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Why SUS? Do I need it?

mparadis

Regular Pleskian
I've been using plesk since something like version 2.x or such, it's been well over ten years.
Over those years, we've started using less and less of it, hosting our sites on standard Linux servers and using plesk mainly only for email. While the SUS is not that expensive, it's still yet another cost that we have to pay every year and it all adds up. Not to mention that the panel is becoming quite complicated to use when all we use it for is email really. None of the other features have much value to us. In fact, I could even move our mail to qmail-toasters which I also host on our network except that a couple of people like the GUI of plesk.

So, my question is this. I have kept my install fully updated along with the OS. Everything works as it should, we really don't need any more or new features.

If I allow the SUS to die, will the software continue to work and I simply no longer get updates or will the software stop functioning altogether at some point?

I have to believe that since I've paid for the software and am now paying for updates, that the software is already paid for hence, should never die, I simply don't get any more updates.

I wanted to ask here however because I don't like surprises or marketing talk/hype from sales.

Any input would be most welcome and appreciated.

Thanks.
 
Without the SUS you would not be able to upgrade to new releases (e.g. from 11.x to 12.x).

It would not stop working. But it would eventually become unsupported and insecure.

In addition, even if you are happy with the current version, eventually you'll need to upgrade the OS on your system (once the OS goes EOL) and the version of Plesk you currently use may not support the latest version of the OS.

Of course you can always re-instate the SUS later, but at full price, which is a lot of money.

One last thing: For Plesk 11, if you have an Unlimited (dedicated) key direct from Parallels and a valid SUS then as I understand things you are entitled to free ticket-based technical support. If you don't have a valid SUS then no free support. I think. I'm just a tad confused on this.
 
Thanks for your reply.

>Without the SUS you would not be able to upgrade to new releases (e.g. from 11.x to 12.x).

Obviously, that is a given. However, as I pointed out, I'm not using many features of the software so continuously updating for new features has no value to me anymore.

>It would not stop working. But it would eventually become unsupported and insecure.

I doubt it would become any more insecure than any other software on the network and I keep the OS up to date and secured. Unless you mean that plesk itself is inherently insecure.
So long as it would not stop working, that's all I'm interested in. I can buy the occasional update if I badly need it or if we end up using plesk for anything important again.

>In addition, even if you are happy with the current version, eventually you'll need to upgrade the OS
>on your system (once the OS goes EOL) and the version of Plesk you currently use may not support
>the latest version of the OS.

That's the beauty of Linux and a single function server. The OS and plesk are all that run on the server so I don't even see any reason to ever have to upgrade the OS so long as things keep working. I don't see why anything would break really, assuming that plesk is running well and updated when I cancel the SUS.

>Of course you can always re-instate the SUS later, but at full price, which is a lot of money.

Much less to buy an update now and then over continuously paying every single year for software we don't use enough. If there is anything compelling that comes up, I would simply buy that and have that one time cost.
I've spent thousands on plesk now, for no good reason really, occasional updates would cost much less. And if plesk gets too expensive, there are a lot of alternatives.

>One last thing: For Plesk 11, if you have an Unlimited (dedicated) key direct from Parallels and a valid
>SUS then as I understand things you are entitled to free ticket-based technical support. If you don't
>have a valid SUS then no free support. I think. I'm just a tad confused on this.

I've seen the constant emails asking me to get that but I've not looked into it. I suspect it's not worth the cost but maybe I'd be surprised. I'll look into it.

I appreciate your input, well, the part about the software not stopping at least, the rest seems to be marketing hype.

Mike
 
If a vulnerability is discovered in the version of Plesk you happen to be using at the time, and it is EOL, then you are going to have problems. For example the remotely exploitable sql injection issue that was discovered in February. But if you are at 11, it isn't going to go EOL for some considerable time :)

Similarly, if the OS you are using is EOL and a vulnerability is found in a critical application (e.g. apache, php, mysql), then you will be facing problems - especially if it is remotely exploitable. For example the issue with php recently could have exposed source code and therefor script passwords and so on. Of course you might be able to compile a fixed version of a problem application from source, but it isn't always straightforward. And if you are on, say, Centos 6, you are going to be fine for some considerable time too :)
 
>If a vulnerability is discovered in the version of Plesk you happen to be using at the time, and it is EOL
>then you are going to have problems. For example the remotely exploitable sql injection issue that
>was discovered in February. But if you are at 11, it isn't going to go EOL for some considerable time :)

Right, I get that, but in the meantime, I'm paying for something I am not using enough to warrant the amount of money I am spending on it. I believe that it would be better to take my chances. If those things keep happening, then I'll find another program. If plesk is reliable without the constant updates, then I might buy the occasional update but more importantly, we'll continue using it therefore will think about it if a new reason to use it comes up.

Keeping the SUS going just for insurance sake makes no sense since this isn't my bread and butter, it's just another app on my network which I could easily replace with plain ol Linux.

>Similarly, if the OS you are using is EOL and a vulnerability is found in a critical application (e.g. apache,
>php, mysql), then you will be facing problems - especially if it is remotely exploitable. For example the
>issue with php recently could have exposed source code and therefor script passwords and so on.
>And if you are on, say, Centos 6, you are going to be fine for some considerable time too :)

Right now, it's Centos 5.8 but I could easily build a 6.x system and move plesk over to that. However, I'm not sure what you mean. Do you mean a version installed by plesk or by the OS? It's pretty straight forward to keep a system updated and secured unless you have a bastardized version of software. I know that in the past at least, plesk used to install it's own versions of various servers (I think at least) which were difficult to maintain and were always forced to wait for plesk to fix it.

Either way, it doesn't seem worth the ongoing never ending cost of the software. I'm also quite tired of the fact that all authors have or are moving to subscription based software. I fully understand that they need money to keep updating their wares but when you start realizing that you are paying for dozens upon dozens of these things per however often they want, it really adds up. In fact, it's going to kill off a lot of innovation as smaller outfits won't be able to catch a break to make any money.

Anyways, that's not the point of the question :)

I think you've answered it and it sounds like I'm done with the SUS after more than 10 years now.
 
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