Configuring Plesk 7.5.6 for DNN websites

[rmoliveira]

Hi everyone,

I'm using Plesk 7.5.6, and trying to set up some DNN portals. I have installed and configured everything, and it works (I installed DNN 4 over .Net 2, instead of DNN 3.1.1 that ships with this plesk version).

My problem is: to use just one installation of DNN and have multiple domains and sites, I can just add an alias (ex: newdomain.com) to my dnndomain.com, and it works (with proper DNN configuration also). But I need emails for my newdomain.com, so I'd have to create a plesk domain configuration (and not an alias to another domain).

When I try to create a domain configuration that has an alias set in another place, it doesn't allow me. If I try to create an alias to a domain that already has a domain configuration, it doesn't allow me.

If I could create a domain config just for emails, and set www / ftp as an alias, that would do the trick.

Any ideas?

Regards.
Rodrigo

 

[DUKom2]

Did you ever get this to work. I am about to attempt getting it to work.

DUKom2

 

[rmoliveira]

DUKom2,

I gave up on plesk, because of this problem. I'm recently trying to discover a reseller platform which does not present these problems with DNN. If you have any good news about plesk or other thing, please let me know.

Regards.
Rodrigo

 

[DUKom2]

I have a workaround. If you have server access outside of plesk this will work.

Setup a main dnn site using a folder on a main web site.

ex: http://website1.com/dnn

Setup parent or child portals through the DNN host interface with aliases for the other websites.

under host in DNN set up a new portal with alias for website2.com

now in plesk set up a regular domain account with mail and all the features. Shut off file manager permissions.

Now on the server in IIS change the host directory for website2.com to point to the physical location of the website1.com/dnn folder.

This will now work with the user entering http://website2.com and they will get the new sub portal created off the main.

The good: Customers have mail admin and have dnn 4.4 site functioning off main portal that can support dnn hosting and premium module sales.

The bad: statistics and file usage stats are no longer going to work in plesk because the physical location is not the users folder.

If you can live with this trade off then this will work. I have a few test sites setup this way and so far so good.

I have also checked out dotnetpanel which is very cool and can automate the install of dnn but is still not very user friendly and requires much interaction as far as server setup where plesk is more of a complete install package.

I really wish SWsoft would pay attention to a few of the small needs of the community instead of ignoring most of what is posted here, because their product is still by far the most complete, it just lacks a few very important features.

The only way for pro sites is still to administrate everything yourself, but plesk is getting there. Plesk could be greatly improved by granting a few much needed abilities on the admin side. Having to go outside of plesk to make the modifications above is rediculous.

Of course realize that most likely the solution above would be broken by a plesk reconfigure of the permissions, not sure but guessing. Anyway I hope someone finds this usefull as I feel DNN sites are the way to go with windows based hosting. Plesk should make support of this program a main priority. Who knows given enough free time I might start developing something in .NET I have a backend in cold fusion that we designed that rocks plesk, but cf is expensive and we are trying to move away from it.

I think we all need something with integrated billing, mail admin, and dnn creation that wont break us and actually works. Something very simple on the user and and great control on the admin side. Too much to ask maybe?

DUKom2