Purchase a Virtual Dedicated Server with Ollama Installation

Ollama is a platform that lets you run and manage AI models locally on your server with full control and privacy. It makes it easy to download, deploy, and interact with large language models, enabling you to build AI-powered applications, automate tasks, and process data without relying on external services.

This article explains how to purchase a Bluehost Virtual Dedicated Server (VDS) hosting plan and set up and manage your Ollama Assistant.

Why Choose Ollama?

Running Ollama on a VDS keeps your AI models online and ready 24/7, so you can query them from your phone, laptop, or any app without keeping your own computer switched on. You get dedicated server resources instead of sharing your personal machine's power, and you keep full control over your data since nothing gets sent to a third-party API. It also gives you a stable setup you can plug into your own apps or automations, scale up as needed, and secure however you like.

Uses of Ollama

There are many applications of Ollama in different fields:

• Customer Support: Automate your customer support replies using conversational AI.
• Content Creation: Generate articles, marketing copy, and creative writing effortlessly.
• Data Analysis: Summarize big pieces of text, highlight important points, and translate text into other languages.
• Development: Integrate AI-driven language capabilities into apps, chatbots, and virtual assistants.
• Education: Assist in tutoring, language learning, and interactive training through intelligent dialogues.

This versatility makes Ollama a valuable asset for companies looking to harness the power of AI-driven communication.

System Requirements

Before deploying, ensure your server meets the requirements below. For a stable production deployment, we recommend using higher specifications than the Approximate Size requirements.

Ollama AI Model Storage Requirements

Ensure your server has sufficient disk space available to download and store the specific AI models you plan to run locally in Ollama:

How to Purchase a Virtual Dedicated Server with Ollama Installation

Ollama can be installed on a Bluehost Virtual Dedicated Server (VDS). You can choose to have Ollama installed during the initial VDS purchase or install it manually at a later time.

1. In your browser, go to https://www.bluehost.com.
2. Click Hosting in the top menu, then select Virtual Dedicated Server.

   
    

   You can also go to this link directly: https://www.bluehost.com/vds-hosting.

3. On the Virtual Dedicated Server Hosting page, click Explore Plans. You can also scroll down to the hosting plans section.
   
    
4. Choose a plan from either tab — Standard or High Performance — by clicking Choose Plan.

   
    

   Pricing is subject to change. Please visit https://www.bluehost.com/vds-hosting for the current introductory/sign-up offer for the Bluehost Virtual Dedicated Server hosting. For the most up-to-date renewal pricing, visit your Bluehost Portal's Renewal Center.
5. On the next page, configure your VDS hosting to meet your requirements. The configuration options are divided into the following sections:
   • Location: Select your data center in this section.

     
      

   • Hardware: This section shows your pre-selected plan. You can also switch to another Virtual Dedicated Server plan in this section

     
      

   • Software:
     If the selected plan does not meet the app's minimum requirements, the app will be grayed out.
     1. Under the Application tab, click on Ollama.

        

        You can install only one application per purchase; the system will automatically select the best operating system for it.
     2. In the pop-up, click Confirm.

        
         

   • Support & Security: You can add Premium Support - Recurring, which provides priority access to expert assistance and faster response times.

     
      

   • Advanced Options:
     • Extra IP's: You can add IP addresses for an additional fee. Pricing changes based on how many IPs you add.
     • Hostname: Assign a custom hostname to identify your server. This is optional.

       
        

6. Select your billing term and review your selected items on the right pane, along with the summarized total cost.

   
    

7. Click Continue to checkout.
8. Do the following on the Checkout page:

   
   If you're new to Bluehost:

   1. Create your Bluehost account by using your email address or by connecting with your Google, Apple, or GitHub account — whichever you prefer!

      
       

   2. Select your preferred payment method: credit card, Google Pay, or PayPal. Enter your billing information.

      
       

   If you have an account with us, you will see your Bluehost login details when you are logged into your Bluehost Portal. If you are not logged in, please click the Log In link.

   
    

9. In the Shopping Cart, choose your billing term if you did not choose one on the previous page.

   
    

10. Add a Promo code if you have one, and then click Submit Payment to complete your purchase.

After completing the purchase, your VDS hosting will begin provisioning. You can access and manage your new VDS hosting in the Hosting tab of your Bluehost Portal.

How to Get and Set Up Ollama

After the installation is complete, follow the steps below to set up the application.

1. Log in to your Bluehost Portal.
2. In the left-hand menu, click the Hosting tab.

   
    

3. Look for the server you want to manage then click the View Details to see more options.

   
    

4. Click the Reset Password.

   
    

5. In the pop-up window, type your new root password, then click Reset Password again to confirm and save the changes.

   
    

6. Log in to your server via SSH.
   When you log in to your server for the first time, you're greeted with a welcome message that includes all the essential commands and instructions for managing Ollama. The content looks like this:
   Replace your_server_ip with your actual server IP address.

   ssh root@your_server_ip

   Example Output

   
   Welcome to Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS (GNU/Linux 6.8.0-111-generic x86_64)
   ********************************************************************************
   Ollama is running on this server.
   
   The UFW firewall is enabled.
   All ports are BLOCKED except 22 (SSH) and 11434 (Ollama API).
   
