Need your feedback on Package Updates Monitoring in Plesk

[custer]

Hi everyone,

As some of you know, we are considering adding OS package management capabilities to Plesk and we are interested in feedback on certain ideas we’re evaluating. Our main goal is to provide a valuable tool for server administrators without creating too many issues, so we want to discuss these ideas with you to make sure we're doing the right thing. We would appreciate if you could help us by filling out the following form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Ir1r1H1ZYAkHEvDaoGVabyNNd9N5Sa8z5AvSHDqEBG4/viewform


You can vote for this feature here:

http://plesk.uservoice.com/forums/184549-feature-suggestions/suggestions/4543864-keep-server-up2date-with-apt-get-or-yum-updat#comments


If you want to ask a question or provide feedback beyond the form above, don't hesitate and use this thread. Thank you very much in advance!

 

[brainforge]

With default of monitoring all installed packages suggest following user configurable options:
(a) Monitor only listed packages.
(b) Monitor all except listed packages.
(c) Monitor only packages installed through repository ZZZZZ.
(d) Ignore packages installed through repository ZZZZZ.
Last 2 points raise the issue of choosing which repositories to use / not use regardless of the monitoring option.

 

[hannuvirta]

For me this can be the most important new feature since I started to use Plesk about 7 years ago.

For me and, in sure for many other server administrators, Plesk is productivity tool. In this role it makes my work more efficient. Large part of costs running internet-servers comes from man-hours of administrators. If there is tools to automate management tasks or do those tasks in less time, those tools are always welcome.

Currently I can setup new customer or site or manage those services in a fraction of time comparing situation before Plesk.

However at this moment keeping server core and layers below and above Plesk up-to-date generates clearly largest part of my work. This may not be a problem in large Hosting companies but in small ones it is significant part of costs.

Thats about why.

Then what I hope to see.

Goal can be “Zero administration” which means in my mind automated updates, monitoring and alerts.

What could be in box.

- reliable backups snapshots and rollbacks.

- monitoring about successfully update and in case of failure of automatic update automated rollback +alert to administrators to see what went wrong. Also rollbacks while doing update manually. also in case if Plesk comes inaccessible rollback could be automated.

- Having server management in Plesk may keep up information about compatible updates and packages in Full Stack. This can be big timesaver.

- Very important part of management is security issues. Security patches, but also temporary workarounds.

- So part of management suite could also be security monitoring and proactive or reactive tools to manage security related events. One simple example could be connecting Fail2ban to firewall so that repeating banned ips can be automatically blacklisted.

- I see that security is essential part of server management and Plesk can have much more integrated security features if there is Plesk-server-management tools/suite.

Last I would like to point out the other end of stack. PHP and other scripts such as Word Press, Joomla and other which are included in “Applications”. As long as there is scrips/Apps wich are not updated regularry by need of security there is problem.

Mabye there could be something like “Supported apps” and others by your own risk. “Supported apps “ should be considered in those automated server management tools so that whole stack from linux core up to Applications is compatible and by same set of tools; Backup/restore, snapshosts, rollbacks, updates, patches, security scanners and tools, alerts and monitoring and proactive management.

One small feature I’ve been missing is File manager which can manage all files in server such Parallels Power Panel has + Features of Plesk file manager.

Well that was “pie in the sky”

Very good start is to have tool to manage, patch and update whole stack; together with snapshots and rollbacks.

-n-

 

[KonstantinosS]

I agree with hannuvirta. I think he has covered all the possible solutions, at least from my point of view. Goal should be zero need for administration, although I can understand the need for zero-hour updates and patches. Those should, and have to be applied manually, as the relevant updates are usually released much later.

 

[Noturns]

Would it be possible to have a PHP error log monitor for example subscriptions? Because it would be nice not to have to login to SSH/terminal.

this already supported

 

[KonstantinosS]

Would it be possible to have a PHP error log monitor for example subscriptions? Because it would be nice not to have to login to SSH/terminal.

Noturns, could you make a new thread for that topic and explain in detail what you like, so that the rest of us can comment? Also, add it on Plesk's Uservoice, for the devs to have a look at it as well.

 

[kevint@firedrum]

I did a yum update on a plesk vps 10.4.4.

I would like to rollback the yum updates (because the server is no unstable)
but yum undo fails?

I believe I need to add a package repo mirror that would have the older versions?

>yum history undo 47
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, priorities
Undoing transaction 47, from Tue Jan 27 21:55:40 2015
Updated OpenIPMI-2.0.16-12.el6.i686 @base
Update 2.0.16-14.el6.i686 @base
Updated OpenIPMI-devel-2.0.16-12.el6.i686 @base
Update 2.0.16-14.el6.i686 @base
Updated OpenIPMI-libs-2.0.16-12.el6.i686 @base
Update 2.0.16-14.el6.i686 @base
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
* atomic: www5.atomicorp.com
* base: mirror.umd.edu
* extras: mirror.nexcess.net
* updates: mirror.millry.co
atomic | 3.4 kB 00:00
base | 3.7 kB 00:00
extras | 3.4 kB 00:00
updates | 3.4 kB 00:00
131 packages excluded due to repository priority protections
Updated audit-libs-2.2-2.el6.i686 ?
Update 2.3.7-5.el6.i686 @base
Updated authconfig-6.1.12-10.el6.i686 ?
Update 6.1.12-19.el6.i686 @base
Updated automake-1.11.1-1.2.el6.noarch @base
Update 1.11.1-4.el6.noarch @base
Updated avahi-libs-0.6.25-11.el6.i686 ?
Update 0.6.25-15.el6.i686 @base
Updated bash-4.1.2-15.el6_5.2.i686 @updates
Update 4.1.2-29.el6.i686 @base
Updated bind-32:9.8.2-0.10.rc1.el6_3.5.i686 ?
Update 32:9.8.2-0.30.rc1.el6_6.1.i686 @updates
Updated bind-libs-32:9.8.2-0.10.rc1.el6_3.5.i686 ?
Update 32:9.8.2-0.30.rc1.el6_6.1.i686 @updates

Many more ……

Failed to downgrade: OpenIPMI-2.0.16-12.el6.i686
Failed to downgrade: OpenIPMI-devel-2.0.16-12.el6.i686
Failed to downgrade: OpenIPMI-libs-2.0.16-12.el6.i686
Failed to downgrade: audit-libs-2.2-2.el6.i686
Failed to downgrade: authconfig-6.1.12-10.el6.i686
Failed to downgrade: automake-1.11.1-1.2.el6.noarch
Failed to downgrade: avahi-libs-0.6.25-11.el6.i686
Failed to downgrade: bash-4.1.2-15.el6_5.2.i686
Failed to downgrade: 32:bind-9.8.2-0.10.rc1.el6_3.5.i686
Failed to downgrade: 32:bind-libs-9.8.2-0.10.rc1.el6_3.5.i686

Many more ……

Error: No package(s) available to install

 

[Marek_Bojarovic]

keep server update with yum (update PHP, Apache, MySQL,phpmyadmin,nginx and etc) it would be very cool, now by default plesk have PHP 5.4.16 its very bad

 

[Elompenta]

If we have a package monitor in future and can install all the updates, please think about to create checkbox on every package to select all updates that are must be updated.
Background: The User must be able, to deselect some packages from upgrade - if he know that some updates are not good :-}