How to start using Plesk and make the most out of it?

Setting up your server with all additional services and applications like e-mail, WordPress CMS, or even basic antivirus solutions to protect your machine can be a tricky and time-consuming action. Not only do you have to do it – in most cases – using the console or a very user-unfriendly control panel. but then you must remember about all the updates that you have to perform manually!

Don’t worry – here with help comes Plesk! One of the best tools to help you manage your virtual or dedicated machine. From basic stuff like domain, SSL certificates, and WordPress management to website backups and enhancing your possibilities with tools such as SEO or eCommerce toolkits. Plesk is here to help you run your business easier without the constant hassle.

Choosing and purchasing a Plesk license

You may be thinking now: “OK, so what should I do to start using Plesk?”. Well, first of all, you have to choose which Plesk service plan suits you best. There are 3 core plans you can choose: Web Admin Edition, Web Pro Edition and Web Host Edition.

They all come with different features. The most important question to ask yourself is: “How many domains do I want to manage at the beginning?”. Based on the size of your portfolio, you can choose an according plan. If you have up to 10 domains, Web Admin Edition is sufficient for you. In the future, you can always upgrade to a higher plan! Web Pro and Web Host are suitable for larger resellers.

When you know which plan you need, head to your Reseller Control Panel at Openprovider na navigate to Plesk License management:

You will be presented with several options. Choose the first one – Plesk 12 / Onyx / Obsidian keys.

From the dropdown menu myou can select the version you want to purchase. Choose the one that suits the type of your machine: VPS or dedicated server.

Important: It is mandatory to provide the IP address of the server that the PLESK license will be bound to. It is against the PLESK EULA to use one license key on multiple machines. You can find more information about this here.

Once you select your license, you can also add a Title or Comment to easily identify the license you purchase for a specific server, e.g. “My best customer’s Plesk license”. Then you hit the button “order now”.

Note: There are additional Plesk Extensions under “Add more features”. You may want to check them as well and find something that may be interesting to you.

After the order is processed, you are presented with the below screen:

Important: The activation code is your license ID, through which you activate your Plesk license after installation.

How to start using Plesk?

Great! You have your Plesk license key, now let’s install it on your server. Depending on the operating system you are using, please check the installation instructions for Linux or Windows. After the installation you should activate your paid license using the above key:

1. Go to Tools & Settings > License Management (under “Plesk”) and click Install Key.
2. Enter the code you received in the email to the “Enter an activation code” field and click OK.

Once you activate the product, you can start using Plesk by setting up your Plesk control panel. There are plenty of usable articles available on Plesk support pages. We strongly recommend following the Quick Start Guide. The first few steps would be to add a new domain, install a favorite CMS system like WordPress and secure your website with SSL certificates.

Got any questions about getting started with Plesk? Our support team is always glad to assist you with your queries.