How to convert your cPanel server to LiteSpeed in 20 minutes
cPanel/WHM + LSWS Migration Questions

How to convert your cPanel server to LiteSpeed in 20 minutes

http://www.litespeedtech.com/support/wiki/doku.php?id=litespeed_wiki:apache:ezcpanel

cPanel/WHM + LSWS Migration Questions

1. What about user php.ini files - I do not allow my users to define php.ini settings per account basis, would it be continue with Litespeed standard configuration?

By default, per user php.ini is disallowed in LSWS. Just an FYI, to enable per user php.ini, just follow the procedure below:

http://www.litespeedtech.com/support/wiki/doku.php?id=litespeed_wiki:per_user_ini_in_control_panel_lsws

2. What about mod_security - where I put mod_security rules (or Litespeed use rules which are put in WHM mod_security addon), or you use your own mod_security rules, do you disallow to turn off mod_security with .htaccess (right now I recompile mod_security after each Apache install with DISABLE_HTACCESS_CONFIG?

in cPanel/WHM environment, you enable/place mod_security rules (in modsecurity.conf or etc) as if it runs with Apache. LSWS should automatically support them. There is no need to place rules in LSWS Admin CP. LiteSpeed can disable mod_security related directives in .htaccess with an configuration option.

http://www.litespeedtech.com/docs/webserver/config/reqfilter/#disableSecHtaccess

3. What about main php.ini files? Where are keept information about server wide php configuration (currently it is in /usr/local/lib/php.ini for Apache)?

LSWS uses the same php.ini as Apache (you need to enable Matching PHP integration from LSWS cPanel/WHM plugin and build matching PHP in LSWS)

4. I use 2 versions of PHP on my server - some servers use apache with php as DSO , and some servers use apache with php + suPHP. What I need to setup when I will install Litespeed on both types of servers? Would it recompile php as DSO and php + suPHP automatically?

LSWS uses its own LSPHP (LSAPI + PHP) to execute PHP requests.

http://www.litespeedtech.com/litespeed-web-server-is-the-best-platform-for-php-powered-sites.html

It is similar to FCGI PHP, it has same or better performance that apahce DSO. PHP suEXEC can be enabled easily with a switch in LSWS.

http://www.litespeedtech.com/docs/webserver/config/general/#phpSuExec

5. Litespeed configuration - do I need to modify standard litespeed configuration to better handle sites on my medium-loaded servers (mostly there are joomla/oscommerce/wordpress sites , some static sites too)?

No, LSWS standard configuration should handle medium-loaded server just fine.

6. I use i7 servers (quad-core - 8 CPUs shown in /proc/cpuinfo), which version of Litespeed I need to buy?

You can choose a trial license (2-CPU equivalent and good for 15 days) and upgrade to higher CPU core license as needed. Following provides more details:

http://www.litespeedtech.com/support/wiki/doku.php?id=litespeed_wiki:license:what_license_to_choose

7. Is it possible to remove "Powered by LiteSpeed" information from default error sites served by Litespeed?

Yes, you can create your own custom error page.

http://www.litespeedtech.com/support/forum/showpost.php?p=24880&postcount=4

8. As I mentioned, I use cPanel/WHM on my servers. What thing I need to change/setup if I would like to have LiteSpeed using after restart my current Apache server configuration (I use 1.3.42 apache).

There is no need to change Apache server configuation. LSWS is a drop-in replacement of Apache.

9. Most of my servers use only PHP 5 (as DSO or suPHP). But I have few servers using PHP4 as CGI and PHP5 as DSO. What I need to setup to have both php versions working together as usuall (users sometimes put in their .htaccess information like x-httpd-php phphandler or x-httpd-php4 or x-httpd-php5, even if there is only one PHP version on the server).

Please follow this document for

http://www.litespeedtech.com/support/wiki/doku.php?id=litespeed_wiki:multiple_phps_in_control_panel_lsws

10. directory index priority - do I need to copy my current directory index priority to LiteSpeed to have it the same as in my Apache configuration? Or Litespeed will copy it during install by it self?

