machine, I test access using:
ssh username@
This confirms:
the VM is reachable on the network
SSH is working correctly
the static IP configuration is stable
This is the first time I can manage the server without relying on the VirtualBox window.
It also confirms that:
networking is correct
the static IP setup is working
the base Linux install is stable
I am not configuring firewall rules at this stage.
Firewall management will later be handled by Virtualmin during setup, so I avoid duplicating configuration or locking myself out early.
For now, I keep the system simple and accessible on the local network.
By the end of this stage: