1. Overview
After creating an instance on Linode, you can manage it through the Linode Manager interface. This guide covers essential instance‑management tasks and explains how to use the cpuser_service_manager script and the Ubic subsystem for managing user‑level services in cPanel.
Warnings:
- This guide assumes you already have a Linode account.
- Linode refers to instances as “Linodes,” but this document uses the term “instance.”
- You must purchase a cPanel & WHM license. New installations receive a free 15‑day trial.
- cPanel & WHM cannot run on IPv6‑only servers. At least one IPv4 address is required.
2. Access Your Instance for the First Time
- Navigate to the Linode Login interface.
- Enter your username and password.
- From the left navigation bar, click Linodes.
- Click the label of the instance you want to access.
The instance profile displays statistics and available actions.
2.1 Locate IP Addresses
In the instance list, locate the public IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.
2.2 Access the Command Line
To open a console:
- Click Launch LISH Console.
To access via SSH:
ssh -i "~/.ssh/example.pem" root@IPADDRESS
Log in as root using the root password. The system will display a Message of the Day with helpful links and a WHM login URL.
To log in to WHM:
https://IPADDRESS:2087
Accept the license agreement, enter your contact details and nameserver information, and proceed to the WHM Home interface.
To configure the hostname:
WHM » Networking Setup » Change Hostname
Important: Set the hostname before obtaining a cPanel & WHM license.
3. Manage Your Instances
Important: Stop unused instances to avoid unnecessary charges.
- Log in to Linode.
- Click Linodes.
- Click the three dots next to the instance.
3.1 Available Actions
- Power On / Power Off — Start or stop the instance.
- Reboot — Restart the instance.
- Launch LISH Console — Open a terminal session.
- Clone — Duplicate the instance.
- Resize — Adjust CPU, RAM, and disk space.
- Rebuild — Reinstall the instance.
Warning: Rebuilding permanently deletes all data.
- Rescue — Boot into Rescue Mode.
- Migrate — Move the instance to another region.
Important: Migration assigns new IPv4/IPv6 addresses. Update DNS and your cPanel license.
- Delete — Permanently remove the instance.
Warning: Deleting an instance is irreversible.
4. The cpuser_service_manager Script
The cpuser_service_manager script allows cPanel users to add, remove, and monitor user‑managed services such as Tomcat, Rails, WSGI, and PSGI applications. It configures the Ubic subsystem and adds a watchdog cron job.
Run the script using:
/usr/local/cpanel/scripts/cpuser_service_manager [argument] [options]
4.1 Script Arguments
| Argument | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| add service_name --init-script=path | Add a user‑managed service using an LSB‑compliant script. | /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/cpuser_service_manager add my_app --init-script=/path/to/init |
| add service_name --ubic-service=path | Add a service using a Ubic‑compliant script. | /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/cpuser_service_manager add my_app --ubic-service=/path/to/ubic |
| info | Display script information. | /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/cpuser_service_manager info |
| list | List user‑managed services. | /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/cpuser_service_manager list |
| remove service_name | Remove a service. | /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/cpuser_service_manager remove my_app |
| hint [argument] | Show abbreviated help. | /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/cpuser_service_manager hint add |
| help [argument] | Show full help. | /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/cpuser_service_manager help add |
5. The Ubic Subsystem
The script configures the Ubic subsystem when adding a service. Ubic allows users to start, stop, restart, and check the status of their services.
Ubic adds the following to the account:
~/ubicdirectory~/.ubic.cfgconfiguration file- A watchdog cron job
Important:
Do not edit ~/.ubic.cfg.
5.1 Ubic Commands
Use Ubic with:
ubic [argument] [service_name]
| Argument | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| status | Show service status. | ubic status my_app |
| start | Start a service. | ubic start my_app |
| stop | Stop a service. | ubic stop my_app |
| restart | Restart a service. | ubic restart my_app |
Conclusion
This guide covers essential Linode instance‑management tasks and explains how to use the cpuser_service_manager script and Ubic subsystem to manage user‑level services. These tools provide powerful control over your applications and server environment.