Full Root Access in VPS Hosting: Explained

Entrepreneurs & business owners today are keen on taking their businesses online and this has led to a meteoric rise in the number of web hosting companies. For anyone who is not an expert on the technical side of web development & functioning, it can be difficult to distinguish between different plans offered by web hosting providers. While price, customer support, storage provided, etc. are the key differentiators, you should also consider getting more technical freedom such as root access.

What Is Full Root Access?

Root access can be simply put as access to do anything on the server. A root user or root administrator has full control over the server irrespective of whether it is Dedicated, Cloud, or VPS Hosting. It enables you to access & edit all files, including system-critical files. Once you have root access, you can use the server for almost anything, including installing third-party software, hosting multiple websites, and more. However, a root user can also accidentally delete critical files and programs leading to grave consequences.

However, not all VPS Hosting providers offer full VPS root access, and among those that do, not all plans come with root access. This is done to manage all private servers and to provide quick & reliable updates. It also ensures that all third-party software is installed on the home directory and not compiled into the operating system directly as root. Working on the server with root access is crucial and comes with a lot of responsibilities. However, getting full root access can unravel the true potential of your server, allowing you to get the most out of it.

How To Enable Root In Server

Root access to your ResellerClub VPS Hosting gives you the best of both worlds. You get expert technical support round-the-clock while being in complete control of your server. The VPS root access makes the hosting service developer-friendly and results in the optimum output. Getting root access in VPS Hosting is extremely easy, but will depend on the type of server.

Linux-based server

Connecting to a Linux Server:

1. From a Windows computer (using PuTTY)
   1. 
   2. Enter the IP and username from the Cloud panel, into the PuTTY interface. After logging in to the terminal, you will be asked for a password. Enter the password you received in your email or your custom password in case you have changed it
2. From a Mac or Linux computer
   1. Open the terminal on either your Mac or Linux computer
   2. Run the following command ssh <username>@<IP Address>. Enter the password you received in your email or your custom password in case you have changed it

Windows-based server

Connecting to a Windows server:

1. From a Windows computer

1. Open the Remote Desktop Connection.
   • Windows 7: Start > All Programs > Accessories > Remote Desktop Connection
   • Windows 8: On the Home screen, type Remote Desktop Connection, and then click Remote Desktop Connection in the list of results
   • Windows 10: On the taskbar, click the search box and type Remote Desktop Connection. Select the Remote Desktop Connection app.
2. In the Remote Desktop Connection window, click Options (Windows 7) or Show options (Windows 8, Windows 10).
3. Type the IP address of your server.
4. In the User name field, enter the user name.
5. Optional: To save the access data, select the Allow saving data check box.
6. Click Connect.
7. The Windows Security window will open.
8. Enter the password and click OK.
9. If this is the first time you connect to the desired server, or if you do not save the connection data, you must confirm the connection with Yes.

Root Access Using Sudo Command

It is possible that multiple people will be making changes on the server, and you may have to provide root access to multiple people. Sudo stands for “substitute user and do,” which allows you to place restrictions on the commands executed by each user. You can create different passwords with different levels of access which will be stored in the file like /etc/sudoers. When a user types Sudo and enters their respective personal password, the password will be validated against itself. 

Sudo allows multiple users to have root access on the VPS Hosting server, but at the same time ensures that no malicious command is run by any user. It also ensures that the root password stays with the administrator as all other users can gain root access with their own password. It gives the least required privilege to the users to efficiently execute their tasks without compromising the security. It is worth noting that the Sudo command works in Linux-based systems only. The windows-based systems can allow elevated access to the admins only. 

Root Access Using Su Command

The Su command can be used to switch to the root user by using the root password by simply typing “Su.” You can exit the root user by typing exit and return to the previous user account. If multiple team members are accessing the VPS Hosting server, they can type “Su-name” and provide their own password to log in. This will log in the user with all their settings giving each user to access root and resume from their stored settings.

What Does Root Access Give You?

Apart from the freedom to use the server as per your requirement, root access can allow you to do a lot of things that would have otherwise been impossible. Let us look at some of the things you can do with root access.

•   Create a MySQL query monitoring bash script that allows you to ensure that long queries do not remain on your server. 

•   Custom php.ini file per user with FastCGI which is a benefit because it enables you to reduce CPU usage on the server.

•   Upgrade PHP using EasyApache.

•   Locate email accounts being used to spam and prevent email spamming. 

•   Process a backed-up Exim mail queue.

•   Merge multiple cPanel accounts into one account using SSH.

•   Split a single cPanel account into multiple accounts using SSH.

•   Enable cPHulk Brute Force Protection and remain protected against brute force attacks.

•   Manage the Exim mail queue in WHM.

•   Disable ModSecurity for a domain to ensure no legitimate requests are blocked. 

•   Use the Linux top command in batch mode to log activity and review it. 

Getting root access with your VPS Hosting can work wonders for your business. While making changes on the server with root access can also have dangerous consequences, a decent technical knowledge and robust customer service by your VPS Hosting provider will ensure you get the best out of your VPS Hosting. It is worth remembering that in a highly competitive market, small changes can make a huge difference in your business.

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