How to Manage Users and Permissions in DirectAdmin

Categories: DirectAdmin

DirectAdmin’s multi-level user system allows administrators, resellers, and individual users to manage their accounts securely and efficiently. With DirectAdmin, you can create and manage different user levels, control permissions, and set quotas, ensuring the right people have access to the right tools. Here’s a step-by-step guide on managing users and permissions in DirectAdmin.

1. Understanding User Levels in DirectAdmin

DirectAdmin offers three main levels of access, each with different permissions and functionalities:

• Admin Level: This is the highest level, giving full control over all DirectAdmin features, including creating users, managing the server, and configuring global settings.
• Reseller Level: Resellers can create and manage multiple user accounts, customize hosting packages, and set quotas for each user account.
• User Level: This is the end-user level, allowing users to manage website files, databases, emails, and other site-specific settings.

Tip: Assign the appropriate access level based on user roles to maintain security and control over server resources.

2. Creating New Users

As an Admin or Reseller, you can create new users in DirectAdmin and assign them specific roles and quotas.

• To create a new user:
  1. Log in to DirectAdmin as an Admin or Reseller.
  2. Go to Account Manager > User Management.
  3. Click Create New User.
  4. Fill in the required details, such as Username, Password, Email, and Domain.
  5. Select a Package (resource limits and features) or manually set the permissions and quotas.
  6. Click Create to finalize the new user account.

Tip: Use packages to standardize permissions and resources for users, making account setup quicker and more consistent.

3. Setting User Quotas and Limits

Quotas limit the amount of resources a user can access, such as disk space, bandwidth, and email accounts. DirectAdmin allows you to set custom quotas for each user.

• To set or modify quotas:
  1. Go to Account Manager > User Management and select the user account you wish to modify.
  2. In the user settings, you’ll find options to adjust Disk Space, Bandwidth, Email Accounts, FTP Accounts, and Databases.
  3. Enter the desired limits, or select “Unlimited” if applicable.
  4. Save the changes to apply the new quotas.

Tip: Regularly monitor user quotas to ensure no one is exceeding limits, especially if multiple users are sharing server resources.

4. Creating and Managing Reseller Accounts

Reseller accounts allow users to create and manage their own set of user accounts, useful for businesses offering hosting services to clients.

• To create a new reseller:
  1. Log in as an Admin and go to Account Manager > Reseller Management.
  2. Click Create New Reseller and enter the username, password, domain, and other necessary details.
  3. Assign a reseller package that defines resource quotas and permissions, or set custom limits.
  4. Click Create to finalize the reseller account.

Tip: Use the Manage Reseller Packages feature to create standardized reseller plans, which can be easily assigned to new resellers.

5. Assigning and Modifying Permissions

DirectAdmin allows Admins and Resellers to customize permissions for each user, controlling access to features such as FTP, email, databases, and file management.

• To modify user permissions:
  1. Go to Account Manager > User Management and select the user account you want to adjust.
  2. In the user’s settings, you can enable or disable features such as FTP access, DNS management, email management, and database creation.
  3. Adjust permissions based on the user’s role and specific needs.
  4. Click Save to apply the changes.

Tip: Limit permissions based on the user’s role to maintain security. For instance, disable database and DNS access for users who don’t need it.

6. Creating and Using Packages for Standardization

Packages are predefined sets of permissions and quotas that can be quickly applied to new user accounts. They’re ideal for maintaining consistency and streamlining the user creation process.

• To create a new package:
  1. Go to Reseller Level > Manage User Packages.
  2. Click Add Package and define the package name, disk space, bandwidth, email accounts, FTP accounts, databases, and other limits.
  3. Save the package to make it available when creating new users or resellers.

Tip: Set up different packages for various user needs, such as “Basic,” “Standard,” and “Premium” hosting plans, to make user creation faster.

7. Suspending and Unsuspending Users

If a user’s account needs to be temporarily disabled due to inactivity, overuse of resources, or security concerns, you can suspend the account in DirectAdmin.

• To suspend a user:
  1. Go to Account Manager > User Management and select the user account.
  2. Click on Suspend to disable the account. The user will lose access to the account, and their website will no longer be accessible.
  3. To unsuspend the user, return to the user’s account and click Unsuspend.

Tip: Use account suspension to quickly restrict access without deleting data, making it easy to reactivate the account later if needed.

8. Setting Up User-Level Security

DirectAdmin allows you to implement security measures, such as two-factor authentication (2FA), for users with critical access levels.

• Enable Two-Factor Authentication:
  1. Go to Advanced Features > Two-Step Authentication and follow the setup process.
  2. Enable 2FA for Admin, Reseller, or User-level accounts to enhance security.
  3. Each user will need to set up 2FA through an app like Google Authenticator or Authy.

Tip: Encourage users with sensitive data access to enable 2FA for an added layer of security.

9. Deleting User Accounts

If a user account is no longer needed, you can delete it from DirectAdmin. Deleting an account will remove all associated data, including files, databases, and emails, so proceed carefully.

• To delete a user account:
  1. Go to Account Manager > User Management.
  2. Select the user account and click Delete.
  3. Confirm the deletion to permanently remove the account and all its data.

Tip: Back up any important data before deleting a user account, as this action is irreversible.

10. Monitoring User Activity and Resource Usage

DirectAdmin provides tools to help you monitor user activity and resource usage, ensuring that server resources are being used responsibly.

• To monitor user activity:
  1. Go to System Info & Files > System Information to check overall resource usage, including CPU, memory, and bandwidth.
  2. Use Account Manager > Usage Statistics to view resource usage by individual users.

Tip: Set up alerts or periodically review usage statistics to identify and manage users who consistently use excessive resources.

Managing users and permissions in DirectAdmin allows you to maintain a secure, efficient hosting environment tailored to each user’s needs. By using packages, setting quotas, enabling security measures, and monitoring resource usage, you can ensure smooth operations and a better experience for all users. Whether you’re managing a small team or a large number of reseller accounts, DirectAdmin’s tools make user management straightforward and scalable.