FAQ for Plesk Obsidian

General Questions

What’s new in Plesk Obsidian?

Our top priority is to ensure a smooth and seamless customer journey inside Plesk Obsidian. We plan to significantly improve the on-boarding process, update our web stack (MongoDB, MariaDB, PHP composer, improve Docker integration), enhance overall UX in Plesk, and much more. We are going to frequently add changes and updates. To stay tuned, follow our release notes.

Will Plesk Obsidian replace Plesk Onyx in the long term?

Yes. Plesk Obsidian is the successor of Plesk Onyx. Plesk Obsidian marks a new milestone for web development and web hosting. It is a new product that is secure by default, offers great new UX, and includes most requested features from our partners and community.

What’s a preview release?

Customer feedback is very important to us and our R&D teams. By launching the Plesk Obsidian Preview Release, we invite retail customers, partners, and other interested people to get an early look at the brand new things, which are coming soon. We want Plesk users to share what they like and dislike and report potential bugs. This feedback is extremely important. We'll take it into consideration and plan to release additional features and bug fixes for Plesk Obsidian Preview on a monthly basis. The feedback will help us make the RTM/Early Adopter release better and even more stable than Plesk Onyx.

Release Candidates

We are continuously offering the possibility to install different Release Candidates for the current and upcoming versions of Plesk Obsidian prior to the planned launch date of September 25th. You can use Release Candidates to get a first look into new features and help us improve these releases by providing valuable feedback to make the following Release Candidate even better.

Important notice: Although we are testing very thoroughly and do our very best to design, develop and release with highest aspiration, any release that is available before the official release to market date should not be treated as fully production-ready. We do recommend trying out the Release Candidate on your backed-up production data, but not for use in actual production environments. Plesk disclaims any liability for damages, caused by using this version.

For your peace of mind, Plesk support team will accept support requests for issues with Plesk Obsidian Release Candidates. The Plesk Lifecycle Policy will be updated accordingly.

Why install a Release Candidate?

By installing the latest release candidate of the upcoming Plesk Obsidian 18.x you help us in many ways:

  • You can be among the first to use and test new features and the improved UX in Plesk Obsidian even before launch.
  • Work hand in glove with our engineers to make Plesk Obsidian even better for everyone who is already using and/or reselling Plesk or just about to start. You can help us improve and strengthen our 18.x release, one of the largest releases with numerous new features.
  • Educate us further and share better insights about your usage patterns for everyone’s benefit.
  • Don’t miss the chance to report missing features which we can add to our roadmap – we care about the voice of our community.
  • Help your peers: Identify and report potential issues on installations that others might not spot before upgrading their production environments.
  • You’re not alone. Our support heroes are in stand by and the team is ready to support Plesk Obsidian whenever needed.
  • We stay in touch with you through daily updates of the initial release as well as any subsequent patch releases.
Can I update Plesk Obsidian Preview and Release Candidates to the RTM release?

Yes you can! Plesk supports both ways of updating: from one public preview to another and from a public preview to RTM.

Can I use Plesk Obsidian Preview and Release Candidates in production?

No. The Plesk Obsidian Preview builds and Release Candidates are designed for testing purposes only and must not be used in production environments.

Which Operating Systems does Plesk Obsidian support?

Linux: Debian 8, Debian 9, CentOS 6, CentOS 7, CloudLinux 6, CloudLinux 7, RedHat Enterprise Linux 6, RedHat Enterprise Linux 7, RedHat Enterprise Linux 8 (to be supported), Ubuntu 16.04 Server LTS, Ubuntu 18.04 Server LTS.

Windows: Windows Server 2019 (new), Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012.

Can I update my current Plesk version to Plesk Obsidian?

You can update to Plesk Obsidian from Plesk Onyx 17.0 and later if you’re using any of the currently supported OS (see the table below).

If you use Plesk 12.5 or earlier, you need to update to Plesk Onyx first and then to Plesk Obsidian Preview.

Note: We strongly recommend that you use Plesk Obsidian Preview for testing purposes only.

  • Linux:
OS/Plesk version Ubuntu 14.04 Server LTS Debian 8, 9 CentOS 6, 7 CloudLinux 6, 7 RHEL 6, 7 Ubuntu 16.04/18.04 Server LTS
Plesk Onyx (17.0, 17.5, 17.8, 17.9) Update OS to Ubuntu 16.04 and later first Supported Supported Supported Supported Supported
Plesk 12.5 or earlier Update Plesk to Onyx first, update OS to Ubuntu 16.04 and later Update to Plesk Onyx first Update to Plesk Onyx first Update to Plesk Onyx first Update to Plesk Onyx first Update to Plesk Onyx first
  • Windows:
OS/Plesk version Windows Server 2016 Windows Server 2012 R2 Windows Server 2012 Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Windows Server 2008 SP2
Plesk Onyx (17.0, 17.5, 17.8, 17.9) Supported Supported Supported Migrate to a server with a supported OS Migrate to a server with a supported OS
Plesk 12.5 or earlier Update to Plesk 17 first Update to Plesk 17 first Update to Plesk 17 first Update to Plesk 17, migrate to a server with a supported OS Update to Plesk 17, migrate to a server with a supported OS
Do I have to buy a new license when upgrading to Plesk Obsidian?

