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A Managed VPS is your own server, but we run it for you. This article sets out who looks after what, so you know what to expect and when to open a ticket.
What we look after
- Setting up the server, including the operating system, DirectAdmin, the web server and PHP.
- Security and operating system updates, applied regularly.
- DirectAdmin updates.
- The firewall and brute-force protection, which blocks addresses that repeatedly try to guess passwords.
- Monitoring, so we hear about problems with the server.
- Daily off-site backups. See Managed VPS backups and restores.
- Server-level changes on request, such as a PHP setting, a different PHP version or extra server software.
What's yours
- Your websites: their content, code and settings.
- Website software updates. Keep WordPress, themes and plugins (or any other website software) up to date. Out-of-date plugins are the most common way websites are broken into.
- Passwords for DirectAdmin, FTP, databases and your website admin areas. Use strong, unique passwords and turn on two-factor authentication where it's offered.
- The user accounts and domains you create in DirectAdmin.
Why there's no root access
Because we manage the server, we keep root (administrator) access to it. That lets us keep it secure and up to date, and means a change made in a hurry can't take the server down. Anything that needs root, we'll do for you.
How to ask for a change
Open a ticket saying what you need and which domain it's for. If you're not sure whether something is possible, ask anyway.