cPanel & WHM is one of the most well-known hosting control panels. It's installed where familiar admin stack, compatibility with dozens of plugins, and clear role model are required:
- WHM — for server administrator and resellers
- cPanel — for end users and site owners
Let's be upfront per THE.Hosting's technical policy: cPanel is historically powerful but heavy. It consumes more resources than lightweight panels and looks less modern. If you need maximum VPS resource economy and minimalism—look at DirectAdmin, ISPmanager, or Hestia. But if project, team, or processes are "tailored" to cPanel—below we've compiled practical guide for deployment and operation without fluff and prices.
Supported OS and Architecture
OS: AlmaLinux 8/9, Rocky Linux 8/9, Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. Installation only on "clean" system.
Web stack: EasyApache 4 (Apache + PHP-FPM), optionally Nginx as reverse proxy, MultiPHP Manager for parallel PHP versions.
DB: MariaDB/MySQL (management from WHM/cPanel + phpMyAdmin), remote SQL server support available.
Email: Exim + Dovecot, antispam SpamAssassin, webmail client Roundcube.
DNS: Own nameserver, DNS cluster between servers for fault tolerance.
SSL: AutoSSL (Let's Encrypt/Comodo), SNI, wildcard via DNS validation.
WP tools: WordPress Toolkit (mass updates, clones, staging, hardening).
When cPanel is Justified Choice
Legacy projects and teams: admins and content managers have established procedures for cPanel/WHM, dozens of familiar plugins and scripts.
Reselling with deep customization: separate packages, quotas, limits, account isolation, custom templates and branding.
Multi-client hosting: neat multi-level access model, clear logs, billing-friendly built-in approach.
Complex email on own domain: with DKIM/SPF/DMARC, auto-configuration, filters and webmail.
If key criterion is panel speed and low load, cPanel will be excessive. At THE.Hosting we honestly warn about this before installation.
Brief Deployment Plan on THE.Hosting VPS
- Clean OS (AlmaLinux 8/9 or Ubuntu 22.04) and root SSH access
- cPanel installer: run script, wait for automatic service installation
- WHM initial setup: hostname, license, nameservers, network parameters, password policy
- EasyApache 4: choose Apache/PHP profile, connect needed modules, enable PHP-FPM
- MultiPHP Manager: assign PHP versions to projects, set per-site parameters (memory_limit, max_execution_time, etc.)
- AutoSSL: enable Let's Encrypt, verify auto-renewal
- Email: SPF, DKIM, DMARC; on THE.Hosting side configure PTR for dedicated IPv4
- Backups: incremental/full, schedule, rotation, remote storage via SFTP/FTP
- Monitoring: track CPU/RAM/IO, disk quotas, overage notifications
Site Management and Performance
Account isolation: each project lives in own environment with separate system user and limits.
PHP-FPM per account/domain: profiles for real loads, enabled OPcache, reasonable pm.max_children and memory_limit values.
Nginx-proxy + Apache: fast static delivery and HTTP/2, while maintaining .htaccess compatibility.
Caching and static: gzip/deflate, correct Cache-Control/ETag/Expires.
Logs and debugging: access to access/error, domain reports, PHP error trace.
Email and IP Reputation
Roundcube by default, IMAP/SMTP for clients, aliases, forwards, autoresponders.
Antispam: SpamAssassin + filters.
DNS projects: Enable SPF, DKIM and DMARC immediately, verify via external testers.
IPv4 and PTR: Each THE.Hosting VPS includes 1 dedicated IPv4; we configure PTR to your hostname. Critical for delivery.
Backups and Recovery
Incremental daily + weekly full — gold standard.
Where to store: locally + remotely (SFTP/FTP storage).
What to save: files, databases, email, account settings.
How to verify: monthly test restoration to test domain.
Default Security
- cPHulk against brute force, login attempt limits
- ModSecurity with current rules, XSS/SQLi protection
- 2FA for WHM/cPanel, strict password policy
- Account isolation and permission restriction, SFTP instead of FTP where possible
- Panel and package updates—on schedule, critical patches manually
Migrations to cPanel
From shared hosting with cPanel: import full account backups (email/files/DB/DNS).
From other panels: transfer files and DB, reconfigure DNS, verify email records and certs, test on temporary domain or via hosts.
DNS synchronization via cluster — speeds up switching.
Pros and What to Remember
Pros
- Huge ecosystem and documentation
- Clear role model (WHM/cPanel), convenient reselling
- WP Toolkit, AutoSSL, MultiPHP — all "out of the box"
- Mass operations and mature backup/monitoring scenarios
Cons (from our experience)
- Resource demanding: noticeably heavier than lightweight panels—consider this when choosing plan
- Interface and UX feel overloaded
- For projects where panel speed and minimal overhead matter, DirectAdmin/ISPmanager/Hestia are more appropriate
THE.Hosting Best Practices for Production
- One project = one cPanel account, isolation and separate logs
- Minimum two PHP versions and upgrade plan
- AutoSSL enabled for all domains, auto-renewal checks quarterly
- SPF/DKIM/DMARC + clean IPv4 with correct PTR — before launching email campaigns
- Incremental backups daily, full—weekly; mandatory off-server storage
- 2FA for WHM/cPanel, close unused services, restrict access by IP
- Monthly technical audit: disk quotas, log rotation, package currency
Conclusion
cPanel is a large, mature tool with powerful ecosystem, convenient role model, and proven scenarios for sites and email. It's indeed heavy and not the most modern, but remains logical choice where processes and people have worked "on cPanel" for years.
FAQ
Can different PHP versions be kept on one server?
Yes, via MultiPHP Manager and PHP-FPM at domain/account level.
Are deep Linux knowledge required for work?
For daily tasks—no. For fine optimization and non-standard cases, basic SSH and service understanding are useful.
What about WordPress projects?
WP Toolkit speeds up updates, clones and staging, and includes basic hardening.