This guide provides the system requirements for installing cPanel & WHM
on a Rocky Linux™ server, ensuring that your server meets the minimum criteria for smooth
installation and operation.
Supported Versions:
- cPanel & WHM Version 110+: Compatible with Rocky Linux 8.
- cPanel & WHM Version 114+: Compatible with Rocky Linux 9.
Before installing cPanel & WHM or cPanel DNSOnly, ensure your server
meets the following minimum specifications.
Pre-Installation Considerations
- Root Access: You must have root-level access to the server to install cPanel & WHM. If
you lack this, consult your hosting provider or system administrator.
- CloudLinux: If your server is assigned an IP address with an active CloudLinux license,
it will automatically convert to CloudLinux. To avoid this and keep Rocky Linux, use the
--skip-cloudlinux flag during installation.
- CloudLinux: If your server is assigned an IP address with an active CloudLinux license,
it will automatically convert to CloudLinux. To avoid this and keep Rocky Linux, use the
--skip-cloudlinux flag during installation.
License Requirement: cPanel & WHM requires a valid license, which you
can obtain from the cPanel Store. You cannot transfer a single license across multiple
servers.
Note:
IPv6-only servers are unsupported. At least one IPv4 address is required for proper
operation.
Networking Requirements
- Hostname: Must be:
- A registered and fully-qualified domain name (FQDN).
- Not match any of the server’s domains.
- A maximum of 60 characters.
- Resolve to a valid IPv4 or IPv6 address.
- IP Address:
- Must be valid and properly configured.
- Should be configured as a 1:1 NAT and support NAT loopback if the server is on a
NAT network.
- Ethernet Device:
- Must be configured with a static IP address and fully-qualified hostname.
- DHCP-assigned IP addresses are not supported.
- Firewalls:
- Disable OS firewalls prior to installation. Use third-party firewall solutions
such as APF or CSF post-installation.
- Firewalld must be enabled on Rocky Linux for firewall management.
Steps to Disable Firewalld (if necessary):
iptables-save >~/firewall.rules
systemctl stop
firewalld.service
systemctl disable firewalld.service
Pre-Installation Considerations
| Operating System | Processor | RAM | Disk Space | Architecture |
|---|
| Rocky Linux 9 | 1.1 GHz | 2 GB / 4 GB | 20 GB / 40 GB | 64-bit |
| Rocky Linux 8 | 1.1 GHz | 2 GB / 4 GB | 20 GB / 40 GB | 64-bit |
Pre-Installation Considerations
- RAM: At least 2 GB (4 GB recommended).
- Disk Space: 20 GB minimum, with 40 GB recommended.
- Processor: 1.1 GHz (minimum).
Additional
Notes:
- Install at least 3 GB of RAM if you plan to use ClamAV for antivirus scanning.
- Systems with ARM architecture are not supported.
Hardware Considerations for High-Performance
Hosting
When selecting a server, consider the following:
- Number of Websites: More websites with associated databases and emails require higher
resources.
- Web Hosting Type: Media-heavy hosting (e.g., videos, music, high-traffic applications)
demands additional resources.
- Virtualized Environments: For virtualized servers, assign additional CPU cores for
resource-heavy applications.
Disk Space for Installation:
The cPanel & WHM installation requires at least 5 GB of free disk space
in the /usr/local/cpanel directory.
Operating System Compatibility &
SELinux
- Rocky Linux 8 and 9 are compatible with cPanel & WHM.
- Ensure SELinux is disabled before installation. For SELinux, use the following steps:
- Edit /etc/selinux/config to disable SELinux:
- For more information, consult the SELinux Mode documentation.
Filesystem
Recommendations
- Filesystem: We recommend using XFS® or ext4 filesystems, as these are fully supported by
cPanel & WHM.
Important:
Only filesystems supporting flock are supported. Certain network filesystems (e.g., NFS)
may require additional configuration.
Partition
Guidelines
Swap Space:
- 2 GB or less RAM: 2x the server's RAM.
- 2 GB to 4 GB RAM: Equal to the server’s RAM.
- 4 GB+ RAM: 4 GB swap.
Inodes:
- Allocate 1,000,000 inodes for cPanel & WHM installation and 50,000 inodes per cPanel
account.
Virtual Environment
Compatibility
-
KVM: No additional restrictions.
-
Linux Containers: Requires additional configuration.
-
OpenVZ: Stable releases supported.
-
Xen, VMware ESXi, VirtualBox: No restrictions.
Supported
Browsers
For the best experience, cPanel & WHM is tested with the latest versions
of the following browsers:
-
Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari
-
Mobile versions of these browsers are also compatible.
Final
Recommendations
Before installation:
-
Ensure you meet the hardware and software prerequisites.
-
Disable SELinux, firewalls, and other conflicting services.
-
Review your server's specifications based on expected workload for optimal performance.
Following these guidelines ensures a smooth installation and efficient
operation of cPanel & WHM on Rocky Linux.