No, you don't. But depending on the type of Plesk license you have, you may need to take additional actions.

I have a lease Plesk license.

Hooray! All the following types of lease licenses are compatible with Plesk Obsidian:

  • Web Admin Edition, Web Pro Edition, and Web Host Edition.
  • Licenses for Plesk on cloud platforms (for example, AWS, Azure, DigitalOcean, and others).
  • Domain-based Plesk licenses for Plesk 10.x/11.x and later.

I have a perpetual (purchased) Plesk license for Onyx.

As long as SUS on your license is active, your license will be automatically upgraded during a Plesk upgrade. If SUS is expired, you need to reinstate it to use your license with Plesk Obsidian. If you are a Plesk partner, you can reinstate SUS using your Key Administrator or Partner Central account, or via your sales representative. If you are a retail customer, you can order SUS reinstatement here.

I have a perpetual (purchased) Plesk license for a version earlier than Onyx.

You must upgrade your Plesk 12.x license to Plesk Onyx before upgrading to Plesk Obsidian. If you have a Plesk 10.x/11.x license, upgrade it to Plesk 12.x first.

I tried out Plesk Obsidian Release Candidate but didn't host live websites on the server. Now I want to go into production. Do I need to update Plesk Obsidian Release Candidate to the RTM release?

In this scenario, we recommend that you install the RTM release on a clean server.

How can I install Plesk Multi Server?

Plesk Multi Server is not supported in Plesk Obsidian. A Plesk server with Multi Server installed cannot be updated to Plesk Obsidian. You can install Plesk Multi Server only on Plesk Onyx 17.0 and 17.5.

What new operating systems are supported in Plesk Obsidian?

Plesk already supports Windows Server 2019. The support of CentOS 8 and Debian 10 is on the way. See the list of supported operating systems.

What OSes are supported by the integrated Repair Kit?

All supported Windows OSes plus such Linux distributions as Debian 8 and 9, Ubuntu 16, CentOS/Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, and CloudLinux 7.

Are there any deprecated functions in Plesk Obsidian?

Yes, the following features were deprecated in Plesk Obsidian:

  • The Plesk VPN component.
    • The Plesk VPN component cannot be installed in Plesk Obsidian. Plesk Onyx 17.8 is the last version that supports the VPN component. If you have the VPN component installed on your server, you will lose the ability to use and manage it after upgrading to Plesk Obsidian.
    • If you migrate to Plesk Obsidian or restore it from a backup, you will be informed that the VPN component will not be supported anymore.
    • Existing Plesk versions (Plesk Onyx 17.8 and earlier) will continue to support the VPN component until they reach EOL.
  • Support of Windows 2008 R2 (Windows).
  • Node.JS 4 (EOL).
  • Support of Ubuntu 14.04 (EOL).

Plesk and GDPR

What is GDPR?

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is the new EU data protection law, which replaces the Data Protection Directive 95/EC and applicable local data protection laws. GDPR is intended to protect the EU citizens' personal data. It regulates how organizations process, store, and erase the data when it's no longer needed or when individuals request to delete it. GDPR came into effect in May 2018.

Is Plesk GDPR compliant?
When does Plesk collect personal data?

Plesk collects personal data only when you do one of the following:

  • Request a trial license.
  • Subscribe to the Plesk newsletter.
  • Send a technical report to Plesk.

Composer

Is it possible to run composer with using chroot?

No.

Advanced Monitoring

How is new Advanced Monitoring better than old Plesk Health Monitoring?

Advanced Monitoring uses Grafana for creating charts, which offers more options to analyze the collected data. Advanced Monitoring is designed as a separate extension rather than a built-in Plesk component, which allows us to update the extension and add new features more often.

I already have data collected in Plesk Health Monitoring. Will I lose it?

No, the data will be preserved because Advanced Monitoring and Plesk Health Monitoring use the same data sources.

I really like Grafana. Can I use it in tandem with Plesk to create my own monitoring system?

Yes you can. You can create your own dashboards and charts in Grafana but do not change those created by Plesk. If you decide to delete Advanced Monitoring, back up the Grafana configuration.

Before creating your own monitoring system in Grafana, grant the Grafana administrator the write permission:

  1. Add the following lines to the panel.ini file:
    [ext-grafana]
    allowSuperAdmin = true
  2. Go to Grafana, hover over the administrator name, and then click Sign out.

You will be signed out and at once automatically signed in. You can now create your own monitoring system.

Move domains

I do not see the 'Move' button for my domain. Why?

