How to Install Plesk on CentOS 7: A Practical Step-by-Step Guide

Rationale:
If you're looking to manage your web hosting environment with ease, Plesk is one of the top control panels available. It simplifies server administration tasks like setting up domains, managing email accounts, and deploying web applications. This guide will walk you through the process of installing Plesk on a fresh CentOS 7 server quickly and efficiently.

Suggested Hook:
Are you tired of managing your Linux server through complicated command-line tools? Discover how easy it is to install Plesk on CentOS 7 and start managing your sites from an intuitive web interface in just a few simple steps!

What is Plesk?

Plesk is a commercial web hosting control panel that provides a graphical interface for managing websites, emails, databases, and security. Especially popular among web hosts and developers, it supports Linux and Windows servers. In this tutorial, we'll focus exclusively on installing Plesk on CentOS 7.

Prerequisites

Before we dive in, ensure you have the following:

A fresh CentOS 7 server with at least 1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended for production).
Root SSH access or a user with sudo privileges.
A stable internet connection for downloading installation files.
Optional but recommended: a fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) pointed to your server’s IP address.

Step 1: Update Your System

First things first — ensure your system packages are up to date. Log into your server via SSH:

ssh root@your-server-ip

Then run:

yum update -y

Reboot if the kernel was updated:

reboot

Step 2: Disable SELinux (Optional but Recommended)

While Plesk supports SELinux, it's simpler to disable it during installation to avoid permission issues.

Check SELinux status:

sestatus

If enabled, disable it temporarily:

setenforce 0

To disable permanently:

sed -i 's/^SELINUX=enforcing/SELINUX=disabled/' /etc/selinux/config

Reboot for changes to take effect.

Step 3: Download and Run the Plesk Installer

Plesk provides an automated installer script that detects your OS version and installs the required components.

Run the following commands:

curl -O https://autoinstall.plesk.com/plesk-installer
chmod +x plesk-installer
./plesk-installer

Alternatively, a one-liner to download and execute directly:

sh <(curl https://autoinstall.plesk.com/plesk-installer)

Step 4: Using the Installer Interactive Menu

After running the installer script, you’ll be prompted with options such as:

Install Plesk components.
Select installation type (Recommended or Full).

For most users, choose Recommended installation for a balanced feature set.

You can navigate options using numbers or arrow keys.

Step 5: Wait for Installation to Complete

The installer will download packages and set up Plesk automatically. This process may take between 10-30 minutes, depending on your server speed.

At completion, note the URL for accessing your Plesk control panel (typically: https://your-server-ip:8443).

Step 6: Access Your New Plesk Panel

Open a web browser and navigate to:

https://your-server-ip:8443

Ignore any SSL warnings if you haven't installed an SSL certificate yet.

You will be prompted to create an admin username/password.

After setup, log in using these credentials.

Step 7: Post-Installation Tips

Configure Firewall

Ensure ports needed by Plesk are open (e.g., TCP ports 8443, 80, 443):

firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=8443/tcp
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=https
firewall-cmd --reload

Secure Your Plesk Installation

Change default passwords.
Enable automatic updates via Tools & Settings > Updates.
Configure SSL certificates (Let's Encrypt integration is included).

Add Domains & Email Accounts

Plesk’s dashboard lets you add new domains by clicking Websites & Domains > Add Domain, then configure emails via Mail > Create Email Address.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Installer fails due to missing dependencies: Make sure your system is fully updated (yum update) before running installer.
Port conflicts: Ensure no other services block ports used by Plesk.
Firewall restrictions: Double-check firewall rules allow access to required ports.
SELinux blocking processes: Temporarily disable SELinux or configure proper policies if needed.

Conclusion

Installing Plesk on CentOS 7 streamlines your server management by combining power with usability. Whether you're hosting multiple sites or managing client servers, having a graphical interface significantly reduces administration time and errors.

Try this guide out yourself—you’ll have your Plesk control panel up and running in under half an hour!

If you run into issues or have questions along the way, feel free to leave a comment below!

Happy hosting!

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How To Install Plesk On Centos 7