Direct Admin Server Checklist *UPDATED*

[TAH-Max]

Moderator's Note: This post was made on July 3rd, 2003. It's out of date. Some of the links are out of date, and some of the suggestions are no longer required.

Ok. I'm going to start a DirectAdmin server checklist.

Install DirectAdmin
Install DirectAdmin (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=116)

Recompile Apache
Custom Apache Recompile Script (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=104[/url)

Upgrade Packages & Software
Upgrade OpenSSH (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=166)
Upgrading OpenSSL (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=163)
Kernel Upgrade *TESTED ON REDHAT 7.0,7.1,7.2,7.3,8.0,9.0* -- if lilo.conf does not exist (REDHAT 8.0,9.0) ignore the lilo.conf steps (http://forum.rackshack.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12622)

Security Packages
Change all passwords regularly (do not make Admin and Root passwords the same as eachother)
Admin:
/usr/bin/passwd
(set new password)
Root:
su -
/usr/bin/passwd
(set new password)
Disable Telnet - (you should always use SSH Level 2) (http://forum.rackshack.net/showthread.php?threadid=20870)
Disable Direct Root Login (must login as admin and use 'su -' to get to root) and force SSH Level 2 (http://forum.rackshack.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18437)
Hide Apache & Other Service Info (http://forum.rackshack.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13679)
ChkRootKit (http://forum.rackshack.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=44747)
APF (Advanced Policy Firewall) (http://forum.rackshack.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20209)
TripWire (http://www.linuxsecurity.com/feature_stories/feature_story-81.html)
Snort (http://www.webppliance.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=24&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0)
Clam AntiVirus (http://www.webppliance.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=23&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0)

Monitoring, Management, Maintenance & Other
SIM (System Integrity Monitor) (http://forum.rackshack.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7910)
HotSaNIC (http://forum.rackshack.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11596)
LogWatch (http://forum.rackshack.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21331&highlight=LogWatch)

Optimization
PHPAccelerator *DO NOT INSTALL IF YOU HAVE ZEND INSTALLED OR DID ./buld zend DURING THE APACHE RECOMPILATION* (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=125)
Optimize MySQL 4 (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=132)
Mod_GZIP (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=126)

General How-Tos[/url]
Nameserver Setup (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=130)
Provide Private Nameservers (good for reseller) without using up extra IPs!!!!!!!!!!!! (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=76)
[size=4]Skinning
loopX Skin (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=97)

Last Update: 4th July, 2003
Change Log
8th July, 2003:
- Added Skinning category
4th July, 2003:
- Added the Optimization and General How-Tos categories

That's it for now folks, but I'll be updating it in the future :)

[ian]

If apache was installed by someone else, how do you tell if Zend Optimizer is already installed? There seems to be a "Zend Optimizer" in phpinfo() but nothing explicitly stated.

[jdlitson]

There is a tool that is used to check for zend; to see if your server is capable of running the whois cart on your server.
URL Updated 8/8/05 http://www.whoiscart.net/

Look for the diagnostics tool on there site and download it to your machine.

I also recomend the whois cart which supports Direct Admin.
My experience with this company has been great.
The owner of whoiscart.net even found that my server had been hacked, and took the time to explain to me exactly how it was hacked and what was causing problems on my server.

Anyways upload the files to a directory on your server. Then run the script by browsing to the folder you created and the script will run and let you know if you have zend installed.

Good luck -Jason :D

[Wunk]

Small addition...

I have to execute /usr/local/directadmin/scripts/spam.sh for exim to be able to work.., might save some headaces if you are trying to figure out why the mail won't work..

[ProWebUK]

Originally posted by TAH-Max
Kernel Upgrade *TESTED ON REDHAT 7.0,7.1,7.2,7.3,8.0,9.0* -- if lilo.conf does not exist (REDHAT 8.0,9.0) ignore the lilo.conf steps

our RH 9.0 server uses lilo, and i cant see why 8.0 wouldn't use it? also, double check that the latest version of the kernel is setup in either lilo or grub to startup unless of course you want either problems or your server to be booted with your current / previous kernel :)

Chris

[thoroughfare]

Great list TAH-Max, I'll be using it when I get my VDS :D

Matt

[lnguyen]

all the links seem dead, anyone notice that?

or.. just go to the general forum and use those links :)

[jw00dy]

If you replace rackshack with ev1servers they do work.