The possible reasons are:

  • You don't have the necessary permissions for the subscription ("Domains management", "Subdomains management" for a domain with subdomains, or "Domain aliases management" for a domain with aliases).
  • It is a subdomain (it's not possible at the moment to move a subdomain separately from its domain).
  • It is a domain alias.
I see no target subscriptions available to move the domain to. Why?

The possible reasons are:

  • You don't have the necessary permissions for target subscriptions ("Domains management", "Subdomains management" for a domain with subdomains, or "Domain aliases management" for a domain with aliases).
  • There are no subscriptions with enough resources available (for example, domains, subdomains, domain aliases, or mailnames).
I can't choose the "Create a new subscription" option to move a domain to. Why?

You may not have the necessary permissions to create subscriptions.

File Manager

Is it possible to pack my files into RAR archives?

The File Manager supports the ZIP format only. We do not currently plan to support the RAR format.

Restriction of server-side operations for Plesk Admins

How can I configure Restricted mode?

You can enable and configure Restricted Mode in Tools & Settings >Plesk > Restricted Mode Settings (under "Plesk").

  • To apply Restricted mode to an additional administrator, enable the corresponding option in the Additional Administrator profile.
  • To apply Restricted mode to the Plesk administrator, use the CLI "plesk bin poweruser --off -simple true -lock true" command. Restricted Mode will be enabled for the main and additional Plesk administrators and they cannot disable it via the Plesk interface.
Is enabling Restricted mode enough to completely isolate the Plesk administrator?

To fully isolate the Plesk administrator, we recommend that you enable Restricted Mode and additionally do the following:

  • Remove the Panel.ini Editor extension because it can be used to disable Restricted mode.
  • Do not select the “Ability to use remote API”, “Updates and Upgrades, “Scheduled tasks”, “Event Manager”, and “Backup manager” checkboxes in the Restricted mode settings.

SNI for Mail Services

Which mail servers in Plesk support this feature?

MailEnable 10.20 and Postfix 3.4 support SNI for mail.

If SNI for mail is supported now, how can I automate mail securing with the SSL It! or Let's Encrypt extensions?

Such automation is currently not supported. However you can issue a wildcard SSL/TLS certificate via SSL It! or Let's Encrypt and manually assign this certificate to mail using the "Mail Settings" tab in the subscription mail settings.

Which OSes support SNI for Mail Services?

All supported Windows OSes and all supported Linux OSes except for Debian 8 and CentOS/RHEL/CloudLinux 6.

Are there any limitations for this feature?

There are a number of limitations that we plan to fix in the future releases:

  • SAN certificates (including mail.*) are not served by additional names.
  • If the IMAP or SMTP server is replaced with one without SNI support, certificates are kept but can no longer be managed.

Mail Settings Auto-Discovery

What mail clients are supported by this feature?

Microsoft Outlook and Thunderbird.

Are there any limitations for this feature?

There are a number of limitations:

  • Does not work on domains that have no hosting or have forwarding hosting.
  • The Thunderbird mail client will not be automatically configured for wildcard subdomains.

More secure, More robust, More useful, and Faster out of the box

What features are enabled in Plesk Obsidian by default? Do I need to manually enable them after I update to Plesk Obsidian?

The following features are enabled by default for clean installations of Plesk Obsidian:

  • Apache graceful restart is now robust enough to set it by default to minimize websites' downtime.
  • SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for incoming and outgoing emails.
  • ModSecurity and Fail2Ban version 0.10 are now activated out of the box.
  • Newly created websites have the SEO-friendly HTTP > HTTPS redirect enabled by default.

If you updated your server from a previous Plesk version to Plesk Obsidian, the features above are left in the same state they were in before the update. If one ore more features from the list were not enabled before the update, you will need to enable them manually (if required)

On systemd based Linux distributions (CentOS7, RHEL 7, Ubuntu 16.04/18.04, and Debian 8/9), crashed Plesk services now restart automatically. Is it possible to configure a restart properties in Plesk?

No.

I updated Plesk Onyx to Plesk Obsidian but still cannot log in to Plesk without specifying the 8443 TCP port. What do I do?

This feature is not automatically enabled by default after updating from an earlier Plesk version. To enable it, you need to explicitly specify which domain will be used for accessing Plesk via HTTPS without specifying the port number. You can do so by running the following CLI command:

# plesk bin admin --enable-access-domain example.com.
I want to change the domain for accessing Plesk via the 443 TCP port. How can I change it in the Plesk interface?

You can configure this only via the CLI. Use the following command:

# plesk bin admin --enable-access-domain example.com.
I enabled access to Plesk via HTTPS using the 443 TCP port. How can I turn off access to Plesk via the 8443 TCP port?

Access via the 8443 TCP port cannot be turned off in Plesk. But you can add a rule rejecting incoming connections to the 8443 TCP port to the operating system firewall.