Getting Started with Plesk

Plesk is a commercial web hosting control panel available on GoZen Host VPS and dedicated server plans. It provides a web-based interface for managing websites, domains, email accounts, databases, and server settings.

Accessing Plesk link

After your VPS or dedicated server is provisioned with Plesk, you’ll receive login credentials via email. Access the panel at:

  https://your-server-ip:8443
  

Or, once your domain points to the server:

  https://yourdomain.com:8443
  

Log in with the admin credentials provided during setup.

Dashboard Overview link

The Plesk dashboard shows you everything at a glance:

• Websites & Domains – your hosted sites, their status, and quick actions
• Mail – email accounts associated with your domains
• Databases – MySQL/MariaDB and PostgreSQL databases
• Files – the built-in file manager
• Statistics – disk, bandwidth, and resource usage

Managing Websites link

Adding a Domain link

1. Click Add Domain from the dashboard
2. Enter your domain name
3. Choose whether to create a new webspace or add it as an alias/subdomain
4. Set the document root (default is /httpdocs/)
5. Click OK

Plesk will create the directory structure and basic configuration automatically.

File Management link

You can manage files through:

• Plesk File Manager – web-based, accessible from the dashboard
• FTP – connect with an FTP client (FileZilla, Cyberduck) using the credentials from the FTP Access section
• SSH – if enabled, connect directly to the server

Installing WordPress link

Plesk includes the WordPress Toolkit, which makes WordPress management simple:

1. Go to WordPress in the left sidebar
2. Click Install
3. Choose your domain, set the admin username/password
4. Click Install

The WordPress Toolkit also handles:

• One-click updates for core, themes, and plugins
• Staging environments (clone and test before pushing live)
• Security hardening with pre-configured rules
• Bulk management of multiple WordPress installations

SSL Certificates link

Plesk supports free SSL via Let’s Encrypt:

1. Go to Websites & Domains and click on your domain
2. Click SSL/TLS Certificates
3. Click Install next to Let’s Encrypt
4. Check “Secure the domain” and optionally “Include www”
5. Click Get it Free

The certificate auto-renews every 90 days.

Email Management link

Creating Email Accounts link

1. Go to Mail from the dashboard
2. Click Create Email Address
3. Enter the username and password
4. Set mailbox quota (optional)
5. Click OK

Accessing Webmail link

Users can access their email through Plesk’s built-in webmail at:

  https://yourdomain.com/webmail
  

Or configure a desktop/mobile email client using:

• IMAP: mail.yourdomain.com, port 993 (SSL)
• SMTP: mail.yourdomain.com, port 465 (SSL)

Database Management link

Creating a Database link

1. Go to Databases from the dashboard
2. Click Add Database
3. Enter a database name, create a user with a password
4. Click OK

phpMyAdmin Access link

Click phpMyAdmin next to any database to open the database management interface.

Backups link

Plesk has built-in backup tools:

1. Go to Websites & Domains > Backup Manager
2. Click Back Up to create a full backup
3. Choose what to include (files, databases, mail)
4. Store locally or upload to remote FTP/S3 storage

Schedule automatic backups from the same page.

Security link

Firewall link

Configure server firewall rules from Tools & Settings > Firewall.

Fail2Ban link

Plesk includes Fail2Ban integration to block brute-force attacks:

• Go to Tools & Settings > IP Address Banning (Fail2Ban)
• Enable and configure the jails

Server Updates link

Keep Plesk and system packages updated:

• Tools & Settings > Updates for Plesk updates
• Use apt update && apt upgrade via SSH for OS-level packages

Plesk vs cPanel link

Useful Resources link

• Official Plesk Documentation
• Plesk Extensions Catalog

Related Articles link

• Choosing an OS for Your VPS
• First Boot VPS Setup
• cPanel vs Enhance: Choosing a Control Panel