Making the Most of Managed VPS Hosting

From a Linux Sysadmin’s Perspective

Once you truly understand what Linux VPS Hosting is and how much you can do with it, you may have questions about what happens on the backend of the virtual private server. You may now be wondering…

What should be happening in the background of your managed VPS? 

Where should you begin as a new cPanel VPS customer?

We could easily start discussing some in-depth topics, such as:

• Website design and development
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Cybersecurity and server hardening
• Best content management system (CMS) for your needs

It’s easy to read that list and feel as if you need to do all of the things right now. 

So, let’s take a step back and take in a different perspective on how to get the most out of your managed VPS.

We asked InMotion Hosting Linux system administrator Jason A. about his thoughts on getting started with Managed VPS Hosting. Read on to learn what he advises:

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Because I’m big on protecting personally identifiable information (PII), I won’t ask too many personal questions.

A SysAdmin on Managed VPS Hosting

How long have you been working with Linux?

Jason: I installed Linux for the first time at the age of 15. All I had to figure it out was a book and installation media from a friend. Since then, I’ve been finding newer and newer ways to break Linux, which gives me opportunities to learn. 

As a Linux system administrator at InMotion Hosting, what’s your role in maintaining cPanel-managed VPSs and dedicated servers? What’s your regular day like as a Linux sysadmin?

Jason: We monitor our VPS and Dedicated hosting platforms 24/7/365 to ensure uptime. One of the main things I look out for on our VPSs is a short-term spike in resource usage. That could mean a sale on an eCommerce site or an article on a blog has gone viral.

But sometimes it’s the sign of an attack, which I want to address. Immediate but reversible steps are taken to address the issue in the short term. They are then communicated to the customer to let their developer review and make a final decision.

As for our Dedicated Hosting customers, I treat them like they just purchased a private island. I watch for proverbial smoke signals and wave as I pass by in my dream Yacht. Ready to provide aid as needed.

What do you enjoy most about working on cPanel-managed servers?

Jason: The toolkits. The tools found on a cPanel server allow me to do my job much more efficiently compared to a server with a base-level OS installed.

cPanel’s ability to back up your website files, databases, email accounts, logs, and other data into a single file is quite powerful. It makes keeping your backups easy but also lets you migrate to and from a cPanel host painlessly.

Get automatic cPanel backups with our exclusive Backup Manager.

What common myths do you often hear about cPanel Server Hosting?

Jason: I’d say the most common misunderstanding is that you need Linux or programming knowledge to use cPanel hosted on a Linux server. But, cPanel has done a great job of making the management process of your web hosting much easier.

We offer tools like Softaculous, which make it simple to install your favorite CMS and get the ball rolling.

We both know cPanel adds new features regularly. What cPanel or WebHost Manager (WHM) features do you believe should be used more?

Jason: 2FA (Two Factor Authentication). Any password can become compromised. Having a second layer of authentication is imperative to VPS security.

What additional software do you often recommend to SysAdmin VPS Managers?

Jason: I strongly recommend using a web application firewall (WAF). It can provide caching, added security, and additional traffic reporting for your website.

For improved performance-focused WAF, we recommend the Cloudflare content delivery network (CDN).

Check out Monarx to prioritize security and receive remote assistance when malware is detected.

What do you believe should be the first steps when setting up a new cPanel VPS?

Jason: cPanel ships with many services installed to cover most people’s needs. My first steps would be to set a strong root password, enable the aforementioned 2FA to protect root-level WHM access and disable any services you don’t need.

Preparation for Sysadmins

For sysadmins who want to be better prepared, what essential resources should they have bookmarked?

Jason: I always recommend having these four resources ready to go: An emergency response command reference card for critical situations like service failures or zombie processes, a troubleshooting diagnostic flowchart for common server issues, a security incident response checklist for breaches, and an infrastructure monitoring setup overview with tools like Netdata or Nagios.

For sysadmins who want to be better prepared for critical situations, what essential resources should they have ready to go?

Jason: I always tell new sysadmins to bookmark four key resources.

Firstly, keep an emergency response command reference card handy. A quick-access list of commands for handling critical situations like service failures, memory overloads, or zombie processes.

Secondly, have a common troubleshooting diagnostic flowchart that walks you through server-side issues step by step, from connectivity failures to high-load spikes.

Thirdly, maintain a security incident response checklist, a structured action plan for dealing with breaches or CVEs. You need to know what logs to check, how to isolate processes, and when to escalate.

Finally, keep an infrastructure monitoring setup overview with tools like Netdata, Nagios, or Prometheus, plus basic rules for setting up alerts and resource thresholds.

Speaking of leveling up skills, what would you recommend for sysadmins who want to advance beyond basic monitoring and incident response?

Jason: There are three paths I’d focus on.

