Pre-Installed cPanel

Overview

cPanel is a powerful, enterprise-grade server management control panel developed by cPanel, L.L.C., designed to simplify server administration through an intuitive web-based interface—from managing websites, email accounts, and databases to configuring security settings and monitoring server performance.

Select a pre-installed cPanel image and get a fully configured server that's ready to use immediately—no manual installation, no complex setup, and no time-consuming configuration. Once deployed, you can log in to the cPanel dashboard via your browser to start creating email accounts, managing websites, setting up databases, and configuring security settings right away. It's the fastest way to get a comprehensive server management solution without the usual deployment overhead.

Supported Operating Systems

The cPanel Marketplace image is available for Ubuntu Server 24 LTS 64-bit. The default system user is administrator. To switch to the root user, run: sudo -i

Supported Products / Plans

The cPanel Marketplace image is currently offered across 7 Linux VPS plans and 18 dedicated server plans. View our compatible plans to compare available configurations.

cPanel Version

Database Mart offers the latest version of cPanel pre-installed.

License

cPanel requires a paid license to function.

How Licensing Works

Each cPanel server requires its own license, which is tied to the server's IPv4 address. The cost depends on two main factors:

Server Type (License Type)

• Cloud License: For VPS and cloud instances.
• Metal License: For dedicated (metal) servers.

Number of "Accounts" (License Tier)

A "cPanel account" is a user account created in WHM (WebHost Manager) to manage websites, files, and emails. The tier you need is based on how many of these accounts you will host.

Here are the main license tiers available directly from cPanel:

How to Get a cPanel License

Database Mart does not resell cPanel licenses. You can obtain one in the following ways:

• Free 15-Day Trial: Activate this directly during your first cPanel installation to get started immediately.
• Purchase via WHM: If you're on a trial, you can buy a license right from the WHM interface.
• Purchase via cPanel Store: Visit cPanel's pricing page, choose your license, and enter your server's IP address at checkout.

Important: A cPanel license is tied to a single server's IP address and cannot be transferred to another server. Doing so may lock the license.

What's Installed

When you select the cPanel Marketplace image, Database Mart automatically installs and configures:

cPanel & WHM

• cPanel & WHM control panel
• DNS, email, FTP, and account management services
• phpMyAdmin, phpPgAdmin, Roundcube Webmail
• Git support and integrated management tools

Web Server

• Apache 2.4
• SSL support
• ModSecurity Web Application Firewall (WAF)
• Performance optimization modules

PHP

• PHP 8.2
• PHP 8.3
• PHP 8.4

Each PHP version includes commonly used extensions such as MySQL, cURL, GD, mbstring, PDO, ZIP, and IMAP.

Database

• MariaDB 10.11
• phpMyAdmin for web-based database management

Email

• Exim mail server
• Dovecot (IMAP/POP3)
• Roundcube Webmail

Security

• Imunify Antivirus
• Imunify360 security tools
• Let's Encrypt SSL integration

Installation Process

During server provisioning, Database Mart automatically performs the following steps:

1. Deploys the selected Linux operating system (Ubuntu 24.04 LTS).
2. Installs all required system dependencies and updates the environment.
3. Installs the latest version of cPanel & WHM with the core hosting stack, including:
   • Apache 2.4 – Web server
   • MariaDB 10.11 – Database server
   • PHP 8.2 / 8.3 / 8.4 – Multiple PHP versions with common extensions
   • Exim + Dovecot – Email services (MTA and IMAP/POP3)
   • Roundcube Webmail – Webmail client
   • phpMyAdmin – Database management tool
   • ModSecurity + Imunify360 – Security and firewall protection
   • AutoSSL (Let's Encrypt) – Free SSL certificate automation
4. Configures all services and optimizes the environment for immediate use.

Everything is fully automated—your cPanel server is ready to go right after deployment.

Getting Started After Deployment

After your server has been provisioned, follow these steps to begin using cPanel.

Step 1: First Login & Basic Setup

Access WHM

Open your browser and go to: https://your-server-IP:2087. Log in using your administrator username and password.

Run the Initial Setup Wizard

The wizard will launch automatically on your first login. You'll need to configure:

• Server Hostname – e.g., server.yourdomain.com (must be a fully qualified domain name, or FQDN).
• Language & Timezone – set to your preference.
• DNS Configuration – for a single server, choose "Standalone" mode unless you're setting up your own DNS cluster.
• IP Addresses – confirm your server's main shared IP address.

Agree to the License Agreement and complete the wizard.

Step 2: Create a Website (Add a cPanel Account)

To host a website, you need to create a cPanel account for it. This is done in WHM.

In WHM, go to "Create a New Account" (found under the Account Functions section).

