OpenPanel-GUI Administration Guide
The OpenPanel graphical user interface is a tool designed for users who require an easily understood interface which may compromise small amounts of long-term productivity for better discoverability of features. It is not only for beginners, but also for other users who simply want to get to work. When openpanel is installed on a server, the gui can be reached by directing your web browser to open: https://<ipaddressofyourserver>:4089/
Contents |
The Concept
Section last confirmed valid for OpenPanel-Gui release: 1.0.0 by AndrewLuecke.
Opencore uses an abstraction model where every entity is represented as an object.
There are several kinds of special objects, which can contain other objects. Through this hierarchy of objects, reseller models can be implemented.
For example, a domain object allows a user to add vhosts or setup DNS for that domain. Every and each object has an "owner" and a unique "id".
- Users
- The user object has a special status since every object must be assigned to an owner.
When users are created, they can create other user accounts within their context. These users can only view, modify or delete objects that have been defined within their own context. They can not manipulate objects on a higher level than their own. The user object equals a unix user on the system.
- Domains
- Domains are containers for related objects. A domain typically equals a real domain (ie:: foo.org, bar.biz). Domains can contain domain-aliases, email objects (box, alias, mailinglist), ftp-users, vhosts, dns domains, etc. (for a full list of objects, see glossary)
- Alias
- Domain aliases are virtual domains, pointing to another openpanel domain. It is an alias to the complete domain configuration (contrary to a cname which is an alias for just an a record)
- The context which allows creation of email boxes, aliases and mailinglists.
- DNS Domains
- The DNS object represents the configuration for a DNS domain like time to live and expiration time through its properties. It can contain objects which represent DNS records (A record, CNAME record, MX record or NS record. OpenPanel supports both master and slave domain objects.
- Vhost
- Sets up a vhost using the Apache webserver
Logging in
Section last confirmed valid for OpenPanel-Gui release: 1.0.0 by AndrewLuecke.
The default login username for OpenPanel is openpanel-admin. There is no default password for openpanel-admin, as it is set during installation. If you are unable to login, you may wish to try resetting your password.
GUI Basics
Section last confirmed valid for OpenPanel-Gui release: 1.0.0 by AndrewLuecke.
- The Crow Bar contains broad categories of services.
- Not all categories have this area, but if they do this is where you select the category's primary objects. For 'User', this will be users.
- Use the + and - buttons to create or delete the objects in (2).
- Here you can navigate the sub-selection of specific services for this category.
- This is where the details for a specific service are handled. If area (2) is available, then all fields and data in this area relate to the selected object in (2).
- Use this save button to commit changes made in (5).
- This grey button in the corner allows you to log-out of your session if you wish to switch users.
In the example provided above, the user object is selected in the top crow bar, the object representing the user hal9000 is selected in the left menu and the information for this user is shown in the main window frame on the right. There are also two other selectable tabs which provides access to the user's quota and login shell properties.
- Mandatory fields
- If fields for a selected object are compulsory, their text will turn red if the user attempts to remove the contents (and you will be unable to save). In object creation dialogs, compulsary fields will be marked with a star.
- First time creation
- When a tab in the right information window has no objects configured yet, there is normally text to inform the user that there are no such objects yet.
Users
Section last confirmed valid for OpenPanel-Gui release: 1.0.0 by AndrewLuecke.
Add users
- Select the "Users" icon in the top menu (the Crow Bar).
- Click on the "+" sign in the left menu pane below.
- A popup appears.
- The obligatory fields are marked with asterisks
- Enter a "Username", "Password", "Email Address" and "Customer name".
Modify users
Select the user in the left menu and change the fields in the information section to the right. Once modifications are completed, press the "Save" button at the bottom right-hand corner of the interface.
Delete users
Simple select the user and press the "-" sign on the bottom of the left menu. Remember however, that all delete operations are recursive, so all domains and objects owned by the user will also be deleted!
Domains
Section last confirmed valid for OpenPanel-Gui release: 1.0.0 by AndrewLuecke.
- Please note
- Please make sure beforehand that the authoritative DNS server directs to your server (ns record) for the domain you want to configure. You can check that by filling in the domain name in a host lookup service (e.g. http://www.iwebtool.com/reverse_ip). The domain name should resolve to the ip of your server)
- Furthermore check that the applicable ports are not blocked by a firewall (DNS: 53, Webserver/vhost 80, FTP: 22).
Add domains
- Select the "Domains" icon in the top menu.
- Click on the "+" sign in the left menu pane below.
- A popup appears.
- Type the domain name
- Select a user who controls this domain from the list.
Delete domains
Deleting is recursive: all objects under it are also deleted. So be careful when deleting the domain object; Press the minus sign ("-") at the bottom of the list.
Configure a domain
Next we can create any appropriate object under it:
- Alias
- Create/configure an alias to have a web address point to the same configuration as the current one (the authoritive DNS should of course also direct to this server).
- DNS
- Create/configure a DNS server that is authoritative for this particular domain (e.g. all subdomains under a domain).
- Create/configure an object that controls all email of the particular domain.
- Website
- Create/configure a vhost object that controls a website under the particular domain (e.g. www.obelisk.com)
- FTP Account
- Create a FTP master account to access the file storage area for the currently selected domain
DNS
Section last confirmed valid for OpenPanel-Gui release: 1.0.0 by AndrewLuecke.
Before we can start we have to make sure the DNS is authoritative for the designated domain (find a website that does dns lookup e.g. http://www.dnswatch.info/, in this example the 'type' should be set to A (from Address) in the drop down menu. Select 'resolve' and the answer should be your server's ip address).
