How to Install CloudLinux on AlmaLinux 9 or 8

Do you want to migrate your existing AlmaLinux 9 or 8 to a CloudLinux server? This Linux tutorial will surely help you a lot!

Managing a hosting server or web server, especially when using multiple web applications, can be complicated if you use the command line. However, to simplify things, we already have various options such as DirectAdmin, WHM Cpanel, CyberPanel, Plesk, and more; however, these are all software applications that need a Linux operating system to run. For example, Ubuntu, Debian, RedHat, Almalinux, Rocky Linux, and, of course, the one we are talking about in this article, CloudLinux.

Why Choose CloudLinux When AlmaLinux and Ubuntu Exist?

Now, the important question arises: “Why should I pay for CloudLinux when we already have AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, and Ubuntu options?”

AlmaLinux and Ubuntu are certainly excellent Linux distros with general-purpose tools. But CloudLinux is a specialized tool designed for one specific purpose: optimizing web hosting environments.

While regular distributions like Ubuntu and AlmaLinux provide a solid foundation for various workloads, they weren’t specifically engineered for the unique challenges of shared hosting environments. Here’s where CloudLinux makes its mark:

1. Resource Allocation and Isolation

CloudLinux’s standout feature is its Lightweight Virtual Environment (LVE) technology. This technology allows you to allocate specific CPU, memory, and I/O resources to each tenant or user on your server.

Whereas, with standard distributions like Ubuntu or AlmaLinux, a single busy website can consume all available server resources, causing other sites to slow down or crash.

2. Enhanced Security Through Isolation

CloudLinux’s CageFS creates a virtualized file system for each user, preventing them from seeing or accessing other users’ files or processes. This level of isolation isn’t available out-of-the-box with standard Linux distributions, and even if you want it, it would require significant custom configuration.

3. Stability in Multi-Tenant Environments

If you’re running a hosting business or managing multiple websites on a single server, CloudLinux’s stability features become invaluable. Its resource limits prevent one site’s traffic spike from affecting other running websites.

4. Specialized Support for Hosting Control Panels

CloudLinux offers deep integration with popular control panels like cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin, making management significantly easier for hosting providers.

CloudLinux vs AlmaLinux vs Ubuntu – Breakdown

Feature / Use Case	CloudLinux	AlmaLinux	Ubuntu
✅ Best for	Shared hosting servers	General-purpose enterprise use	Developers & cloud-native apps
👥 Multi-tenant isolation	✅ Yes (LVE, CageFS)	❌ No	❌ No
🧱 Kernel-level limits	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
🔒 Hardened PHP	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
📊 Resource usage tracking	✅ Yes (LVE Manager)	❌ No	❌ No
🎯 Hosting panels integration	✅ Best with cPanel, DirectAdmin	✅ Supported	✅ Supported
🧩 Custom patches/security	✅ Yes (e.g. KernelCare)	❌ Limited to RHEL rebuilds	✅ AppArmor, Livepatch (Pro)
💸 Licensing	❌ Paid	✅ Free & open source	✅ Free & open source
🔄 Release cycle	Close to RHEL	Binary-compatible with RHEL	Separate LTS & interim

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When CloudLinux Makes Financial Sense

Despite being a paid solution, CloudLinux can actually save money in certain scenarios:

• When you’re running a hosting business: The cost of CloudLinux is typically offset by being able to host more accounts reliably on the same hardware.

• When downtime is expensive: For business-critical websites, the improved stability can prevent costly outages.

• When you need to maximize server density: You can safely put more websites on a single server with CloudLinux than with standard Linux distributions.

Think of CloudLinux as an investment rather than an expense—like paying for insurance against resource-hogging websites and the downtime they can cause.

Prerequisites for Installing CloudLinux on AlmaLinux

Before we begin the migration process, make sure you have:

• A server running AlmaLinux 8 or 9
• Root access to your server
• At least 10GB of free disk space
• A valid CloudLinux license (or get a trial one to experience it)
• A stable internet connection for downloading packages
• A recent backup of your important data (always a good practice before system changes)

CloudLinux Installation Process on AlmaLinux 9/8

Since both CloudLinux and AlmaLinux are based on RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux), the migration path is relatively straightforward—like switching between similar models of the same car brand rather than changing to an entirely different vehicle.

Step 1: Buy or get a trial CloudLinux Licence

As we know, CloudLinux is not a free Linux to use, and we need to purchase its license, which is based on a subscription model. For that, log in to the official CloudLinux website – https://cln.cloudlinux.com/console/auth/login, and those who don’t have an account first need to register.

