webmin disable and enable firewall csf question

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#1 Tue, 05/08/2012 - 23:40
housemartin

webmin disable and enable firewall csf question

Hello

I would like to know please if I disables webmin /etc/webmin/stop would that also stop the CSF firewall and all the setting in that firewall?

Do I need webmin running for the CSF firewall settings to be active/running and protecting my server? Or is it safe to disable webmin when I am not using it and only enable webmin when I need to configure the CSF firewall.

I am using webmin along with Kloxo as a GUI for the CSF firewall to protect my server.

Thank you all in advance.

Wed, 05/09/2012 - 04:50
Locutus

You can safely stop Webmin, and CSF/LFD will keep running regardless. The two are completely independent pieces of software, aside from the function to configure CSF using the Webmin module.

(To be precise, stopping Webmin will not stop any other service running on your machine. Webmin just configures/manages them, but they don't depend on Webmin.)

Make sure though that Webmin does not interfere with your Kloxo. It should not, but in general it's potentially problematic to operate two control panels on the same machine.

In this case it should work though since Webmin is not a hosting control panel like Virtualmin. You should just pay attention if you use Webmin to edit stuff that Kloxo set up.

Wed, 05/09/2012 - 10:34
housemartin

Thank you for your advice :) I am in two minds on if I should use kloxo or if I should just go with virtualmin as like you said virtualmin is a hosting control panel. It is only going to be used for my wordpress sites on a VPS.

The only thing that is stopping me from using virtualmin is backing up the visitor access logs that may be required by my affiliate. I cannot work out how to get them backed up each month so there is at least 2 month worth of logs for each domain. I can do it very easy in Cpanel but not quite worked out how to do the same thing in virtualmin.

Wed, 05/09/2012 - 14:27
Locutus

It's of course a matter of taste. I tried out quite a number of control panels, and personally prefer Virtualmin -- despite it is a good deal less intuitive to use than others (maybe some day the team will find the time and manpower to revamp the interface, like they've been planning for quite some time) -- for its sheer amount of options and functions and settings and whatnot. :)

Backing up logfiles is easily doable in Virtualmin as well, since you can instruct its regular Backup feature to include users' logs (alongside their home directories). So if you e.g. do daily backups, and turn on that option, you'll automatically have log file backups too.

If you wish to use other backup means, you need to make sure enough old log files are kept -- by default Virtualmin configures Logrotate to rotate every week, and keep the last 5 weeks, which should be sufficient.

You can e.g. use Webmin's "File System Backup" function to make a backup of /var/log/virtualmin once per month, and you're set as well.

Wed, 05/09/2012 - 14:46
housemartin

Thank you Locutus :) I think you have helped me to decide what control panel I will be using. I will be using Virtualmin. I have come to think that it would be more work to install two control panels and have to bother of possible conflicts etc. The advice you gave on the Log backups which was my main concern has decided it for me. It means that now I can have one control panel (virtualmin) and CSF to manage the security.

Thank you for your advice and help it has been most appreciated.

Wed, 05/09/2012 - 16:29
Locutus

Glad to have brought another disciple to the light side of the force! ;)

Also, in case you ever reconsider: You definitely should not run two control panels like Kloxo and Virtualmin on the same machine! While Kloxo and Webmin should play nice, you will most likely run into serious problems if you use two control panels like K. and VM. simultaneously, because each one performs and expects a different setup in terms of web software configuration layout.

Plus, even if that was not the case, it will be more confusing than helpful to use two panels. It'd be like having two cab drivers in one car, taking turns driving for a bit, and each one wanting to take a different route. :) Chances are you'll never reach your destination.

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