Question New installation: best practices, useful tips, suggests

[OverWolf]

Server operating system version

CentOS 7

Plesk version and microupdate number

18.0.49

Hi,

I'm about to start a new Almalinux server (9.2) and I have some questions about best installation of Plesk because I have read many contradictions, so here my doubts :

a) Almalinux 9 is supported from 18.0.48, so I'm expect that 9.2 is fully supported, right?

b) Before install Plesk, is recommended to have MariaDB already installed on server, or not ? I have read to uninstall MySQL before Plesk, why ?

c) Fail2Ban is already present on Almalinux, is this a problem ? Can I import all my jails ?

d) My other server is CentOS 7 with 18.0.49 and my intention is to use Plesk Migrator to import all my domains (web, email, logs, etc.); this is a good practice or should I do something else? Can I do this for subscriptions, plans too, or should I redo them ?

e) How can I migrate my license to new server without any problem ?


Do you have some other suggestions to install Plesk ?


Thank you very much for anyone can help me.

 

[Kaspar]

Hi,

I'm about to start a new Almalinux server (9.2) and I have some questions about best installation of Plesk because I have read many contradictions, so here my doubts :

a) Almalinux 9 is supported from 18.0.48, so I'm expect that 9.2 is fully supported, right?

There are some limitations when installing Plesk on AlmaLinux 9. See

https://support.plesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/12376955168919-Does-Plesk-support-RHEL9-AlmaLinux-9-

b) Before install Plesk, is recommended to have MariaDB already installed on server, or not ?

I am not 100% sure, but I don't believe MariaDB (or any other database system) needs to be installed before installing Plesk. As far as I know if no database system is present it will be installed during Plesk installation.

I have read to uninstall MySQL before Plesk, why ?

Plesk supports both MySQL and MariaDB. However only one can be used (either MySQL or MariaDB). If you want to use MariaDB then MySQL should be uninstalled and vice versa.

c) Fail2Ban is already present on Almalinux, is this a problem ? Can I import all my jails ?

I don't think this will be an issue, but I am not 100% sure.

d) My other server is CentOS 7 with 18.0.49 and my intention is to use Plesk Migrator to import all my domains (web, email, logs, etc.); this is a good practice or should I do something else? Can I do this for subscriptions, plans too, or should I redo them ?

You can use the Migrator to migrate subscriptions and plans too. The migrator however does not migrate Plesk settings, only plan, subscriptions, domain and customers. If you want Plesk settings to be migrated too, you can use a full server backup from your old server and restore it on your old server. (You can minimize the full server backup size if you only select Configuration to be backed-up). This page explains whats included (and whats not) in the backup: Backing Up and Restoration

e) How can I migrate my license to new server without any problem ?

Contact license support for a temporary migration license first. See:

https://support.plesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/12388069544215-How-to-get-Plesk-Web-Host-edition-trial-license-for-migration

For migrating your own license see:

https://support.plesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/13303701143319--How-to-transfer-Plesk-key-from-one-server-to-another-

 

[Maarten.]

c) Fail2Ban is already present on Almalinux, is this a problem ? Can I import all my jails ?

Plesk uses its own Fail2ban package from the Plesk repo: Index of /pool/PSA_18.0.51_11495/extras-rpm-RedHat-el8-x86_64/opt

# yum list installed | grep fail2ban
fail2ban.noarch 1:0.11.2-2.redhat.8+p18.0.51.1+t230404.1037 @PLESK_18_0_51-dist

 

[OverWolf]

Plesk uses its own Fail2ban package from the Plesk repo: Index of /pool/PSA_18.0.51_11495/extras-rpm-RedHat-el8-x86_64/opt

# yum list installed | grep fail2ban
fail2ban.noarch 1:0.11.2-2.redhat.8+p18.0.51.1+t230404.1037 @PLESK_18_0_51-dist

So, my fail2ban package will be overwrite ? Or should I remove it before Plesk installation ?

 

[OverWolf]

There are some limitations when installing Plesk on AlmaLinux 9. See

https://support.plesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/12376955168919-Does-Plesk-support-RHEL9-AlmaLinux-9-

Thank you for this link. I hope watchdog will be supported.

Have someone try to compile Monit on Almalinux 9?

I am not 100% sure, but I don't believe MariaDB (or any other database system) needs to be installed before installing Plesk. As far as I know if no database system is present it will be installed during Plesk installation.


Plesk supports both MySQL and MariaDB. However only one can be used (either MySQL or MariaDB). If you want to use MariaDB then MySQL should be uninstalled and vice versa.

My question about DB is about that I have read that if you have already installed MySql, you MUST remove it before Plesk, and the you can install you DB.

I knew that Plesk install its DB that is available only for Plesk itself, so I must install a DB server to work with my domains and applications. Is this wrong ?

I would install MariaDB 10.11, will Plesk allow me to install this version ?

I don't think this will be an issue, but I am not 100% sure.

