Question about Apache web root and whm+cpanel

[pumpkinkid]

I am setting up my first whm+cpanel vps server and I am using a template given to me by my web hosting provider so the details on how it is set up by default are sketchy at best.

That said, I am trying to figure out that best way to setup a main website and separate sites that should not be associated with the main site....

A little background... I am transferring from a shared hosting provider where I was able to have mainwebsite.com serve as my primary domain. Under which multiple sites that were completely unrelated to the first had separate domain names pointing to folders within the mainwebsite.com. All of these were managed within one cpanel account connected to my web hosting plan.

My question is, moving forward, should I use the Apache document root folder as my mainwebsite.com and create multiple cpanel accounts for the rest of them, or should I ignore the root location and create separate cpanel "clients" even for the mainwebsite.com?

I hope I made some sense... I also would like to know how to use a shared ip address for sites not needing SSL..

Thanks

[JordiCS]

Hello,

The standard way for hosting sites when you have root or reseller access to WHM is to create one account for every domain you want to host. The path to web documents on every account is the same:

/home/username/public_html/

The directories username/public_html required for each account will be generated authomatically inside /home when you create an account, no need to worry about this.

Of course you can also create an account for your main domain and point a number of other domains to subfolders inside your main account, like you had set on your shared service, using "Addon Domains" and "Subdomains" features (on cPanel). Also, you may want to reproduce authomatically your old shared account structure if you try transferring your account through WHM --> Transfers --> "Copy an account from another server with account password". Your main account should be transferred as a whole, if all is working as expected, including your addon domains and subdomains/subfolders.

Regarding shared IPs, there's almost nothing to learn, because using the main shared IP is the default. When you create an account, on "Package" check "Select Options Manually" and below, under "Settings", you will see a box with the legend "Dedicated IP". Simply don't check it. Or, if you prefer to create previously some packages, do the same, don't check this box and all accounts that you assign one of these packages to will share the main IP.

Hope this helps. Check also WHM Home Screen

[pumpkinkid]

I appreciate the info, especially the part about the transferring of accounts from another server!

One thought still remains however, what should I do with my apache root /usr/local/apache/htdocs or the /home/root/public_html/ locations...

I guess what I am asking is, say I wanted to have a main site that sells storage space on the same server that site is on, would I also create a cpanel account for this site as well or use one of the above locations?

Thanks

[EDIT] WOW, Trying the account transfer now... seems too good to be true, but trying it now![/EDIT]

[JordiCS]

I appreciate the info, especially the part about the transferring of accounts from another server!

One thought still remains however, what should I do with my apache root /usr/local/apache/htdocs or the /home/root/public_html/ locations...

I guess what I am asking is, say I wanted to have a main site that sells storage space on the same server that site is on, would I also create a cpanel account for this site as well or use one of the above locations?

Thanks

You can forget the above locations (besides the fact I am not able to locate any /home/root/public_html... ). /usr/local/apache/htdocs contains some default error pages, the default suspended page and so, things that you can customize through WHM and cPanel interfaces, there's no need to directly edit anything inside this directory.

Moreover, there's no such thing as a server web account owned by root. You must create your main web/cpanel account the same way as any other account for your customers, with a domain, a username, a password, a package, a quota (or "unlimited"), and so on, and after that create your mail accounts, databases, etc., accessing your own cPanel, the same as any of your customers will do.

Sure you will enjoy WHM, it is complex but awesome!

[pumpkinkid]

I think I am set all thanks to you, and as an added bonus you made the transition so much easier for me...

Thanks! I really Appreciate it!