What happens to services after DirectAdmin license removal? (keeping server running without DA)

[psalm91]

Hi,

I have a DirectAdmin server running on CentOS/RHEL 7 (EOL), hosting multiple sites including one legacy application that depends on the current environment and cannot be upgraded.

My plan:

Move DirectAdmin license to a new server (new IP)
Migrate all websites to the new server

Leave only the legacy application on the old server

Stop using DirectAdmin on the old server completely

The old server will remain running with Apache, MySQL, PHP, and cron jobs, but without a valid DirectAdmin license.

My question is:

Has anyone run a server long-term in this state?

Specifically:

Do services (Apache/MySQL/PHP) continue working normally after license removal?

Any issues with service restarts?

Any hidden dependencies on DirectAdmin that caused problems later?

I’m planning to keep the system completely unchanged (“frozen”) and not use DirectAdmin at all.

Any real-world experience would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Ohm J]

website should be fine, but automatic backup/update won't work anymore.

you can testing by using the same license on the new server, old server will become license error.

 

[psalm91]

website should be fine, but automatic backup/update won't work anymore.

you can testing by using the same license on the new server, old server will become license error.

Thanks, that helps.

Just to clarify a bit further — my goal is to leave the old server running in a completely “frozen” state and not use DirectAdmin at all after the license is moved.

In your experience:

If Apache or MySQL needs to be restarted later, will they continue to function normally without any dependency on DirectAdmin?

Are there any background DirectAdmin processes that could interfere with services after the license becomes invalid?

Have you seen any long-term issues (weeks/months) when running a server like this without a valid DirectAdmin license?

I just want to make sure there are no hidden dependencies before proceeding.

Thanks again.

 

[Ohm J]

No, usually I setup the server and always forgot to renew license until I need to use :2222 again.

 

[Ohm J]

you can fully stop the directadmin service too, just to be sure no any leave behind.
Since directadmin execute background process (System Cron like backup/update) inside directadmin service, so it's should be fine.

User Cronjob still work fine because it's still use the OS cronjob.

 

[Richard G]

Have you seen any long-term issues (weeks/months) when running a server like this without a valid DirectAdmin license?

I've seen this with a friend of mine, who due to some error his license got expired. But also messages from DA itself stating services won't stop. You could also send them a mail or contact form, they won't bite.

Doublecheck the cronjobs that they are present in the OS so the OS will trigger them without any DA command because DA won't do anything anymore.

Also, if you need to make changes to apache (like virtualhosts or whatever) or mysql later on, that must be done manually via SSH as DA won't work anymore.
Updates ofcourse also not anymore. For static use you should be fine.

 

[zEitEr]

Any real-world experience would be appreciated.

I have still some CentOS 6 and CentOS 7 servers with DirectAdmin under my support. The version of DirectAdmin is frozen and no updates exist. On such setups DirectAdmin is used for managing users, their email accounts and databases only. So it is almost the same as no directadmin panel exists at all. But there are background processes still running there.

If Apache or MySQL needs to be restarted later, will they continue to function normally without any dependency on DirectAdmin?

You can stop/start/restart services without DirectAdmin

Are there any background DirectAdmin processes that could interfere with services after the license becomes invalid?

Webserver log rotation might still rely on DirectAdmin. You will need to check it, if you see webserver logs are no longer rotated, you will need to configure logrotate service to process them too.

If you use brute force monitor in DirectAdmin, it will most likely stop working either. The same thing with sent emails counters, they are reset by DirectAdmin.

Here are processes and services which require DirectAdmin with a license:

- logrotation of webserver logs
- sent emails counters reset
- brute force monitor
- BlockCracking
- traffic usage counters

I won't confirm the list is complete, these are the first things that came to my mind

 

[Richard G]

- logrotation of webserver logs

The apache (webserver) log rotation is done via normal logrotate. The file for that is /etc/logrotate.d/apache so DA is not required for that if I'm correct.

Blockcracking is called from within exim.conf. So existing configs should also still work right?

 

[zEitEr]

The apache (webserver) log rotation is done via normal logrotate. The file for that is /etc/logrotate.d/apache so DA is not required for that if I'm correct.

How do the rotated logs appear in /home/<USER>/domains/<DOMAIN>/logs/ then? You might check the content /etc/logrotate.d/apache to find an answer

 

[Richard G]

How do the rotated logs appear in /home/<USER>/domains/<DOMAIN>/logs/ then?

Not there indeed, but I thought you were talking about the /var/log/httpd and /var/log/httpd/domains logs.
But are they still generated in the /home/user when DA is not running anymore? If yes, they can be put manually in the logrotate.d section.

What about blockcracking?

 

[zEitEr]

What about blockcracking?

It's in my list. What is wrong with it?

 

[Richard G]

What is wrong with it?

Nothing wrong. It's in your list of things which require a DA license.
I think my question was very clear.

Blockcracking is called from within exim.conf. So existing configs should also still work right?

In other words, why should blockcracking stop working without DA license? I'm no scripter so maybe it's something in one of the files, hence the question.