Here are the details on Licences and their approximate price while doing the article:

Key CloudLinux OS Licenses

Although there are multiple types of Products available on CloudLinux, here we have listed three popularly used ones:

License Type	Best For	Monthly Price (approx)	Notes
CloudLinux OS Shared Pro	cPanel/DirectAdmin shared hosting	~$18.00/server/month	Most common; includes LVE, CageFS, PHP Selector
CloudLinux OS Admin	Small-scale hosting (up to 50 users)	~$12.00/server/month	Cheaper version of Shared for low-usage hosts
CloudLinux OS Solo	Single website owners (like developers)	~$$7.00/server/month	Limited features, 1 user max

Here, we’re using CloudLinux OS trial license; you can buy as per your requirements.

Step 1: Prepare Your AlmaLinux Server

Access your AlmaLinux that you want to convert to CloudLinux, and in the terminal, run the system update command:

sudo su

dnf update -y

Once the updates are complete, reboot your server if necessary:

reboot

Backup Your Critical Data

I can’t stress this enough—back up your important data before proceeding. While this migration typically goes smoothly, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Download and Run the CloudLinux Installation Script

Now for the main event. CloudLinux provides a conversion script that handles most of the migration tasks. Let’s download and execute it:

dnf install wget
wget https://repo.cloudlinux.com/cloudlinux/sources/cln/cldeploy

Set the script permission to make it executable on AlmaLinux.

chmod +x cldeploy

Once you are done with the script, it’s time to run it with your CloudLinux activation key. We have already provided instructions on how to get the license key.:

bash ./cldeploy -k YOUR_ACTIVATION_KEY

Wait for the Conversion to Complete

The script will work like magic, replacing AlmaLinux repositories with CloudLinux ones and installing the necessary packages. Depending on your server’s specifications and internet connection speed, this can take 10 to 30 minutes.

During this process, you’ll see various messages about installed packages and configurations being updated. Don’t interrupt this process.

Reboot Your Server

Once the installation script completes successfully, you’ll need to reboot your server to load the new CloudLinux kernel:

sudo reboot

Verify the Installation

After rebooting, let’s make sure CloudLinux is appropriately installed. Check the kernel version:

uname -r

To verify the CloudLinux license status, run:

/usr/sbin/clnreg_ks --check

Configuring CloudLinux After Installation

Now that you’ve successfully installed CloudLinux on your AlmaLinux server, it’s time to configure some of its powerful features.

Note: CloudLinux only recently added support for AlmaLinux 9, hence, the LVE kernel package may not available or installed by default.

Setting Up LVE Manager

The LVE (Lightweight Virtual Environment) Manager is CloudLinux’s key feature —it’s what gives you those powerful resource management capabilities. Install it with:

sudo dnf install lvemanager -y

Once installed, you can access it through your control panel if you have one (like cPanel or Plesk), or directly through the command line.

Configuring Resource Limits

Even we can use the command line to set limits on CPU, memory, I/O, and other resources for each account on your server. For example, to set a default limit of 30% CPU and 1GB of memory per user:

lvectl set-user default --speed=30% --pmem=1G

Installing CageFS for Enhanced Security

CageFS is another powerful CloudLinux feature that provides an additional security layer by creating a virtualized file system view for each user. This prevents users from seeing each other’s files and processes.

cnf install cagefs -y

cagefsctl --init

After installation, enable it for all users:

sudo cagefsctl --enable-all

Potential Issues and Solutions

Kernel Compatibility Issues

Sometimes, after migration, you might find that certain applications aren’t working with the CloudLinux kernel. This is rare but can happen with specialized software.

Solution: Check application logs and look for kernel-related errors. You might need to adjust application configurations or contact CloudLinux support for specific patches.

License Activation Problems

If you encounter issues with license activation, first verify your internet connection.
Solution: If problems persist, run:

/usr/sbin/clnreg_ks --force

Missing Repositories After Conversion

Occasionally, some of your custom repositories might be disabled during the conversion process.
Solution: Check /etc/yum.repos.d/ directory and re-enable any repositories you need.

Error: Can`t open file /proc/lve/list

If you are using Almalinux 8 then install “yum install lvemanager” whereas Almalinux 9.5 users while writing this article may face this problem because of VE kernel package is yet not available or installed by default.

Can I Convert Back to AlmaLinux If Needed? Uninstall CloudLinux

Yes, we can uninstall the CloudLinux and restore AlmaLinux official repositories including the logos and all. For that, the same script will be used that we have used to install CloudLinux , here how?

Open command Terminal and run. This will also remove lve, mod_hostinglimits, lve-stats, lvemanager packages.

cldeploy -c

or

cldeploy --uninstall