Deploying Drupal on Cloudways is a straightforward process that can be done within a few minutes. Here are the steps:
- Sign up for a Cloudways account: Go to the Cloudways website and create an account. You can choose the desired server size and location based on your requirements.
- Launch a new server: Once you sign up, launch a new server by selecting your preferred cloud provider (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Vultr). Specify the server size and location, and then click on the "Launch Now" button.
- Install Drupal on the server: After the server is launched, click on the "Applications" tab and choose "Drupal." Enter the application name, folder, and other relevant details. You can also select the version of Drupal you want to install.
- Configure server settings: Choose your desired server settings, such as PHP version, database (MySQL or MariaDB), and other options. Set up your domain name or choose the temporary one provided by Cloudways.
- Deploy Drupal: Click on the "Deploy Now" button, and Cloudways will start the installation process. It will download and set up all the necessary files for Drupal on your server.
- Access your Drupal website: Once the installation is complete, you will receive your website URL and login details. Use these credentials to access the Drupal admin dashboard.
That's it! You have successfully deployed Drupal on Cloudways. You can now start customizing and building your Drupal website according to your needs.
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How to secure a Drupal site hosted on Cloudways?
To secure a Drupal site hosted on Cloudways, you can follow these steps:
- Keep the Drupal core and modules up to date: Regularly check for updates to Drupal core and modules used on your site. Cloudways provides a simple interface to manage updates. Update them as soon as new versions are available to minimize the risk of vulnerabilities.
- Strong passwords: Ensure that all user accounts, including the admin account, have strong passwords. Avoid using common passwords or easily guessable phrases. Enable password policies within Drupal to enforce stronger passwords.
- Two-factor authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA for user logins on your Drupal site. This provides an extra layer of security by requiring an additional verification step, typically through a mobile app or email.
- File and directory permission: Set appropriate file and directory permissions to prevent unauthorized access. Cloudways provides easy access to file permissions within the platform. Follow Drupal's recommended file permission settings to secure your site.
- Secure connections (HTTPS): Obtain an SSL certificate for your site and configure HTTPS. This ensures secure communication between the user's browser and your website. Cloudways provides Let's Encrypt integration, making it easier to obtain and manage SSL certificates.
- Protect against brute force attacks: Utilize modules like Login Security or Limit Login Attempts to protect against brute force attacks. These modules help to block suspicious login attempts after a certain number of failures.
- Firewall and IP Whitelisting: Enable a web application firewall (WAF) to filter out malicious requests. Cloudways offers an integrated WAF that you can enable to protect your Drupal site. Additionally, consider using IP whitelisting to restrict access to specific IP addresses that you trust.
- Regular backups: Regularly back up your Drupal site for disaster recovery purposes. Cloudways provides automated backups and easy restoration options. Make sure you have a backup schedule that suits your needs.
- Security modules and practices: Install Drupal security modules like Security Kit, Drupalgeddon, and Hacked! to enhance your site's security. Additionally, follow Drupal's security best practices, such as disabling PHP execution in certain directories, configuring secure file and image handling, and regular security audits.
- Regular security audits and monitoring: Conduct regular security audits on your site to identify and fix vulnerabilities. Monitor your site for any suspicious activities or unauthorized access. Cloudways provides server monitoring tools, while Drupal itself has security check modules available.
Remember, security is an ongoing process. Stay updated with the latest security practices and be proactive in maintaining the security of your Drupal site hosted on Cloudways.
How to deploy Drupal on Cloudways?
To deploy Drupal on Cloudways, follow the steps below:
- Sign up for a Cloudways account if you don't have one already. You can choose the cloud provider you prefer, such as AWS, Google Cloud, or DigitalOcean, during the sign-up process.
- Once signed in, click on the "Launch" button on the top right corner of the Cloudways dashboard.
- In the "Choose an Application" section, select "Drupal" from the drop-down menu.
- Choose the desired cloud provider, application server, and PHP version under the "Choose a Cloud" section.
- Fill in the required details for your application, such as the application name, project name, domain name, and email address.
- Select the server size and location that suit your needs, based on the estimated traffic and expected usage.
- Click on the "Launch Now" button to initiate the deployment process.
- After the deployment process is complete, Cloudways will provide you with the necessary access information, such as FTP credentials and application URL.
- Access your Drupal website by entering the provided application URL in your web browser.
- Configure your Drupal installation by following the on-screen instructions and providing the requested details, such as the database information.
- Once the configuration process is complete, you can start customizing your Drupal website by installing themes, modules, and configuring your desired settings.
That's it! Your Drupal website is now deployed on Cloudways. You can manage your application and server settings through the Cloudways dashboard.
How to update Drupal core and modules on Cloudways?
To update Drupal core and modules on Cloudways, you can follow these steps:
- Log in to your Cloudways account.