Add a nameserver
When the DNS of the domain is configured for the first time, the type of DNS has to be selected (master or slave).
Usually this has to be a master / primary nameserver. Most registrars demand a secondary (slave) DNS to be set up for a domain. The slave DNS will fetch the information from the primary DNS to keep in sync with the primary DNS. Please keep in mind, that the only means of changing this setting currently is to delete and recreate the domain.
After the selection you can set the above appropriate properties TTL etc.
Configure a nameserver
After creating a DNS server, the following is shown when selecting the domain in question:
You can change the appropriate fields for time to live etc. for this domain. The domain created is created off the Prototype DNS template.
DNS Records
Deleting a DNS Record
To delete a record, you must:
- Select the appropriate record
- Press the minus ("-") sign at the bottom of the list
- A prompt will popup asking you if you'd like to delete the record. Click Delete. Keep in mind though that deleting is recursive, meaning all objects under it are also deleted. So be careful when deleting a DNS record.
Modifying records
To see an overview of the DNS records that were created by default (see DNS prototype).
To modify a record:
- Select the record on the list
- Change the fields which you want changed
- Press the Save button at the bottom right hand corner of the OpenPanel main panel.
Add a subdomain (a record)
Now let's create a subdomain. First we add an a record for the intended (sub)domain (e.g. primary.example.net):
- Click the + button at the bottom of the DNS Record list.
- Select Create A
Now, to create the subdomain, you simply need to enter the record name (for eg. www, mail, primary), and the address which the record will point at. Normally, this should be your global IP address, not a network/loopback unless you only wish the DNS works locally. Click Create and the DNS record will be created.
Add a MX record
Let's assume that you know why you want to add a mx record (in normal situations the default mx record would suffice). Then we add a mx record so that the nameserver can be resolved as a name (e.g. mx.foo.com). Click the + button at the bottom of the DNS record list and select "Create MX".
Enter a record name, the MX preference (should be a number), and the hostname for the server. To create the record, click "Create".
Add a NS record
Let's assume that you know why you want to add a ns record (in normal situations the default ns record would suffice). Click the + button at the bottom of the DNS record list and select "Create NS".
Gui_dns_record_create_ns_prompt.jpg
Enter a record name, and the NS address. To create the record, click "Create".
Checking the records
We can check whether our DNS works by typing "hal9000.com" into the box on the website http://www.iwebtool.com/reverse_ip and press "GO".
As we can see now the hal9000 domain is pointed to the ip address we set for it. We can now configure services on it.
The prototype
The prototype is a domain that is shown only to the user "openpanel-admin". It is used as a template for the creation of new domain objects. We can change the properties for every DNS object and every record under it in the above described way.
Section last confirmed valid for OpenPanel-Gui release: 1.0.0 by AndrewLuecke.
Setting up Email
Under the domain object one can add a unique email object. This can have the same name as the domain object (e.g. foo.com), or the name of any subdomain (e.g. bar.foo.com). Please Note: You cannot have multiple email hosts of the same name.
Fill in the fields:
- Mail(sub)domain (required)
- Fill in the (sub)domain for which you want to configure mail (e.g. hal9000.com). This will be the domain used for emails.
- Remote host for delivery
- Fill this field if you want mail for your (sub)domain delivered to another server (which handles all mail for example).
Press "create".
Under an email domain you can create address objects that are either aliases or physical mailboxes. Under aliases you can create multiple destination objects:
Creating a mailbox:
To create an mailbox, first click the "Setup Mailbox" button.
Next you must enter the mailbox name. This will be the beginning of the email address (ie. MAILBOXNAME@DOMAIN). You must also fill in a password. It is also possible to set a autoresponder (which will be a reply to all emails sent), protocols upon which the account should be accessible and a temporary forwarding address.
After doing so, press create.
Website
Section last confirmed valid for OpenPanel-Gui release: 1.0.0 by AndrewLuecke.
One of the most widely known usages of the internet is "the web". A website address is nothing less than a domain name that is pointing to a so called web server. The website is "hosted" by the web server through a "virtual host".
Creating a Website
When no websites are defined under the domain, there is a notice that "Websites have been configured for this domain yet." To create a normal website, click the "Setup Virtual Host" button.
Otherwise, if a website already exists, click the "+" sign to add another one.
Next you are asked for the domain prefix. This is the part of the name before the domain name. Most people will generally want their website on "www.hal9000.com", so their prefix should be "www". Keep in mind that if the prefix is set to www, that the website will also automatically be accessible through the domain alone (ie. www.hal9000.com and hal9000.com will both link to the same site).
You should also fill in the email address of the administrator, in case the website has an error. In that case, the server displays that email address when there is an error.
Modifying Website settings
The website object has certain properties that can be altered (the same ones that can be filled in on creation). There is also the possibility of adding FTP users which can ONLY access the files for a specific subdomain.
FTP
Section last confirmed valid for OpenPanel-Gui release: 1.0.0 by AndrewLuecke.
Setting up FTP
To access your server and upload files, switch to the FTP section, and click "set up to create a ftp account.
Fill in the name of the user, with the domain name appended, such as "webmaster@hal9000.com": Log in with this username including the @hal9000.com, not just "webmaster".
The FTP user added to the website object only gives access to the root of the website/virtual host. If further access is required, use SSH/SCP.
To add/remove users, simply click the +/- button, and follow the same steps as above.
