How to Launch an AWS AMI Instance for cPanel & WHM

1. Overview

This guide explains how to launch a cPanel & WHM instance on Amazon Web Services™ (AWS) using the official Amazon Machine Image™ (AMI). This is the recommended and most reliable method for deploying cPanel & WHM on AWS.

Warnings:

This guide assumes you are using dedicated DNS servers.
cPanel & WHM cannot run on IPv6-only servers. At least one IPv4 address is required.
An incorrect hostname may cause licensing issues.

2. Create a Key Pair

If your AWS account does not already have a key pair, create one before launching the instance:

Sign in to the AWS Management Console.
Go to Services → EC2.
In the left menu, click Network & Security → Key Pairs.
Click Create key pair.
Enter a name and click Create.

Your browser will download a .pem private key file.

2.1 Add the Key Pair to Your System

macOS:

mv ~/Downloads/example.pem ~/.ssh/
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/example.pem
ssh-add ~/.ssh/example.pem

Windows: Use PuTTY or Windows OpenSSH according to AWS documentation.

3. Select the Official cPanel & WHM AMI

Go to the AWS Marketplace and choose the appropriate AMI:

AlmaLinux: cPanel & WHM for AlmaLinux
Ubuntu: cPanel & WHM for Ubuntu
Rocky Linux: cPanel & WHM for Rocky Linux

Click Continue to Subscribe.

Important: Only use AMIs where the seller is cPanel or WebPros International, LLC.

4. Subscribe and Verify Fulfillment

Click Accept Terms.
Wait for subscription confirmation.
Click Continue to Configuration.
Ensure the Fulfillment Option is 64-bit (x86) AMI.

5. Verify Version and Region

Select the desired cPanel & WHM version. The latest version is selected by default.

Note: After launch, the AMI automatically runs /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/upcp to apply updates.

Confirm or change the AWS Region.

6. Launch the Instance

Click Continue to Launch.

Under Action, select Launch from Website.

6.1 Choose an Instance Type

Select an instance type that meets cPanel’s minimum requirements.

Warnings:

Instance type affects billing.
Do not use Spot Instances; they may cause license issues.

6.2 Configure VPC and Subnet

Select or create a VPC and Subnet.

6.3 Configure Security Group

Click Create New Based on Seller Settings to apply recommended cPanel firewall rules.

6.4 Select Key Pair

Choose the key pair you created earlier.

6.5 Launch the Instance

Click Launch. The instance will begin initializing.

7. Assign an Elastic IP (Highly Recommended)

AWS public IPs change after reboot. cPanel licenses require a static IP.

Go to EC2 Dashboard → Elastic IPs.
Click Allocate Elastic IP address.
Select the IP → Actions → Associate Elastic IP address.
Choose your instance and private IP.

8. Connect via SSH

Use SSH to monitor installation:

AlmaLinux:

ssh ec2-user@IPADDRESS
sudo su -

Ubuntu:

ssh ubuntu@IPADDRESS
sudo su -

Rocky Linux:

ssh rocky@IPADDRESS
sudo su -

9. Set the Root Password

Run the following command:

passwd

10. Log In to WHM

Open the following URL:

https://YOUR_IP:2087

Username: root
Password: the password you set

Accept the license and complete the initial setup.

11. Fix Hostname Issues

AWS may reset the hostname after reboot. To preserve it:

printf 'preserve_hostname: true\nmanage_etc_hosts: false\n' > /etc/cloud/cloud.cfg.d/99-preserve-hostname.cfg

12. Troubleshoot Installation

For common issues, refer to the Troubleshoot Your Installation section in cPanel documentation.

Conclusion

This guide covers all steps required to launch, configure, and manage a cPanel & WHM instance on AWS using the official AMI. Following these steps ensures a stable, secure, and fully licensed hosting environment.