Understanding and Resolving Redirect Issues with Certbot on AlmaLinux: A Personal Journey
In the world of web hosting, even experienced sysadmins encounter perplexing problems. Today, I want to share a recent experience I had while managing multiple websites on an AlmaLinux server, especially related to SSL certificate installation with Certbot. While I consider myself a self-taught server administrator, I often find that troubleshooting can be unpredictable — and that’s okay.
Background: Server Migration and SSL Challenges
My server runs around seven websites, which I manually migrated from an older CentOS system. The migration involved rsyncing all files—from web content to configuration files—and backing up databases. Everything seemed to transition smoothly, but when I attempted to issue SSL certificates via Certbot, I ran into issues.
The core problem was infinite redirect loops, leading Certbot to fail installation, citing redirect conflicts. This behavior puzzled me, especially because the setup worked flawlessly on CentOS Stream 8 but failed under AlmaLinux.
The Troubleshooting Journey
Like many self-learners, I turned to various methods for troubleshooting. Surprisingly, asking AI for help with server errors helped less than expected, so I relied on manual inspection. I examined my VHost configuration files carefully, opening each with Vim, then closing and re-running Certbot.
Unexpectedly, after this seemingly innocent step, the error vanished. I didn’t make any configuration changes; the problem simply resolved on its own. That moment of relief reminded me how unpredictable server troubleshooting can be.
Takeaways and Final Thoughts
Handling server redirects and SSL issuance issues can be challenging, especially when migrating between Linux distributions. Sometimes, solutions seem to appear out of nowhere after thorough inspection—even if no apparent change was made.
If you’re navigating similar problems, don’t get discouraged. Persistent inspection, patience, and a bit of luck (or a refresh of your environment) can make all the difference. And when all else fails, take a moment to unwind with your favorite drink—like I am now with a whiskey in hand—to reset your mindset.
Remember, even the most experienced admins have days where nothing makes sense—what matters is perseverance.
Happy hosting!
