If you have cPanel shared hosting servers, chances are that you will be using Config Server Firewall (CSF) and Login Failure Daemon (LFD) firewall to secure your server. While they provide great out of the box security, it’s default settings can cause Connection Timed Out errors for your customers, which are usually reported as web, email, FTP or control panel down times. Repeated occurrences of service unavailability quickly leads to poor service reputation, and account cancellations.

Faced with such a situation, most web hosts get a server administrator to do a one time firewall optimization, and believe their servers are immune to firewall issues. However, this is not true. They will start getting connection complaints after a couple of months. It is caused by the firewall not being compatible with the changed mail and web traffic patterns in the server. The traffic patterns in a server keeps changing based on the following factors:

Increasing or decreasing number of accounts.
Growing popularity of individual web sites.
Change in reseller account volumes and their usage policies.
Clients using new devices to access web and mail services.
Updates in web and mail server features through new cPanel releases.

Here at Bobcares, we do not stop at the initial server optimization. We continually optimize the server to prevent any service downtime to customers. For example, in our Unlimited Help Desk Support plan, we continually update server and firewall settings based on trends in monitoring system alerts and trouble tickets. Such a proactive approach ensures that web masters never need to contact support about a web or mail service down time, which in turn results in good service reputation, high customer loyalty, and business growth through customer referrals.

If you would like to discuss how recurring issues can be reduced in your hosting environment, we would be happy to talk to you.

About the author

Visakh S is a senior software engineer at Bobcares. He has extensive experience in managing technical support teams of web hosting companies and data centers. He is passionate about systems engineering, and loves to get his hands dirty on systems automation. His free time is spent reading books and being with his family.