How to Install cPanel/WHM on AlmaLinux 9

WHM and cPanel are the most popular hosting control panels. Which is used by most of the world for web hosting business. It is used for managing servers and hosting like shared, reseller, unlimited, cloud, and dedicated servers.

WHM/cPanel always used the Centos stable version but when Red Hot Linux decided to change their policy for Centos, they created the new version named CentOS 8 stream. Which was not a stable version. At that time WHM/cPanel decided not to use the centos stream.

It is such a panic time. At that era, cloud Linux offered an open-source OS named ALMAL Linux in 2021 which is a stable version and also an alternative to Centos. This tutorial walks you through some practical definitions and then shows you how to install Cpanel/WHm on AlmaLinux 9

What is cPanel?

cPanel is a powerful control panel that enables website owners to manage their web hosting operations on Linux-based servers. Web hosting providers offer this versatile tool to streamline services such as database management, file management, email account creation, dynamic backups, subdomain creation, and WordPress installation—all in one convenient place.

cPanel features two distinct user interfaces: a client-based interface for website owners to handle their site requirements, and a server management interface for hosting providers. This popular Linux-based platform stands out in the web development community due to its user-friendly nature and the fact that it is free to use.

What is WHM?

WHM, or Web Host Manager, is an administrative control panel that allows hosting providers to manage their clients’ accounts. Essentially, it oversees multiple cPanel-based websites simultaneously.

WHM enables hosting providers to sell hosting space to other users, offering features that exceed expectations, such as high bandwidth and ample storage space. By using WHM, you can partition your server into multiple hosts and allocate each one to a different user. This grants administrative access, providing more flexibility and control when managing various sites.

Key Features and Functions of cPanel and WHM

cPanel and WHM are tools designed for Linux OS to help you automate hosting web tasks through a user-friendly graphical user interface.

cPanel Advantages

• Provide a great user interface
• Is easy to use
• Offer many educational resources
• Serve software automatically for installation
• Support IPv6
• Is easy to learn
• Has fully support
• Compatible with all web browsers
• Increase loading speed
• A create subdomains, domain parks, and additional domains

cPanel Features

1. Manage files

• File manager
• FTP connections
• FTP accounts
• Disk usage
• Backup
• File and directory restoration

2. Create databases

• MySQL databases
• PHP my admin
• Remote MySQL

3. Manage domains

• Add or remove Subdomains
• Redirects
• Create Aliases
• Manage DNS
• Use the redirects

4.  Launch email and calendars

• Use mailing list
• Has email routing
• Suggest global email filtering
• Has calendars contact applications and interfaces

WHM Features and Functions

• Offer easy and simple cPanel migration
• Has a customized dashboard or panel
• Include advanced monitoring tools
• Deliver multi-level system security
• Create cPanel user accounts and hosting packages
• Manage notifications for AutoSSL
• Ability to use documentation to work with cPanel
• Check the server information and its status
• Provide strong security: Monitor and manage sites and passwords.
• ManagecPanel accounts: Create, delete, and suspend cPanel accounts.

Pre-requirements to install cPanel on AlmaLinux 9

• Minimum 2 GB RAM
• Minimum 20 GB free disk space up to 40GB
• Valid cPanel license from cPanel
• Standard hostname “FQDN”: Fully Qualified Domain Name
• 64-bit operating system, AlmaLinux

How to Install cPanel/WHM

For all the following commands we assume you are logged in with the root user. If not, switch to the root account using the command sudo -i

Step 1: Create your server hostname

First, update the system

# yum update

If your host server does not have an “FQDN.” Set a hostname for that like “Hostname.yourdomain.com”

# hostnamectl set-hostname Greencloud.cPanel.com

Step 2: Check the installation of Perl on Your Server

As Cpanel is written in Perl, you need to ensure that the Perl is installed on your server. If it has not been set up, install it with this small code:

# yum install perl

Step 3: Download and install the cPanel script

You don’t require any command; you just need a ” curl ” control. If you don’t have a Curl command installed, download the cPanel installer script with the cURL command, first install it like this:

# yum install curl

Step 4: Download and run the recent installer script

Type this command to change your directory to home and download the most recent installer script to the home directory.

# cd /home

# curl -o latest -L https://securedownloads.cpanel.net/latest

Now, run the auto-installer script by typing the below command:

# sh latest

Output

Note: if you use SSH protocol to connect your server, it is recommended to run the cPanel auto installer script in screen mode that creates a shell session that is consistently active during a network disruption

# screen

If you want to know if your os has a screen in your path, run the screen command. The system will return /usr/bin/screen if a screen exists on your system and whether it exists in your path.

If it does not have a screen, you can install it with the yum install screen command.

Step 5: Access to cPanel WHM

Whenever the installation is finished, complete the installation wizard from its web-based interface, and then access WHM with this URL:

https://SERVER_IP:2087

In this step, log in with the user “root” and the password. Some more clicks are remaining to complete the cPanel installation.

Login with your root credentials, Accept their policies then log in to their store.

cPanel offers a 15-day free trial with a limit to create only 30 accounts. To activate the trial, sign up at their official store.

 

Check your email to get the code  information afterward

After confirming your email address, click Server Setup.

Set up the system admin email with the default nameservers and click next.

 

Your cPanel with the 15 days of the trial license has been installed successfully

 

Now you have successfully installed cPanel.

Conclusion

Knowing how to install cPanel on CentOS is crucial for optimizing your website. cPanel is widely recognized as the premier control panel for web hosting, offering an intuitive and powerful interface for managing web hosting services. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced user, our cPanel VPS and AlmaLinux servers cater to all needs.

For small businesses, cPanel is invaluable as it simplifies website hosting with an easy-to-use and secure interface, enabling quick management of business operations. Using cPanel on CentOS ensures server stability and maximizes server resources. Although AlmaLinux 8 has reached its end of life, you can still harness the power of AlmaLinux 9 for a robust hosting experience.