No, LSWS understands Apache configuration and just behave the same way as Apache (as a drop-in replacement)

11. I do have apache set to log only critical errors, would Litespeed also log only crit errors?

yes. There are 5 levels of error log, ERROR/WARNING/NOTICE/INFO/DEBUG. if you set to ERROR, only critical errors are logged.

12. My Apache configuration does have keepalive turn off, and such custom settings:

KeepAlive off
MinSpareServers 20
MaxSpareServers 45
StartServers 5
MaxClients 150/200
MaxRequestsPerChild 40
Timeout 5

What configuration of Litespeed I need to make to have it working well in the same way as apache with such settings? Does Litespeed use keepalive ? Do I need to turn it off (when I have "keepalive on" setup in Apache it is getting overloaded)?

You can turn keepalive on/off at admin console after installation. either works well under litespeed. Since litespeed is event-driven, as server admin, you needn’t worry about rest parameters any more and performance is much better.

13. PHPsuEXEC function - do I need to turn it on? After each Apache install, with PHP as DSO and with PHP as SuPHP I alwas turn PHPsuEXEC on my WHM (post install configation). Would I need to turn it on in Litespeed to (shared hosting)?

In shared hosting, PHP suExec should be turned on for security, and its performance is much better than SuPHP. refer our benchmark result:

http://blog.litespeedtech.com/2010/01/06/benchmark-comparison-on-serving-simple-php-litespeed-vs-apache-vs-nginx/

14. If php is working as suPHP - does Litespeed allow users to keep their own php.ini files or I can block it in /opt/suphp/etc/suphp.conf as usual?

Yes, LSWS allows users to keep their own php.ini when PHP suEXEC is enabled as pointed out here:

http://www.litespeedtech.com/support/wiki/doku.php?id=litespeed_wiki:per_user_ini_in_control_panel_lsws#define_phpinidir_directive_in_configuration_vhost_httpd.conf_from_control_panel

Since suPHP is not supported, /opt/suphp/etc/suphp.conf will be ignored.

15. How Litespeed know if my Apache is working with PHP as DSO or PHP as SuPHP or PHP4 as CGI + PHP5 as DSO?

LiteSpeed does not care. LiteSpeed use our own LSAPI PHP, which combines all the advantages of mod_php (DSO), FCGI, suPHP, multiple version of PHP can coexist. LiteSpeed does not care what PHP is used in Apache, our PHP solution can do everything that the most complex Apache PHP setup can do, even be able to something very difficult to do in Apache, like using 5 different versions of PHP at the same time.

16. I use ionCube + zend with current php compiled with easyapache - if I switch to litespeed which versions of Zend / ionCube will be used in php?

Once matching PHP is built in LSWS, the same version of Zend/ioCube (in Apache) will be used in LSWS.

17. indexes and other apache settings - how they are handle via litespeed ? would it read this from apache config or I need to define them manually?

Yes, LSWS honors Apache Settings as mentioned above.

18. What about latest apache vulerability connected with partial downloads (RequestHeader)? does litespeed allow partial downloads and is vuleneable too or allow and isn't vulneable?

No, Litespeed is not vulerable to the Range header attack, it is due to poor implementation in Apache.

19. Are you aware of any issues that your users reported after switching from Apache with PHP DSO and Apache with PHP SuPHP to Litespeed (speed issues, configuration needes, compatibility issues) on cPanel/WHM servers?

No, LSPHP (with PHP suEXEC ⇒ on) work just fine.

20. How LiteSpeed handle SSL certificates installed via WHM? Are they working with LiteSpeed right after I will add them in WHM?

Yes, they are working with LSWS right after they are added in WHM. Just like as if Aapche was used.

21. Addon domains, parked domains, subdomains added via cPanel or WHM - are they working with Litespeed right after user will add them in their cPanel?

Yes, they are working with LSWS right after they are added. Just like as if Aapche was used.

22. After I added/deleted domains via cPanel or WHM - why LSWS does NOT restart to take the change effective?

It is because httpd is disabled in cPanel (cPanel/WHM ⇒ Service Configuration ⇒ Service Manager ⇒ httpd (Web Server) unchecked for Enabled). Need to have Enabled checked.

See this for further troubleshooting steps.

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