[myrddin]

Originally posted by TAH-Max
Ok. I'm going to start a DirectAdmin server checklist.

Install DirectAdmin
Install DirectAdmin (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=116)

Recompile Apache
Custom Apache Recompile Script (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=104[/url)

Upgrade Packages & Software
Upgrade OpenSSH (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=166)
Upgrading OpenSSL (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=163)
Kernel Upgrade *TESTED ON REDHAT 7.0,7.1,7.2,7.3,8.0,9.0* -- if lilo.conf does not exist (REDHAT 8.0,9.0) ignore the lilo.conf steps (http://forum.ev1servers.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12622)

Security Packages
Change all passwords regularly (do not make Admin and Root passwords the same as eachother)
Admin:
/usr/bin/passwd
(set new password)
Root:
su -
/usr/bin/passwd
(set new password)
Disable Telnet - (you should always use SSH Level 2) (http://forum.ev1servers.net/showthread.php?threadid=20870)
Disable Direct Root Login (must login as admin and use 'su -' to get to root) and force SSH Level 2 (http://forum.ev1servers.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18437)
Hide Apache & Other Service Info (http://forum.ev1servers.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13679)
ChkRootKit (http://forum.ev1servers.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=44747)
APF (Advanced Policy Firewall) (http://forum.ev1servers.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20209)
TripWire (http://www.linuxsecurity.com/feature_stories/feature_story-81.html)
Snort (http://www.webppliance.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=24&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0)
Clam AntiVirus (http://www.webppliance.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=23&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0)

Monitoring, Management, Maintenance & Other
SIM (System Integrity Monitor) (http://forum.ev1servers.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7910)
HotSaNIC (http://forum.ev1servers.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11596)
LogWatch (http://forum.ev1servers.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21331&highlight=LogWatch)

Optimization
PHPAccelerator *DO NOT INSTALL IF YOU HAVE ZEND INSTALLED OR DID ./buld zend DURING THE APACHE RECOMPILATION* (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=125)
Optimize MySQL 4 (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=132)
Mod_GZIP (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=126)

General How-Tos[/url]
Nameserver Setup (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=130)
Provide Private Nameservers (good for reseller) without using up extra IPs!!!!!!!!!!!! (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=76)
[size=4]Skinning
loopX Skin (http://www.directadmin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=97)

Last Update: 4th July, 2003
Change Log
8th July, 2003:
- Added Skinning category
4th July, 2003:
- Added the Optimization and General How-Tos categories

That's it for now folks, but I'll be updating it in the future :)

The above quote was mass-edited to include fixed links.

TextPad Search & Replace > * :D

[jlasman]

Which links were broken?

I may want to edit the first post to fix the links if the original poster isn't around to do it.

Jeff

[myrddin]

* Kernel Upgrade *TESTED ON REDHAT 7.0,7.1,7.2,7.3,8.0,9.0* -- if lilo.conf does not exist (REDHAT 8.0,9.0) ignore the lilo.conf steps

* Disable Telnet - (you should always use SSH Level 2)

* Disable Direct Root Login (must login as admin and use 'su -' to get to root) and force SSH Level 2

* Hide Apache & Other Service Info

* ChkRootKit

* APF (Advanced Policy Firewall)

* SIM (System Integrity Monitor)

* HotSaNIC

* LogWatch

Those are the links that were broken.
Replace "http://forum.rackshack.net/" with "http://forum.ev1servers.net/"

or just copy/paste my fixed post

[jlasman]

Thanks... let's give the original poster a chance to fix it for a day or two.

Jeff

[Soldier]

Thanks for this howto's!

[patrik]

Several links are still broken :(

[snaaps]

these howto is out of date.
see date 2004

[jlasman]

The last time the author visited the forum was in September of 2003.

Does anyone want to take responsibility for rewriting this? If so, go for it :) .

The thread isn't officially a How-To; it's posted in Installation / System Requirements. I've edited it to point out that it's obsolete.

Jeff

[Jay]

I'm about to rebuild two servers. I'll be more than happy to post out the items that I do and what products that I use.

[Devileyezz]

The amount of support I see on these forums is sooo less.
I just hope most of these people atleast get help via email.

Either way, would love to see some howtos with new versions, etc.

[jlasman]

As I've posted previously, the thread was created by a volunteer and is obsolete. The author hasn't visited these forums in almost four years.

I've closed the thread.

Jeff