- Select your application from the Applications tab.
- Go to the Access Details tab and note down the SFTP details (FTP host, username, and password).
- Open an FTP/SFTP client (e.g., FileZilla) and connect to your server using the provided SFTP details.
- Once connected, navigate to the "public_html" directory (or the directory where your Drupal installation is located).
- Create a backup of your Drupal site by downloading the "sites" folder and the "database.sql" file from the current installation.
- Go to the Drupal website (https://www.drupal.org) and download the latest stable version of Drupal core.
- Extract the downloaded Drupal files to your local computer.
- Using your FTP/SFTP client, upload the extracted Drupal files to the root directory of your Drupal installation. Overwrite existing files when prompted.
- After the upload is complete, open a new browser tab and access your Drupal site to trigger the update process. Follow the on-screen instructions to update the site's database.
- Once the database update is complete, log in to your Drupal admin dashboard using your credentials.
- Go to the Extend section and check for any module updates.
- Select the modules you want to update and click the Update button.
- If any dependencies are required for the update, Cloudways will automatically install them.
- Once the module updates are complete, clear your Drupal cache by navigating to Configuration > Development > Performance and clicking the Clear all caches button.
- Verify that your Drupal site and modules are working correctly after the updates.
Note: It's always recommended to take a backup of your Drupal site before performing any updates to avoid any potential issues.
How to manage cron jobs for a Drupal site on Cloudways?
To manage cron jobs for a Drupal site on Cloudways, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Cloudways account and select the server that hosts your Drupal site.
- Navigate to the "Applications" tab and click on the Drupal application you want to manage cron jobs for.
- On the Application Management page, go to the "Cron Job" section.
- By default, Cloudways provides a sample cron job command. Modify this command according to your Drupal site's needs. The basic structure of the command should be: drush --root=/path/to/drupal --uri=http://example.com cron Replace /path/to/drupal with the actual path to your Drupal installation, and http://example.com with the URL of your site.
- You can set the schedule for your cron job using the predefined drop-down options or by manually entering the cron expression. Common settings include running the cron job every 5 or 10 minutes.
- Once you have set up the cron job command and schedule, click the "Add New Job" button to save it.
- Cloudways will list all the cron jobs you have created for your Drupal site. From here, you can delete or edit cron jobs as needed.
Note: Cloudways provides a built-in Cron Job Manager that simplifies the process of managing cron jobs for your Drupal site. If you prefer a GUI interface to manage cron jobs, you can use this manager instead of the command-line method outlined above.
How to set up custom error pages for a Drupal site on Cloudways?
To set up custom error pages for a Drupal site on Cloudways, you can follow these steps:
- Login to your Cloudways account and select the desired Drupal application.
- In the Application Management section, click on the 'Domain Management' tab.
- Under the 'Advanced' section, click on the 'Error Pages' button.
- You will see a list of default error pages provided by Cloudways. Click on the 'Add Custom Error Page' button.
- Select the error code from the dropdown menu for which you want to create the custom error page (e.g., 404 Page Not Found).
- Enter the URL of your custom error page in the 'Redirect to URL' field. This page could be a Drupal node or a standalone HTML page hosted on your server or externally.
- Optionally, you can choose to send headers with your custom error page by selecting the desired options from 'Headers type' and 'Headers values' fields.
- Click on the 'Add Error Page' button to save your settings.
- Repeat the process for other error codes if needed.
- Clear your Drupal cache to ensure the changes take effect.
Now, when a visitor encounters the specified error code on your Drupal site, they will be redirected to the custom error page you have set up on Cloudways.
How to create an application on Cloudways for Drupal?
To create an application on Cloudways for Drupal, follow these steps:
- Sign in to your Cloudways account or sign up for a new account if you don't have one already.
- Once logged in, click on the "Applications" tab on the top menu.
- Click on the "Add Application" button.
- In the application creation form, select the following options: Choose the "Cloud" provider of your choice. Name your application. Choose a project name (optional). Select the desired server size. Choose the geographic location of your server. Select PHP version based on Drupal's requirements. Select your desired application version (latest is recommended). Choose a database application.
- Under the "Advanced" tab, you can configure additional settings like Custom Varnish Settings, Redis, memcached, etc. These steps are optional, but they can enhance your Drupal application performance.
- Click on the "Add Application" button to start the creation process.
- Cloudways will now provision your server and install Drupal for you. Once created, you'll see your newly created application listed on the "Applications" page.
- Click on your application's name to access the application management area.
- Under the application management area, you'll find various options like launching the application, managing domains, accessing the database, etc. You can also schedule backups, perform scaling, and more.
- To launch your Drupal application, click on the "Launch" button. This will take you to your website where you can start setting up Drupal.
That's it! You have successfully created a Drupal application on Cloudways. Now, you can start configuring and building your Drupal site.