• Fill in the required details:
• Domain – the website's domain name (e.g., example.com).
• Username – a system username for this account.
• Password – set a strong password.
• Email – the contact email for this account.
• Package – choose a resource package (or create one earlier under "Add a Package").
• Click "Create".

Step 3: Upload Website Files & Set Up Database

After the account is created, you can either log into that specific cPanel account (via https://your-server-IP:2083).

• Upload files – Use the File Manager in cPanel, or connect via FTP using the account credentials, and upload files to the public_html folder.
• Create a database – Go to "MySQL Databases" in cPanel:
• Create a new database.
• Create a database user and assign a password.
• Grant the user ALL PRIVILEGES to that database.
• Update the website's config file – For CMS platforms like WordPress, edit the wp-config.php file to point to the new database.

Step 4: Point Your Domain to the Server

Before your site is live, you must point the domain's DNS to your server:

• Go to your domain registrar or DNS provider.
• Update the A record to point to your server's IP address.
• Wait for DNS propagation (can take from a few minutes to 48 hours).

Step 5: Security & Essential Configurations

Don't skip these — they're critical for a secure server:

Step 6: Configure Email & FTP (Optional)

• Email – Go to cPanel → "Email Accounts" to create mailboxes. You can also configure email clients (Outlook, Gmail, etc.) using the server's mail settings.
• FTP – Each cPanel account already has FTP access. You can create additional FTP users under "FTP Accounts" in cPanel.

If you're planning to host multiple websites, create Packages in WHM first (under "Add a Package") to define resource limits (disk space, bandwidth, etc.). That way, when you create new accounts, you can just assign a pre-made package and save time.

Notes

During and after configuring cPanel, there are several critical areas you need to pay attention to, primarily revolving around security, proper initial setup, and avoiding common pitfalls.

Security and Access Control

Security should be your top priority from the very first login.

1. Enable Brute Force Protection

Immediately turn on cPHulk Brute Force Protection in WHM (Home » Security Center » cPHulk Brute Force Protection). This protects your server from repeated login attempts. Crucially, before enabling it, add your own IP address to the "White/Black List Management" tab to prevent accidentally locking yourself out of the server.

2. Set Strong Password Policies

Use the Password Strength Configuration interface (WHM » Home » Security Center » Password Strength Configuration) to set a minimum password strength. cPanel strongly recommends a value of 50 or higher.

3. Restrict Shell and Compiler Access

In the "Account Functions" section, disable shell access for users who don't need it. Also, disable compiler access for users who don't require it (WHM » Home » Security Center » Compiler Access) to prevent the use of malicious compiled programs.

4. Disable Unused Services

Any service you don't use is a potential entry point for hackers. Go to WHM » Home » Service Configuration » Service Manager and turn off any services that are not required for your server's function.

5. Handle the Self-Signed Certificate Warning

When you first log in to WHM, your browser will show a security certificate warning. This is normal. To fix this, you should replace the server's self-signed certificate with a proper one through WHM » Home » SSL/TLS » Purchase and Install an SSL Certificate.

6. Consider Additional Firewalls

While cPanel provides tools like cPHulk, you can also install a firewall like ConfigServer Security & Firewall (CSF) for an extra layer of protection, as previously suggested.

File Permissions and Application Security

How your server handles scripts and files is a major security consideration.

1. Avoid Running Code as 'nobody'

A common vulnerability is running scripts as the nobody user. cPanel strongly recommends always running code as the user who owns the file. For PHP, using handlers like PHP-FPM or Ruid2 ensures scripts run as the correct user. Using suexec or suphp also works but has specific dependencies.

2. Use Appropriate File Permissions

To enhance security, set files you want to protect to permissions like 640 or 750. Avoid making files world-readable when it's not necessary.

3. Secure Apache with ModSecurity

Install and enable the ModSecurity module in EasyApache. Using it with the OWASP Core Rule Set greatly increases protection for your web applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I back up and restore my site?

A: Use the Backup Wizard interface in cPanel (cPanel » Files » Backup Wizard) for a guided process. Experienced users can use the main Backup interface (cPanel » Files » Backup) to download full or partial backups and restore them.

Q: I can't send and receive emails. What should I check?

A: Common causes include:
Port 25 blocked – this port must be open for email traffic. Contact your hosting provider.
Incorrect mail client configuration – double-check your settings.
SPF/DKIM misconfigured – use the "Email Deliverability" tool in cPanel to check and fix your DNS records.
IP address reputation issues – your server IP might be blacklisted.
DNS-related issues – check your mail-related DNS records.

Q: I got a trial license; how do I buy a full license?

A: You can purchase a full license through the cPanel Store or directly from the WHM interface.