diff --git a/api/servers b/api/servers
index 91cd9e1..71c755c 100644
--- a/api/servers
+++ b/api/servers
@@ -1,10 +1,17 @@
 #! /usr/bin/python3
 
-import os
+import os, sys
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))))
 import MySQLdb
 import config
 import json
 
+def print_json_200(data):
+    # respond with json data
+    print("Status: 200 OK")
+    print("Content-Type: application/json\n")
+    print(json.dumps(data))
+
 def print_status_400(body: str):
     print("Status: 400 Bad Request")
     print("Content-Type: text/plain\n")
@@ -26,24 +33,26 @@ def get_db_connection():
         db = MySQLdb.connect(
             host=config.DB_HOST, 
             user=config.DB_USER, 
-            passwd=config.DB_PASS, 
-            db=config.DB_NAME
+            passwd=config.DB_PASSWORD, 
+            db=config.DB_NAME,
+            port=config.DB_PORT,
+            ssl={"ssl": {}}
         )
         return db
     
     except MySQLdb.Error as e:
         print_status_500(str(e))
+        exit(1)
 
 def main():
     # extract basic request info
     request_method = os.environ["REQUEST_METHOD"]
     extra_path = os.environ.get("PATH_INFO", "")
     path_component = extra_path.split("/")
-    resp = None
     if request_method == "GET":
         db = get_db_connection()
         cursor = db.cursor()
-        if extra_path == "/api/servers":
+        if extra_path == "" or extra_path == "/":
             # return all instances in database
             cursor.execute("SELECT * FROM servers;")
             rows = cursor.fetchall()
@@ -59,10 +68,11 @@ def main():
                     "ready": row[5]
                     }
                 )
+            print_json_200(resp)
 
-        if len(path_component) == 4 and path_component[3].isnumeric(): #  /api/servers/<id>
+        elif extra_path.startswith("/") and extra_path[1:].isnumeric(): #  /api/servers/<id>
             # return a single instance in db
-            primary_key = int(path_component[3])
+            primary_key = int(extra_path[1:])
             cursor.execute("SELECT * FROM servers WHERE id = %s;", (primary_key,))
             row = cursor.fetchone()
 
@@ -79,10 +89,12 @@ def main():
                     "ready": row[5]
                 }
             
-        # respond with json data
-        print("Status: 200 OK")
-        print("Content-Type: application/json\n")
-        print(json.dumps(resp))
+            print_json_200(resp)
 
+        else:
+            print_status_400("Page not found: " + extra_path)
     else:
-        print_status_405(extra_path, "GET")
\ No newline at end of file
+        print_status_405(extra_path, "GET")
+        
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/create_server b/create_server
index fd05605..dcd3b1e 100644
--- a/create_server
+++ b/create_server
@@ -6,7 +6,17 @@ import MySQLdb
 import config
 from pydo import Client
 
-root_url = ""
+config_commands = """#cloud-config
+    runcmd:
+        - apt update
+        - apt install apache2 -y
+        - systemctl enable apache2
+        - mkdir -p /etc/systemd/system/apache2.service.d/
+        - bash -c 'echo -e "[Unit]\nAfter=network-online.target\nWants=network-online.target" > /etc/systemd/system/apache2.service.d/override.conf'
+        - systemctl daemon-reload
+        - systemctl restart apache2
+        - echo "hello, world" > /root/dummy.txt
+"""
 
 def print_status_400(body: str):
     print("Status: 400 Bad Request")
@@ -29,13 +39,16 @@ def get_db_connection():
         db = MySQLdb.connect(
             host=config.DB_HOST, 
             user=config.DB_USER, 
-            passwd=config.DB_PASS, 
-            db=config.DB_NAME
+            passwd=config.DB_PASSWORD, 
+            db=config.DB_NAME,
+            port=config.DB_PORT,
+            ssl={"ssl": {}}
         )
         return db
     
     except MySQLdb.Error as e:
         print_status_500(str(e))
+        exit(1)
 
 def create_server(user: str, desc: str) -> int:
     try:
@@ -56,6 +69,7 @@ def create_server(user: str, desc: str) -> int:
             "backups": False,
             "ipv6": True,
             "monitoring": True,
+            "user_data": config_commands
         }
 
         resp = client.droplets.create(body=req)
@@ -81,10 +95,10 @@ def add_server_to_db(user: str, desc: str, instance_id: int, ready: bool):
         db.close()
 
         # run background script
-        os.system(f"/monitor_new_VM {instance_id} {new_server_id} 1>/dev/null 2>/dev/null &")
+        os.system(f"./monitor_new_VM {instance_id} {new_server_id} 1>/dev/null 2>/dev/null &")
 
         print("Status: 303 See Other")
-        print(f"Location: {root_url}/api/servers/{new_server_id}")
+        print(f"Location: {config.ROOT_URL}/api/servers/{new_server_id}")
         print()
 
     except Exception as e:
diff --git a/monitor_new_VM b/monitor_new_VM
index e78f24a..e8b8f31 100644
--- a/monitor_new_VM
+++ b/monitor_new_VM
@@ -11,14 +11,16 @@ def get_db_connection():
         db = MySQLdb.connect(
             host=config.DB_HOST, 
             user=config.DB_USER, 
-            passwd=config.DB_PASS, 
-            db=config.DB_NAME
+            passwd=config.DB_PASSWORD, 
+            db=config.DB_NAME,
+            port=config.DB_PORT,
+            ssl={"ssl": {}}
         )
         return db
     
     except MySQLdb.Error as e:
         print(str(e))
-        raise
+        exit(1)
 
 def main():
     try:
@@ -40,9 +42,8 @@ def main():
             # Connect to Digital Ocean API to track new VM creation
             resp = client.droplets.get(droplet_id=int(instance_id))
             limit -= 1
-            if "droplet" not in resp: # error status
-                # report error, sleep for 5 seconds and retry
-                print(resp["message"])
+            if not resp or "droplet" not in resp:
+                print("Error fetching droplet info:", resp)
                 time.sleep(5)
                 continue
 
@@ -64,6 +65,9 @@ def main():
         db = get_db_connection()
         cursor = db.cursor()
         # Insert into servers table
+        if public_ip is None:
+            print("Failed to retrieve public IP address.")
+            exit(1)
         cursor.execute("UPDATE servers \
                        SET ready = %s, public_ip = %s \
                        WHERE id = %s;", 
@@ -74,7 +78,9 @@ def main():
 
     except ValueError as e:
         print(str(e))
+        exit(1)
     except Exception as e:
         print(str(e))
+        exit(1)
 
 main()
\ No newline at end of file