How to update my VPS and how to upgrade my Control panel

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The most important task of every server administrator or web admin is to keep OS (Windows or Linux), Applications and Control Panel up-to-date.  It does not only make your infrastructure more secure but also you can take advantage of new features. Microsoft and other software companies are constantly working to release patches to fix vulnerabilities, applying the patches in a timely manner increases your server security significantly and saves you a lot of time and money to restore your server from backup. If you are using a control panel to manage your website and emails then you should keep Plesk and cPanel up-to-date to not only keep your site secure but also you can take advantage of latest applications and tools offered by Plesk and cPanel. In this blog, I cover how to update the OS and Plesk / cPanel.

  • Updating Windows 2012/2016 VPS: As you now Microsoft Windows offers automatic OS update download and install; however as a server or web admin you prefer to manage server load and have a say on how and when to download the updates, install and reboot the server.
    1. RDP to your VPS as Admin or with your own username and password if you have administrative privileges
    2. Click on start or point your mouse to the lower-right corner of the screen and on Search
    3. Type “Windows Update” and click on “Windows Update”
    4. Click on Check for updates, windows looks for latest updates available.
    5. You have the option review the available updates, you can either install all the available updates of select those you would like to install at this time. Click on update and install.
  • Updating Linux VPS: Linux update is simple and straight forward
    1. Lunch a terminal emulator like PuUTY to SSH to log in to your Linux VPS
    2. To update the sever type the following
RHEL / CentOS Ubuntu
# yum –y update # apt-get update && apt-get upgrade
  • Upgrading Plesk to the next release: Upgrading the control panel is a bit tricky, to be safe I suggest that you take a backup of your entire website on your local computer and also to avoid any surprises/glitches just wait a few days after the new release to update your control panel.  Please check the new Plesk version is compatible with your VPS OS version. If you are using Plesk 10 or 11 please consider migrating to a new setup than upgrading Plesk. During the upgrade process, your websites will be down and your Plesk panel will be unavailable.
    1.  Log in to your Plesk panel
    2. Click on “Updates and Upgrades ”under Tools& Settings”
    3. Click on “install or Upgrade Product”
    4. Choose a Plesk version from the drop-down list and click Continue.
  • Upgrade cPanel / WHM: I suggest that you take a backup of your entire website on your local computer and also to avoid any surprises/glitches just wait a few days after the new release to update your control panel. 
    1. Log in to WHM
    2. Type “Upgrade” in the search bar and click on “Upgrade to Latest Version”
    3. Click on “Click to Upgrade”