Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server is easy even to a starter if our detailed guide is followed. OpenPanel is a free cPanel like Control Panel. Previously like OpenPanel, we wrote about installing cPanel on Rackspace Cloud server. However, cPanel is not very stable on Rackspace Setup, Plesk is performs better (its obvious, Plesk is from Parallels). But both are premium, although Plesk has flexible plans.

 

Introduction before Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server

 

OpenPanel is Free and most importantly, OpenPanel has CMS specific OpenPanel versions – that means stripped version of OpenPanel, as they calls it – OpenApp. OpenPanel has such free Control Panel for WordPress too. That means, at around $10 / month, you are now getting a full VPS along with a nice Control Panel, thats too of The Rackspace Cloud. In this guide Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server, we will show how to  install WordPress specific Control Panel on Rackspace Cloud Server (because we wanted to test the stripped down version). Although the method is almost same for Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server (full control panel). We will point the differences as well.

 

OpenPanel looks lavish, runs flawlessly on 64 bit OS making cPanel ashamed. Well, if you want to test by Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server, keep in mind, the charge is on hourly basis. So, frankly if you create a test server for Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server, you will hardly need an hour and delete it, that would cost few cents. Otherwise we would get ripped !

 

Resources needed for Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server

 

You will need a small software named PuTTY if you running Windows PC. Otherwise for better Operating Systems (Linux, Mac OS etc.) terminal will work for Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server. If you are still using rich man’s  Windows OS, kindly scan it with antivirus with latest updates if your project is serious. Yes, you will need a Rackspace Cloud Account. We never use affiliate links like usually people did in HostGator’s brass era.

As it is apparent, I am in in my usual quite good mood for writing the tut on Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server, because – simply Open Sources is going to erase paid things. I thought I will install AMMPS at night, but found this OpenPanel is far better (it can support load balancer).

 

Steps for Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server

 

For this guide on Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server, it is taken that :

 

• You have no idea about Server
• You never heard Linux exists

 

Login to your Rackspace Cloud Control Panel, click the Cloud Server link. Click to Create a Server. There are many distro’s of Linux is available, at the time of Publishing, if you want to Install WordPress specific OpenPanel / OpenApp, Ubuntu 10.04 LTS, for Installing OpenPanel (full version), you can go for Debian 6 (Squeeze) or Ubuntu 10.04 LTS. One version back is supported too. I will suggest Debian 6  for Installing OpenPanel (full version). Full version means  OpenPanel, not that  OpenPanel for specific CMS (OpenApp). No need to get scared with the word full version. Its Open Source and Fully Free. So here we can select the OS :

 

 

On right hand side there will be Select button (not visible on screen shot). In next page, select the RAM :

 

 

 

Its scalable. I know 99% has excellent knowledge acquired from Newspapers, so – scalable means, you can change the size of RAM at any time. I personally like to use a high RAM during installation for faster work. Normally, 2 GB should be sufficient for the WordPress specific OpenApp. You can scale it down to 256 MB (or even start from) if you are short on budget.

 

Click create server button, it will take a bit time and the buttons will remained inactive while the process is going on :

 

 

When it will be ready, the buttons will be active (and a window will popup giving you the password, copy paste it on text Editor like Notepad) :

 

 

Note (copy paste on that text editor like Notepad) the IP :

 

 

Nothing more need to be done here for Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server. The next Steps for Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server will begin with puTTY (for Windows) or Terminal (for UNIX brothers). Double Clicking the Putty will Open the dialog box. Just copy paste the IP and click Open (do not change other things) :

 

 

That will open a bad looking black window. Do not get scared. Your username is root and password is already copy pasted on your notepad :

 

 

For both Debian and Ubuntu, if I do not mention specially, the commands are same for Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server or  Installing OpenApp (for WordPress) on Rackspace Cloud Server. Numbering the steps will probably make you less scared for Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server.

 

Step 1 : Adding some download sources to sources.list

 

Type :

 

nano /etc/apt/sources.list

 

There is a space between nano and backslash.

And hit Enter or Return key from your keyboard. Nano is a text editor. Sources.list lists the approved sources for downloading stuffs with easy commands. You will see some texts with colorful fonts :

 

 

Use the Arrow keys on your keyboard to move them beside the last pink word and hit Enter. Type these two lines (its a text editor; so kindly hit enter after completing end of the “sentences”) :

 

For OpenPanel (full one) with Ubuntu :

 

deb http://download.openpanel.com/deb/ lucid main
deb-src http://download.openpanel.com/deb/ lucid main

 

For OpenPanel (full one) with Debian :

 

deb http://download.openpanel.com/deb/ squeeze main
deb-src http://download.openpanel.com/deb/ squeeze main

 

For OpenApp for Ubuntu :

 

deb http://download.openpanel.com/deb lucid main openapp

 

 

Saving in nano is very easy. Press CTRL plus O simultaneously (for Windows), it will show you the files name, simply hit Enter/Return Key.

 

Step 2 : Two commands to update and install the needed parts

 

So, now you are out of nano text editor. Type :

 

apt-key adv –keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com –recv-keys 4EAC69B9

 

Hit Enter or Return Key.

 

After its complete, type :

 

apt-get update

 

It should be finished without any error. For Debian, if any error arrives, please ask us.

 

Final Step for Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server

 

For Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server (full one), you need to type :

 

aptitude install openpanel-suggested

 

It will take time to get installed. If exim4 is currently installed on your system, aptitude will suggest removing it. If so, aptitude will ask you to confirm this. Enter y when asked to do so. During installation, you will be asked about the configuration for mail (named postfix). Set it to ‘internet site’ with all defaults by moving the arrow keys of keyboard and hitting Enter. The installation procedure will ask you for a password.

 

 

Final Step for Installing OpenApp for WordPress on Rackspace Cloud Server

 

For the stripped down version, type :

 

apt-get install openapp-wordpress

 

It will take time to get installed. If exim4 is currently installed on your system, aptitude will suggest removing it. If so, aptitude will ask you to confirm this. Enter y when asked to do so. During installation, you will be asked about the configuration for mail (named postfix). Set it to ‘internet site’ with all defaults by moving the arrow keys of keyboard and hitting Enter. Now change the password :

 

openpanel-cli “update user password=your-password“

 

Change the your-password with yours one.

 

Oh dear, you have become a Linux Guru ! Come on. Everything done. Open this url :

 

https://youripaddress:4089/

 

youripaddress is your server’s IP. Like, mine was 50.56.121.159 (which you copied to notepad dear). This will open (its WordPress one for me) :

 

 

 

It has most beautiful UI, even making Rackspace’s elegant Control Panel ashamed a bit :

 

 

You can see, Rackspace uses QuadCore Opteron, think – a cloud VPS with control panel at near 10 dollars ! So we have completed Installing OpenPanel on Rackspace Cloud Server.