The reply from Maarten seems that it should be a problem

You can use the Migrator to migrate subscriptions and plans too. The migrator however does not migrate Plesk settings, only plan, subscriptions, domain and customers. If you want Plesk settings to be migrated too, you can use a full server backup from your old server and restore it on your old server. (You can minimize the full server backup size if you only select Configuration to be backed-up). This page explains whats included (and whats not) in the backup: Backing Up and Restoration

So LOG files should be lost ?
Is it ok to migrate, or some problem can occur ? (different server version, etc.)

Contact license support for a temporary migration license first. See:

https://support.plesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/12388069544215-How-to-get-Plesk-Web-Host-edition-trial-license-for-migration

For migrating your own license see:

https://support.plesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/13303701143319--How-to-transfer-Plesk-key-from-one-server-to-another-

Thank you

 

[Peter Debik]

My question about DB is about that I have read that if you have already installed MySql, you MUST remove it before Plesk, and the you can install you DB.

I knew that Plesk install its DB that is available only for Plesk itself, so I must install a DB server to work with my domains and applications. Is this wrong ?

I would install MariaDB 10.11, will Plesk allow me to install this version ?

It depends on the MariaDB repository files on your server. Why not simply remove existing database server(s) and install MariaDB in your favorite version from scratch. They have a script for it, and the only major parameter change you need to observe is that you need to tell the script to install 10.11 instead of the default 10.5. MariaDB Package Repository Setup and Usage
There is almost nothing you can do wrong installing MariaDB. It either ends up with a working installation or it doesn't, and if there is not data stored in databases yet, the installation can be repeated until it is setup correctly.

Is it ok to migrate, or some problem can occur ? (different server version, etc.)

Problems can occur for example with missing PHP version on the new server. Other typical problems are the missing migration of extension settings, webmail address book contents etc. as described in the article. Real technical problems however are rare. If Migrator does not work, you can always backup the old server and restore the content to the new.

 

[Maarten.]

So, my fail2ban package will be overwrite ? Or should I remove it before Plesk installation ?

Just don't install Fail2ban on the new server. When Plesk is installed, add the Fail2Ban component using the Plesk installer:
Tools & Settings -> Updates -> Add components

 

[OverWolf]

It depends on the MariaDB repository files on your server. Why not simply remove existing database server(s) and install MariaDB in your favorite version from scratch. They have a script for it, and the only major parameter change you need to observe is that you need to tell the script to install 10.11 instead of the default 10.5. MariaDB Package Repository Setup and Usage

Hi Peter,
my server 'it's empty' so I must configure it before use it; my question was about when installing MariaDB, before of after installing Plesk (that Plesk install its DB) ?
https://mariadb.com/kb/en/mariadb-p...g-the-mariadb-package-repository-setup-script

There is almost nothing you can do wrong installing MariaDB. It either ends up with a working installation or it doesn't, and if there is not data stored in databases yet, the installation can be repeated until it is setup correctly.

So, if I install MariaDB after installing Plesk, the Plesk's DB where will it be installed ?

Problems can occur for example with missing PHP version on the new server. Other typical problems are the missing migration of extension settings, webmail address book contents etc. as described in the article. Real technical problems however are rare. If Migrator does not work, you can always backup the old server and restore the content to the new.

This is a possibility, but if I backup the old server abd restore it on Almalinux, will Plesk see data/domains/config automatically? Or should I configure manually it and then restore only data ?

 

[OverWolf]

Just don't install Fail2ban on the new server. When Plesk is installed, add the Fail2Ban component using the Plesk installer:
Tools & Settings -> Updates -> Add components

Thank you Maarten, but fail2ban its' already configured so, I must uninstall it before installing Plesk

 

[Kaspar]

My question about DB is about that I have read that if you have already installed MySql, you MUST remove it before Plesk, and the you can install you DB.

That's false. Where dit you get that information from? It's perfectly fine to install Plesk on a server on which a database system (either MySQL or MariaDB) is already installed. No need to remove it first. However any databases and users that already exist won't show up in Plesk because they are created outside of Plesk. Also, the database version needs to be supported by Plesk.

I knew that Plesk install its DB that is available only for Plesk itself, so I must install a DB server to work with my domains and applications. Is this wrong ?

That's incorrect too. Plesk uses the database system (either MySQL or MariaDB) that's already installed (or installs a database during installation). Which is used for both Plesk itself and used for domains.

I would install MariaDB 10.11, will Plesk allow me to install this version ?

Yes, MariaDB 10.11 is supported by Plesk. However MySQL 8 is the default database system on AlmaLinux 9. So if MySQL 8 is already installed you'll have to uninstall it first before you can install MariaDB 10.11. (Because you cannot use both MySQL and MariaDB). It's recommended to do this before installing Plesk. (Maybe this is the source of confusion of your first question?)

The reply from Maarten seems that it should be a problem

Seems like it. In that case make a copy of your jails, uninstall fail2ban, install Plesk and install fail2ban via Plesk and re-apply jails.

So LOG files should be lost ?

System logs are aren't migrated (because you're moving to a new system). Domain access and error logs are migrated.

This is a possibility, but if I backup the old server abd restore it on Almalinux, will Plesk see data/domains/config automatically? Or should I configure manually it and then restore only data ?

See documentation on restoring from backup: Restoring Backups