GPL - Splitting up services over multiple servers

Virtualmin
1
SYSTEM INFORMATION
OS type and version AlmaLinux 9.5
Webmin version 2.402
Virtualmin version 7.30.8 GPL
Webserver version Apache 2.4.62
Related packages N/A

Hi,

I am looking at using Webmin & Vitualmin as my server deployment system, but I want to know if it is possible to do the following in any form of automated deployment.

I want to run different services on different servers, so:

Each of these is a single server:
DNS 1
DNS 2
Authentication (openLDAP, usermin)
Mailserver (Postfix, Dovecot, ClamAV, etc)
Webserver (Apache, PHP)
Database Server (mySQL)

Is there a way to specify which services to install and can the servers automatically provide the required information to the others when a website is created, ie:

  • Webserver registers domain as a virtual server and creates webspace,
  • Creates user info on the auth server,
  • Create email boxes on email server,
  • Creates DNS entries on DNS servers,
  • Any required databases are built on the database server.

Has anyone done this type of setup before and can point me in the correct direction to find instructions that will guide me through it?

Cheers,

Barry.

2

@BarryBKS,

Yes, you can split services across multiple servers. However depending on which service you setup on a given node, and how it’s setup you may need to manually operate each node individually.

To accomplish some of these tasks, you could use a combination of Webmin, Cloudmin, and Virtualmin depending on your needs, level of automation you’re after, budget and skillset.

While not talked about much on the forums, it’s also possible to make use of LDAP for centralized user management within both Webmin and Virtualmin which in some cases could make managing users across multiple servers a bit easier, though this is a bit of an advanced topic, and requires some adjustments to settings on all servers to get working.

Based on the above noted setup:

I’d probably make this the “primary” node which runs Virtualmin with DNS (hidden master), Web Server.

This may be possible though is an advanced topic, likely making use of LDAP noted above.

This would be a Virtualmin server running Email, Spam, and Virus Scanning

These could run Webmin with DNS server, but if setup to interact with “primary” (above), would have their DNS records automatically managed by “primary” but then serve the records publically. Bottom line wouldn’t need to add/update/delete records manually in most cases.

Similar to the above notes about DNS, you could run on a Webmin server with your Database Server of choice (presumable MySQL/MariaDB or PostgreSQL) then connect that server to the “primary” whereby the primary UI would manage the databases, while this server would serve the databases.

I’ve setup most of this type of cluster for myself and clients over the years, minus the “auth” server idea. Most of the tasks can be done fairly easily as long as you have the proper technical understanding and skill to accomplish and understand what is being done.

You could hire me, if required or desired to get the boiler plate cluster setup, and learn how to do basic management or even outsource long-term technical requirements to me. Drop me a PM if you want to chat more about this.

3

@tpnsolutions,

Thanks for the info. Yes, that is basically what I’m after.

I have good technical Linux knowledge, but I’m new to Virtualmin and I couldn’t find a way to split up the installer script to only install the required services on each node.

It’s good to know its possible.

I’m currently playing with a couple of demo servers to see how the clustering works and how to get the two servers to share services.

Thanks for the feedback.

Barry.