General questions

[Boston]

Hello,

We have fought with the open-source VHCS-control panel enough and we have decided to find a working, simple and cheap control panel.

We use at the moment external dns-service but we would like to set the dns to our own server, we have only 1 ip so can we set the dns with only one ip? Is the dns setup really that simple that first you just set the main domain just by adding the first domain and after that you can create the nameservers from the webinterface(According to this link)?

I noticed that I can get free install when purchasing da, can I just install a fresh Debian Sarge and the DA-crew will handle the rest? Do they configure the basic(servername, fqdn etc) server settings, too, or do I have to set them up by myself? If I have to set them up by myself, can I do those confs via the DA webinterface?

Our basic need for for this software instead of VHCS are the good dns-control panel for each user, better features(SSH for users, mailing lists etc) and we also hope that with the basic set ups our emails would run smoothly, too. This means that at the moment we are using the postfix(VHCS needs it) and trying to set it up working with hotmail/yahoo is hell of a mess.

How quickly after the payment can I use DA? Can I start setting it up as soon as I have paid it? What about the free installation, how quickly is the DA installation-crew available(hours, days, weeks)?

 

[nobaloney]

We use at the moment external dns-service but we would like to set the dns to our own server, we have only 1 ip so can we set the dns with only one ip?

You can use DNS with one IP but most experienced sysadmins will suggest you don't. And some registrars may still not allow the use of two nameservers pointed at the same IP#, especially for country level TLDs.

Is the dns setup really that simple that first you just set the main domain just by adding the first domain and after that you can create the nameservers from the webinterface(According to this link)?

DA won't automatically assign nameservers if you don't have two IP#s, but you can set up virtual nameservers in the control panel, on a per reseller basis, easily enough.

I noticed that I can get free install when purchasing da, can I just install a fresh Debian Sarge and the DA-crew will handle the rest?

Yes. Do a very minimal install. See DA Installation Requirements here.

This is what the installation installs, so don't install these (or any software which does the same thing):

DirectAdmin
Apache 1.3.33
FrontPage 5.0.2.2510
PHP 4.4.4
phpMyAdmin-2.8.0.3
MySQL 4.0.23
Exim 4.63
Majordomo 1.94.5
vm-pop3d 1.1.7f
WU-IMAP
Proftpd 1.2.10

Note that DA may install later versions than those listed above; I got that list from the link I posted above and it may not be up-to-date.

Be sure to install these:

SSHd
BIND (the named daemon)
gcc and g++

as they're required by the DA installer.

Do they configure the basic(servername, fqdn etc) server settings, too, or do I have to set them up by myself?

DA does NOT do server level configuration or setup; they only set up the Control Panel and the software it uses. DA installation requires your hostname be set first. The hostname must NOT be the same as any domain name, though it can include the domain name.

For example, if you intend to host example.com, then your hostname cannot be either example.com or www.example.com, but it CAN be server.example.com.

A hostname should be a complete hostname, not just a domain name. For example, if you buy myownserver01.com specifically as a domain name for your first server, you should NOT use myownserver01.com as your host name, but instead something such as server.myownserver01.com.

If I have to set them up by myself, can I do those confs via the DA webinterface?

You can make some changes (not all) through the control panel after the server is set up but DA requires the server be set up before they do the install.

Some of us (aftermarket support and administration companies) do a more comprehensive install, but that can be time-consuming, and therefor easily cost more than the control panel itself.

Our basic need for for this software instead of VHCS are the good dns-control panel for each user,

Some hosts with advanced needs find the DNS control panel sacrifices flexibility for ease of use; be sure to study it and know it will work for you.

better features(SSH for users, mailing lists etc) and we also hope that with the basic set ups our emails would run smoothly, too. This means that at the moment we are using the postfix(VHCS needs it) and trying to set it up working with hotmail/yahoo is hell of a mess.

Some of us have problems with yahoo, hotmail, etc., too, but it's not because we use exim, and it's not because you use postfix. It's because of issues such as having working rDNS that doesn't point to ISP address space, making sure your system isn't used to send spam, and especially in the case of AOL, make sure to educate your users who forward email from their domains on your server to an AOL address, and when they see forwarded spam there, to NOT report it as spam to AOL, as then AOL will block your server not the original sending server.

How quickly after the payment can I use DA? Can I start setting it up as soon as I have paid it?

DA staff will have to first approve the license. That can take from as little as a few minutes to (during weekend and holiday periods) as long as a day (not often, but it has happened). If speed is important to you, then you should write to the sales department first to get a specific commitment.

What about the free installation, how quickly is the DA installation-crew available(hours, days, weeks)?

Often very quickly. But not always. Again, ask them.

Good luck with DirectAdmin!

Jeff