What is WHM? A Beginner’s Guide

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What is WHM? A Beginner’s Guide

Disclosure: We’re reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, see our Disclosure page. Thanks.

WHM (WebHost Manager) is a powerful web hosting management tool designed to provide web hosting companies and system administrators with control over their hosting accounts, servers, and services. It is typically used in conjunction with cPanel, a popular control panel that allows end users to manage their websites and hosting settings. WHM provides the backend interface for managing multiple cPanel accounts, configuring server settings, and performing system-level tasks.

Here’s a beginner’s guide to understanding WHM:

1. What is WHM?

WHM is a server management interface that allows administrators to control and configure server-level settings for web hosting. While cPanel is used by website owners to manage their individual websites, WHM is used by web hosting providers and server administrators to manage multiple cPanel accounts and the server itself.

2. Who Uses WHM?

• Web Hosting Providers: These providers use WHM to create and manage customer accounts. It allows them to resell hosting plans, allocate resources, and offer additional services.
• System Administrators: Those in charge of server maintenance and management use WHM to configure server settings, security, software installation, and updates.
• Resellers: Resellers who sell web hosting services to clients can use WHM to create individual cPanel accounts for their customers, assign resources, and manage their hosting environments.

3. Key Features of WHM

• Account Creation: WHM allows administrators to create cPanel accounts, which are individual hosting accounts that website owners will use to manage their websites.
• Resource Allocation: You can allocate resources like disk space, bandwidth, and email accounts to each cPanel account, ensuring that each user has the necessary resources.
• Server Configuration: WHM lets administrators configure the server settings, including security settings, DNS, and Apache configurations.
• Security Tools: WHM provides features like SSL certificate management, IP blocking, and firewall configuration to help secure the server.
• Backup Management: It includes options for setting up server-wide backups, as well as managing individual cPanel account backups.
• Software Installation: WHM makes it easy to install server software, such as PHP versions, Apache modules, and other services needed to run websites effectively.
• Reseller Management: Web hosting companies can create and manage reseller accounts, which allows resellers to create their own cPanel accounts for their customers.
• Monitoring & Reports: WHM provides detailed reports and logs, such as disk usage, CPU load, and bandwidth consumption, to help administrators monitor the server’s health and performance.

4. Basic WHM Functions and Navigation

Once you log into WHM, the interface is divided into various sections, and it typically includes options like:

• Account Functions: Create, terminate, and manage cPanel accounts.
• Server Configuration: Change the server’s settings, such as timezone, security policies, etc.
• Security Center: Configure firewalls, SSL/TLS settings, and other security-related features.
• Backup: Set up and manage automated backups for the server and individual accounts.
• Reseller Settings: Manage reseller privileges and account management.

5. How to Access WHM

WHM is typically accessed through a web browser using the following format:

arduinoCopy codehttps://yourserverip:2087

You’ll need the correct login credentials (typically provided by the server or hosting provider) to access WHM’s administrative features.

6. What’s the Difference Between WHM and cPanel?

• cPanel: Used by individual website owners to manage their hosting settings (e.g., file management, email, databases, etc.).
• WHM: Used by administrators and hosting providers to manage the server, create and manage cPanel accounts, and configure server-wide settings.

7. Benefits of Using WHM

• Centralized Management: With WHM, web hosting providers can manage all aspects of the server and customer accounts from one centralized interface.
• Customization: WHM allows for easy customization of server settings and hosting packages for different clients and resellers.
• Automation: WHM provides many automated features, such as backups and updates, reducing the time and effort needed to maintain the server.
• Scalability: It is designed to support multiple clients and can scale as your hosting business grows.

8. Conclusion

WHM is a vital tool for web hosting providers and administrators who need to manage multiple websites, servers, and customers efficiently. With a wide range of features designed for server management, security, backups, and resource allocation, WHM is crucial for running and managing hosting environments, especially for those offering reselling services. Whether you’re managing a small shared hosting server or a large dedicated server, WHM provides the tools to make this process streamlined and manageable.