Debian is a cool, mostly stable linux distribution.

Install unattended-upgrades
Reconfigure with dpkg-reconfigure unattended-upgrades
sudo cp /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50unattended-upgrades /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/52unattended-upgrades-local
Make required changes
Make a dry run with sudo unattended-upgrade -d --dry-run
Optionally configure unattended-upgrades to send mail
Or use apt-listchanges to send mail

See the handbook for more: https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debian-handbook/sect.automatic-upgrades.en.html

Sends you mail with package changes
Uses sendmail
Can use something like msmtp-mta to act as sendmail interface
Configure at /etc/msmtprc

Remember to also configure DNS!

Legacy default debian specific network config tool. Manages /etc/network/interfaces.

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp
  hostname coolbox34

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet static
  address 10.10.10.1/24
  broadcast 10.10.10.255
  network 10.10.10.0
  gateway 10.10.10.1

Configured at /etc/systemd/network/. Config files are ini-style with a .network extension.

Specify NIC with:

[Match]
Name=en*

[Network]
DHCP=yes

[Network]
Address=192.168.0.15/24
Gateway=192.168.0.1

See https://debian-handbook.info/browse/stable/index.html for the debian handbook.