Firstly, master the advanced Linux learning path. So, shell scripting, systemd tuning, custom kernel builds, and Linux performance profiling.

Secondly, get familiar with automation tools like Ansible and Terraform. I recommend exploring the official Ansible documentation and playbook examples, plus Terraform’s infrastructure as code tutorials for automating server provisioning and updates.

The third path is container orchestration. Learn Docker, Kubernetes, and Podman workflows for isolating apps and simplifying deployment across VPS environments. These skills will set you apart in today’s market.

Monitoring Tips

You mentioned monitoring earlier. Can you walk us through some specific technical approaches for proactive monitoring and performance baselining?

Jason: Absolutely. Proactive monitoring is critical for system health and breach detection. I recommend three main approaches:

First, set up Nagios or Zabbix configuration with host checks for CPU, memory, disk, and service status. Enable email or pager alerts based on thresholds, and add custom plugins for LAMP/LEMP stacks or Docker containers.

Secondly, create custom alerting scripts in Shell or Python. For example, set up a cron-based script to check failed SSH login attempts and send alerts via webhook or email. You can use uptime, iostat, or netstat piped into scripts for anomaly detection.

Then, establish performance baseline procedures. Capture one-week averages for CPU, disk I/O, and bandwidth using sar, vnstat, or htop snapshots. Store these stats in log files or dashboards, then compare future behavior to detect regressions or spikes early.

Security

That’s comprehensive monitoring advice. When it comes to optimizing VPS performance and security, what technical workflows do you recommend sysadmins implement?

Jason: There are four key areas I focus on for optimization. First is database tuning—adjust MySQL or MariaDB settings like innodb_buffer_pool_size, query_cache_size, and max_connections based on your specific workload for peak performance.

Secondly, optimize your web server setup. Whether you’re running Nginx with Apache or standalone, fine-tune worker processes, enable gzip compression, configure reverse proxies, and reduce keep-alive times to improve response time.

Third, implement solid caching strategies. Use tools like Redis, Memcached, and OpCache for dynamic caching, and integrate server-level page caching for static content.

Finally, follow CDN integration best practices. Ensure correct origin configuration, set proper TTLs for DNS caching, and enable HTTP/3 or Brotli compression where available.

Security is obviously crucial for VPS management. Beyond the 2FA you mentioned earlier, what security considerations should Linux system administrators prioritize?

Jason: Security should be layered. Start with a complete server hardening checklist covering SSH configuration, port management, and file permissions. Then automate regular vulnerability scanning using tools like Lynis or OpenVAS don’t rely on manual checks alone.

I also recommend setting up file integrity monitoring using tools like Tripwire or AIDE to detect unauthorized changes. Finally, implement advanced firewall rules using iptables, firewalld, or nftables. These aren’t just ‘set it and forget it’ tools; they require ongoing maintenance and tuning.

What is your advice for anyone considering dropping a cPanel VPS for Unmanaged Cloud Server Hosting?

Jason: Do not run any Linux command you do not understand.

While your favorite search engine is your friend, it can still lead you astray. Take advantage of our Managed Hosting team! Their guidance can prove priceless when setting up your server.

If I can sneak in a second piece of advice, use server snapshots! You never know when you might need that restore point from last week to save your bacon.

We currently offer CentOS, Debian, and Ubuntu Cloud Server Hosting at InMotion Hosting. What additional OS would you like to see us offer?

Jason: SuSE is one of the last Linux OSes supported by the virtualization software we use that is not currently offered. Adding an option to drop an OpenSuSE container would mean we’re passing on all the flexibility of our virtualization platform to our customers.

I’ve only covered SuSE in a Firewalld installation article, thanks to DistroTest.net. Different Linux distributions for different types of users. On that topic, what type of user do you think should consider our Cloud Server Hosting instead of a cPanel VPS? 

Jason: Someone who prefers their own choice of OS, needs access to the newest software versions, and doesn’t need a graphical user interface (GUI) to administer their server would find a cloud server a strong choice. With AMP (Account Management Panel) and SSH access, you can customize the blank slate that is Cloud VPS Hosting to your specific needs.

Any last bits of advice or closing statements you’d like to offer to customers getting started with Managed VPS Hosting?

Jason: I am an advocate for putting your dreams into action whatever they may be. My dream was to become a Linux system administrator. But you don’t have to be a Linux-managed hosting sysadmin to successfully launch a business in this online world. cPanel and WHM on a managed VPS allow you to easily set up your website, email accounts, and start working towards those dreams.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to fear growth, with InMotion’s scalable environment, you can easily upgrade or downgrade with little or no downtime. Also, your content is protected with a Free SSL and secured by our System Administration team, which monitors the servers 24/7.

Have more questions? Let’s talk in our Community forum. Or ask our Sales team about the right Managed VPS Hosting plan for you.