Plesk ez-templates vs. Auto-Installer

[KrazyBob]

I run all of my Plesk installations on top of Virtuozzo 7.x. We have been doing this since Virtuozzo 3. We found that it makes an excellent buffer between the hardware and the software in that if a virtual server locks up you simply need to restart the container instead of power cycling the server and risk blowing a power supply and scrambling the file system. There are other benefits such as easy backups to a central backup server that we maintain as well as being able to do a live migration to another hardware node if we detect an eminent hard drive failure. We have installed Plesk using both the auto installer from the Linux CLI as well as using ez- templates. In February 2018 Plesk or Virtuozzo - pick which one - will stop supporting ez- templates. They will still be available through a third party.

My question my question is this. What is the benefit of using ez-templates instead of the auto installer? I know that there are two ways of installing the ez-templates. One way is to use pp17 as well as the remainder of the version files. The other way is to simply install pp in which case it is referred to as version-less. But the bottom line question is what is the benefit of using ez-templates versus the auto installer? This isn't a question about Virtuozzo so before the administrative staff tries to blow this off as just that please understand my question is about Plesk. :: wink ::

 

[UFHH01]

Hi KrazyBob,

I'm sorry, but even that you stated:

This isn't a question about Virtuozzo

... I have to clarify, that your question:

what is the benefit of using ez-templates versus the auto installer?

... is INDEED a question about Plesk AND Virtuozzo, as you desire to know the differences.

As we are a PLESK - related forum, we are only able to answer you question with some ( old ) documentations:

EZ templates allow you to create VEs based on major Linux distributions and keep them up-to-date by installing new packages as soon as they are available at vendors' sites.

EZ templates demonstrate a number of distinctive features:

• Standard templates are self-contained, carrying all the necessary package files inside themselves, whereas EZ templates only have information about the necessary packages (metadata) to be included in the corresponding EZ template. The packages themselves are downloaded from a central repository. Detailed information on what the package repositories are and how to manage them is provided in the Managing Repositories for RPM Packages section (page 98).

• The EZ template meta data does not contain any RPM package version, but only its name. So, you must always update any RPM package included in an EZ template to its latest version available in the repository.

• The EZ template meta data can contain only the names of those RPM packages that you are going to make use of. The dependencies of the RPM packages are handled automatically; thus, if the specified RPMs require other packages to be installed, these packages are also downloaded from the repository and installed on the Hardware Node.

• Standard templates have versions and updates (e.g., redhat-9 20021224), while EZ templates do not have them (e.g., redhat-as4-x86). Thus, you must install the EZ template on the Hardware Node only once, and after that, you only update the RPM packages inside the VE to which the corresponding EZ templates are applied.

• Any EZ template can have several sets of RPM packages included in it. By default, all EZ templates have the base RPM package set; these are base EZ templates. However, you can create your own RPM package sets, called "non-base" EZ templates. In this case, the name of the created RPM package set should be appended to the EZ template name (e.g., redhatas4-x86-minimal).

Source = not available anymore ( KB - article 1056; created on Oct 6, 2008, last review on May 11, 2014 )

If you desire MORE informations, or if you desire to discuss differences, pls. consider to visit: => Support for Virtuozzo products. Documentation

 

[KrazyBob]

I'm glad you think this is resolved. Your reply and closing the thread tells me I should have gone in another direction. The core question is about which version of Plesk to install and you blew me off. Tens of thousands of dollars wasted on Plesk licenses again. You shouldn't have Docker and Virtuozzo logo's at the bottom if you aren't willing to discuss it. A KB article from 2008 does not connect the dots to 2017 and the many, many changes. Plesk is Plesk. I asked the advantages of using the auto-installer versus ez-templates. The auto-installer may be used inside Virtuozzo. Skip the Virtuozzo part and just answer the question please.

 

[IgorG]

There are no any specific advantages of using ez-templates from Plesk point of view. Ez-templates is Virtuozzo specific technology which is suitable and effective from the Virtuozzo point of view. When we talk about ez-templates we keep in mind Virtuozzo features, advantages, benefits but not Plesk. But if we talk in the scope of Plesk - it doesn't matter by which method you will install it.

 

[G J Piper]

The core question is about which version of Plesk to install and you blew me off.

Not sure if this helps you, but I've been running Plesk inside a Virtuozzo container for a couple of years now, with the original EZ installed as pp12. I've upgraded all server components from the Parallels Power Panel each week to keep all components up to date. I have upgraded from the original Plesk 12 through to Plesk 17.5.3#25 using the Plesk Autoinstaller built-in facility. I'm extremely happy with how it is all running still, and the new Plesk version even updates many of the server-side components on its own now. (I do use the Power panel container software to upgrade components each week anyway, just to catch ones the Plesk software doesn't catch or need.) I do find running it inside the Virtuozzo fantastic as it gives me the capability of forcing the server (container) to restart if I need. See signature below for what I'm running.

 

[KrazyBob]

Thank you Igor and G J Piper. Both of your replies were of great help. I just want the easiest way to keep Plesk running for years. I know that Plesk and Virtuozzo are due to stop working together in February 2018 and I need to plan for a path forward. I have owned perpetual licenses for both since 2007. I've been at Plesk 11 for some time due to medical issues and now need to migrate forward.

Thank you again.