Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Hosting Security and Technology : installing webmin?

[JamesBond]

I am on a server (FreeBSD, Apache, sendmail) with root access and I'm thinking of installing webmin for my vhosts.

The major problem with the current controlpanel installed, is that every vhost would be able to see all the popaccounts/aliases/virtmaps on the server, so I can't use that control panel.

I want the client to just see the popaccounts/aliases/virtmaps
belonging to his/her domain.

Can I do this with webmin?
I read about webmin, but I would like some advice, since I'm not experienced in installing serversoftware.

Do you recommend webmin, is it easy to install?
Are there free/low cost alternatives?

[Dylan]

Webmin is for admins only, not clients.

[X-treme]

You can change permissions and add groups for your vhosts so they can only see what you want them too. Then you could use the control panel you already have.

X-treme

[projo]

Is this the same Webmin that is part of the Linux-Mandrake package? (i.e. is it the same look-and-feel whether a different version or not?)
Gary

[allan]

Yes, it is the same look and feel across all platforms that I have seen.

You can do this, by creating a new Webmin user, giving them access to pop mail only, and then to their specifc accounts only.

We do this for our dialup customers.

If you want to see, go to:

http://paulaabdul.version12.net:9090
(its an 80s thing)

login as: sampleuser
password: samepleuser

[JamesBond]

X-treme,

The control panel I'm currently using has the option to add users to a certain group, but when I add a user to the 'e-mail' group, they can see all the pop accounts and virtmaps on the server.

Somehow I would need the control panel to detect which popaccounts & virtmaps belong to which user, but how would I accomplish that?

I don't see how that can be accomplished by setting permissions or using groups.


uuallan,

thank you for the demolink,
I noticed that there was no option to add aliases though.

[allan]

Originally posted by JamesBond

uuallan,

thank you for the demolink,
I noticed that there was no option to add aliases though.

Right, this is for dial up customers only they can only have one e-mail address: something@v12mail.com

All of our domained customers use the mail on the RaQs, and can change aliases, etc through the RaQ Interface.

Sorry for the confusion .

[X-treme]

What control panel are you currently using?

X-treme

[kunal]

I wouldnt suggest, webmin for the user end. Simply, like it was said earlier, its only for admins. And giving a dumb user [ you have to assume this ] the power to make changes a admin is suppoed to, would just increase the number of support emails, phone calls, etc you have to answere. I would rather invest in something that is made for the end user.

[JamesBond]

X-treme, the controlpanel i'm currently using has been developed by the hosting company I'm with.

Kunal, I agree with your point,the control panel should easy to understand, webmin can be confusing for the "dumb" user.
What controlpanel would you suggest?

[kunal]

Alot of people like Plesk. I havent used it, so I dunno how it is.

I have used Cpanel and I like it. There is a lot of work to be done on it. But its good.

[tomweeks]

Originally posted by kunal
Alot of people like Plesk. I havent used it, so I dunno how it is.

I have used Cpanel and I like it. There is a lot of work to be done on it. But its good.

Plesk is OK.. but it takes over all of your flat files via a backed DB (rather like the RaQ interface)... so you can't always t-shoot and fix things from the command line level. plus.. some more advanced Vhosters don't like it because there are some CGI compatability/mail issues with it's own flavor of qmail.. but these issues may have been addressed in the new 1.31.. But it DOES give you a delegatable somain-admin and domain-user GUI...

Along the same lines.. also check out WireX... although this package wants to format the hard drive and install their own version of RedHat to work..

Also see Ensim's Webppliance product...

And Sphera's got a really good chrooted vhosting setup that gives each domain their own httpd/apache config files with a very clean separation between virtual environments.. plus allows you to migrate users between shared-IP (name based) sites.. IP-Based (dedicated Vhost), and machine based (dedicated server) hosting setups...

For the links to these.. their company names should work..

Also... for a free solution.. check out Free-VSD which gives you a command line powered Vhosting setup... along with some PHP scripts that it comes with.. I hear that it /can/ be WebGUI'd to work.. but haven't had the time to play with it at this level...

Hope this helps...

Tweeks