   API endpoint:
     http://localhost:11434
   
   Common commands:
     ollama list                  # list downloaded models
     ollama pull llama3.2         # download a model (~2GB)
     ollama pull tinyllama        # download a small starter model (~637MB)
     ollama run tinyllama         # start an interactive chat session
   
   REST API examples:
     curl http://localhost:11434/api/version
     curl http://localhost:11434/api/tags
     curl -X POST http://localhost:11434/api/generate \
          -d '{"model":"tinyllama","prompt":"Hello","stream":false}'
   
   On the server:
     Models are stored in /var/lib/ollama/.ollama/models
     Service config: /etc/systemd/system/ollama.service.d/override.conf
   
   For more details please see /root/README.md
   
   To delete this message of the day: rm -rf /etc/update-motd.d/99-ollama
       

7. Check installed and available models via the CLI.
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   ollama list
   Example Output:

   
   NAME        	ID          	SIZE    MODIFIED
   tinyllama   	sha256:e5562a3b…	637 MB  3 minutes ago
       

8. Pull a model (tinyllama is preinstalled on first boot):
   Copy

   ollama pull llama3.2
   Example Output:

   
   pulling manifest
   pulling 2.0 GB model
   ...
   success
       

9. Start an interactive session with a model:
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   ollama run tinyllama
   Example Output:

   
   >>> Hello, how can I help you today?
   (type /exit to quit)
       

10. Remove a model to free up disk space:
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    ollama rm tinyllama
    Example Output:

    
    Deleted model 'tinyllama'
        

11. Interact with the Ollama REST API
    • Check Ollama version:
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      curl http://localhost:11434/api/version
      Example Output:

      
      {"version": "0.1.25"}
              

    • List available models (tags):
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      curl http://localhost:11434/api/tags
      Example Output:

      
      {"models":[{"name":"tinyllama","modified_at":"2024-06-18T10:17:22.093Z"}]}
              

    • Generate a non-streaming completion:
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      curl -X POST http://localhost:11434/api/generate \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -d '{"model":"tinyllama","prompt":"Why is the sky blue?","stream":false}'
      Example Output:

      
      {"response":"The sky looks blue because of the way sunlight interacts with Earth's atmosphere...","model":"tinyllama",...}
              

    • Start a chat session via API:
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      curl -X POST http://localhost:11434/api/chat \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -d '{"model":"tinyllama","messages":[{"role":"user","content":"Hello"}]}'
      Example Output:

      
      {"message":{"role":"assistant","content":"Hello! How can I help you?"}, ...}
              

12. Model storage location
    Models are stored in
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    /var/lib/ollama/.ollama/models

    Before pulling large models, make sure you have sufficient disk space (7B models may need 4-8 GB free space).

13. Service config and logs
    • Service configuration is at
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      /etc/systemd/system/ollama.service.d/override.conf
    • For logs or troubleshooting, see:
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      cat /root/README.md

Links

• Ollama Documentation

Supporting Information and Sample Output

You can run cat /root/README.md to see more information and useful commands:

Example Output:

root@12-1-1-123:~# cat /root/README.md
# Ollama

## Description

Ollama is a platform that lets you run and manage AI models locally on
your server with full control and privacy. It makes it easy to
download, deploy, and interact with large language models, enabling
you to build AI-powered applications, automate tasks, and process data
without relying on external services.


## Services

Service    | Ports   | Purpose
-----------|---------|---------
ollama API | 11434   |
OpenSSH    | 22      | SSH

Ports are protected using ufw. Port 11434 is open to allow external API access.


## How-to-use

On first boot the image will automatically pull **tinyllama** (~637 MB) as a starter
model so the API is ready to use without any manual steps.

### Interacting via CLI

SSH into the server and use the `ollama` command:

```bash
ollama list                    # list downloaded models
ollama pull llama3.2           # pull a model (~2 GB)
ollama pull tinyllama          # pull a small model (~637 MB)
ollama run tinyllama           # start an interactive session
ollama rm tinyllama            # remove a model
```

### Interacting via REST API

The API is accessible from outside the server on port 11434:

```bash
# Check version
curl http://localhost:11434/api/version

# List available models
curl http://localhost:11434/api/tags

# Generate a completion (non-streaming)
curl -X POST http://localhost:11434/api/generate \
     -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
     -d '{"model":"tinyllama","prompt":"Why is the sky blue?","stream":false}'

# Chat endpoint
curl -X POST http://localhost:11434/api/chat \
     -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
     -d '{"model":"tinyllama","messages":[{"role":"user","content":"Hello"}]}'
```

### Model storage

Models are stored in `/var/lib/ollama/.ollama/models`. Ensure your volume has
sufficient space before pulling large models (7B parameter models are typically 4-8 GB).


## Links

Documentation: [https://docs.ollama.com/](https://docs.ollama.com/)

Summary

Ollama on a Bluehost Virtual Dedicated Server (VDS) puts AI models on your own server, so you get full privacy and round-the-clock access without sending data to outside APIs. You can add Ollama when you buy your VDS or install it later, picking your data center, hardware, and any extras like premium support. Once it's running, you manage models with a few simple SSH commands and connect your own apps through the built-in REST API. Just make sure you pick a plan with enough storage—small models like TinyLlama need under a gigabyte, while 7B models need 4-8 GB, plus room to grow.