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Single WordPress Instance

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# Single WordPress Instance

  • Offering a single WordPress instance as a service
  • Workflow illustration
  • Configuration in PanelAlpha
  • Configuration of product in WHMCS

Before proceeding further to find the gist, it is of utmost importance to ensure that you are already familiar with the "Introduction" article. This article discusses the necessary steps that must be completed* prior to utilizing the information provided in this section.

Go back to "Introduction" now.

# Offering a single WordPress instance as a service

This is the most commonly used workflow for most of our customers and is a perfect setup for end-users who want to "purchase a WordPress hosting service". The idea is to set up simple products that correspond to a single WordPress instance.

It covers the recommended Quick Onboarding Process which makes it easier for the end-customer to set up their first site without bothering about much configuration or even setting up their live domain. The first site is configured on a subdomain that can be changed to their own domain at a later stage.

# Workflow illustration

  1. End-customer orders a new service in the WHMCS system, in our example that will be: "WordPress Single Site - Bronze"
  2. They go through the standard ordering process (Note: "Lagom One Step Order Form For WHMCS" is a recommended setup).
  1. After the payment for the ordered product is complete:
    • The end-customer will receive an email message with details about their service
    • From the client area in WHMCS they can directly proceed to the new PanelAlpha user page. Simply use the "WordPress Management" section in the menu - it uses SSO to automatically authenticate them into PanelAlpha
    • Alternatively, they can go to their service page and click "Log In To PanelAlpha" - it uses SSO to automatically authenticate them into PanelAlpha as well
  1. Once they are redirected to PanelAlpha, again SSO is used to for automatic authentication
  2. The first page that they see is the option to create the first instance.
    • clients may either create a brand new site or migrate their instance from an already existing hosting
    • for a migration workflow, read more about Migration here
  1. When they choose to create a new site, the system will present them with the available themes to choose from
  1. Once chosen, they will be asked to enter their site name. Press the "Create Site" button and the site will be provisioned right away.
    The site name (domain) can surely be changed later on, so you may type in any name at this point.
  1. The new site is ready for the client to manage!

# Configuration in PanelAlpha

  1. Plan Configuration - Provide basic details to create a new plan:
  • Plan Name
  • Instances Limit - in our case that will be "1"
  • Upgrade Link - a hyperlink that directs to a page where users can upgrade their current plan
  • Label Color - indicates a visual identifier associated with a specific plan, usually used to point the difference between several plan types
  • Preview
  1. Onboarding - You may select between two onboarding methods: "Quick Onboarding" and "Standard Onboarding" to establish a service based on a predefined plan. Check for the details and differences between them now:
  • "Quick Onboarding" - it is specifically designed to deliver an exceptional user experience, similar to web-builder products, ensuring optimal satisfaction for end-users. The end-customer can place an order for a basic service in your WHMCS, even without requiring a domain. Upon completion of the order, they can log in to PanelAlpha, where they will be presented with a selection of templates to proceed with.
    • To enhance the overall experience, you can integrate it with a pre-installed website builder plugin for WordPress, enabling users to enjoy a seamless and high-quality experience.
    • Utilize the free trial feature within WHMCS, which can effectively increase conversion rates.

This selection is highly recommended for all the advanced users.
Available options:

  • Force installation for new users after log in - enabling this option is highly recommended

  • Domain used for subdomains - enter the main domain to allow creating subdomains

  • Automatic subdomain format:

    • Friendly name based on website name; e.g. john-blog.mydomain.com
    • Friendly name random combination; e.g. purplegoose.mydomain.com
    • Specified number: enter description and the next number to generate a subdomain, eg. "temp{number}", "100000": temp100000.mydomain.com
    • Random Length: enter the number of signs to generate a subdomain, eg. "10": 4d7wg9r98x.mydomain.com
  1. Hosting - Server selection and configuration.

  • Server Type - choose your server type between:

    • cPanel
    • PanelAlpha

  • Server Group - choose one from the previously created groups (read more here)

  • Server Assignment Rule:

    • Random - the service will be set up on a randomly selected server
    • Least Accounts - the service will be set up on the server within the specified group of servers that has the smallest number of accounts
    • Specific Server - the service will be set up on the pointed server

  • Hosting Account Configuration:

    • WHM Package Name
  1. DNS - Select and configure the DNS server responsible for translating domain names into IP addresses.
    Available DNS server types to choose from:

  • cPanel's DNS Server

  • PowerDNS

    • select DNS Server for your services
    • enter the zone template name
  1. Email - Select and configure the email server. Please choose email server type:

  • Use cPanel's Email Server

  • None

  • Mailcow

    • choose email server
    • enter the Mailcow package name
  1. Domains - Add domains that users of this plan will be allowed to use as subdomains.
    Press "Add New Domain" to star, a modal will appear where you have to type in the new domain name to add it.
    Manage the blacklist: create a list of forbidden words, enable "Block Profanity" to blacklist all uncensored expressions at once.

  1. Plugins&Themes - Manage the plugins that will be installed or deactivated on instances.

  • Automation:

    • Default Plugin & Theme Packages - Assign packages of plugins and themes to a WordPress instance within the plan.
    • Automatic Plugin Installation - Assign plugins that will be automatically installed during the WordPress instance installation process.
    • Automatic Theme Installation - Assign themes that will be automatically installed during the WordPress instance installation process.
    • Default Theme - select a default theme that will be installed on the instance.

  • Blacklist:

    • Plugin Blacklist - Assign prohibited plugins that will be deactivated from any WordPress instance in the plan
    • Delete Blacklisted Plugins - Assign prohibited plugins that will be removed from any WordPress instance in the plan
    • Delete Blacklisted Themes - Assign prohibited themes that will be removed from any WordPress instance in the plan

  • Scan:

  • Scan Interval (in hours) - Assign the frequency (in hourly time interval) at which the cron will deactivate and remove prohibited plugins and themes from the WordPress instances in the plan

# Configuration of product in WHMCS

Before you proceed to your WHMCS and start server and product configuration, you must previously generate your API token, you will need it in further steps.

Proceed to your PanelAlpha admin area → Configuration → Admins → API Token.

Once you enable the API Token, you will get a one time access to it. Keep in mind that this is the only moment when you see it, so please copy it and keep in a safe place!

Once ready, you may now move to your WHMCS platform and begin the configuration.

  1. Under System Settings → Products/Services → Servers create a new server. Fields that must be filled out are:

    • Name - any name for your server.
    • IP Address - provide the IP address with a port number where your PanelAlpha is located. The Hostname field may be lefty empty, after saving the changes, it will be filled in automatically.
    • API Token - PanelAlpha token generated as described in the steps above.

  2. Under System Settings → Products/Services → Servers create a new group of servers and assign the just created server to this group.

  1. Next, proceed to System Settings → Products/Services and create a new group of products.

  2. Once you have the group, you may finally create your PanelAlpha product.

    • Product Type - set it to "Shared Hosting"
    • Product Group - select the just created group
    • Product Name - in our example that is: "WordPress Single Site - Bronze"
    • Module - please select "PanelAlpha" from the dropdown menu
      Press "Continue" to move to the next step.
  1. Now, go to 'Module Settings' section. As the module name has been already selected, find the server group where the server you need to connect with is assigned in the dropdown menu. Once selected, all the module configuration settings will appear.
    • PanelAlpha Plan - select the plan you wish to assign to this product In the described now example, that will be "Single Instance"
    • Based on the selected plan, all the further settings will be automatically filled in. Save the changes once the settings configuration is ready.
  1. Finally, set the pricing details for your product, you may do that in the "Pricing" tab.