Knowledge Base

VPS and Dedicated Hosting Scope of Support

Managing your VPS (Virtual Private Server) or Dedicated Hosting plan can sometimes feel challenging, especially when technical issues arise. The important thing is to know how to handle your account and when to reach out to us for help.

To make this easier, we have created useful articles with step-by-step instructions on how to set up an account, perform common maintenance tasks, and troubleshoot common problems. If there is anything else you would like our support team to assist you with, please do not hesitate to ask. However, please note that some requests may fall outside the scope of our official support due to security, privacy, or other policies.

Below is the scope of our customer service for the following:

Scope of Support: VPS/Dedicated Hosting
Related Articles

Scope of Support: VPS/Dedicated Hosting

Account Manager / Billing
Service	Self-Managed w/o Panel	Self-Managed w/cPanel	Managed Services w/ cPanel + Support	Fully Managed Services w/ cPanel + Premium Support
Purchasing/renewing hosting	✅	✅	✅	✅
Purchasing/renewing addons	✅	✅	✅	✅
Account Manager Navigation Walkthrough	✅	✅	✅	✅
Cancel Hosting	✅	✅	✅	✅
Refund Requests	✅	✅	✅	✅
Upgrade/Downgrade plans and adjust terms	✅	✅	✅	✅
Reset passwords or provide access help	✅	✅	✅	✅
Explain invoices and charges	✅	✅	✅	✅
Manage/add/remove authorized users	✅	✅	✅	✅
Investigate fraud/abuse account holds	✅	✅	✅	✅
Handle chargeback disputes	✅	✅	✅	✅
Walk through 2FA setup	✅	✅	✅	✅
Review/apply tax exemptions	✅	✅	✅	✅
Assist in ownership disputes	✅	✅	✅	✅
Managing Chargeback Reactivations	✅	✅	✅	✅

Applications (Platform with a limited choice of Linux OS)
Server Components	Self-Managed w/o Panel	Self-Managed w/cPanel	Managed Services w/ cPanel + Support	Fully Managed Services w/ cPanel + Premium Support
Linux	✅	✅	✅	✅
Apache	✅	✅	✅	✅
MySQL	✅	✅	✅	✅
PHP	✅	✅	✅	✅
Dovecot	✅	✅	✅	✅
Firewall	✅	✅	✅	✅

Backup Solutions
Service	Self-Managed w/o Panel	Self-Managed w/cPanel	Managed Services w/ cPanel + Support	Fully Managed Services w/ cPanel + Premium Support
Review to see what backups are available	❌	❌	✅	✅
Configure Serverside Backups	❌	❌	✅	✅
Assist with configuring site backups	❌	❌	✅	✅
Provide a compressed serverside backup	❌	❌	✅	✅
Restoring from a serverside backup	❌	❌	✅	✅

DNS
Service	Self-Managed w/o Panel	Self-Managed w/cPanel	Managed Services w/ cPanel + Support	Fully Managed Services w/ cPanel + Premium Support
Add A records	❌	❌	✅	✅
Add MX records	❌	❌	✅	✅
Add CNAME records	❌	❌	✅	✅
Add TXT records	❌	❌	✅	✅
Add CAA records	❌	❌	✅	✅
Add rDNS records (PTR)	❌	❌	✅	✅
Turn On/Off DNSSEC	❌	❌	✅	✅
Reset Zone File	❌	❌	✅	✅
Repush DNS when applicable	❌	❌	✅	✅
Manage NameServers	❌	❌	✅	✅
CDN Setup and Support / Troubleshooting	❌	❌	✅	✅
Adding / removing a domain	❌	❌	✅	✅
Purchasing a domain	❌	❌	✅	✅
Purchasing a premium domain	Visit HostGator Domains to purchase premium domains.
Assigning a Domain	❌	❌	✅	✅
Setting up Sub, Parked, redirected domains	❌	❌	✅	✅
Assist with domain verification	❌	❌	✅	✅
Domain transfers	❌	❌	✅	✅
Configure Custom Nameservers	❌	❌	✅	✅

Email
Service	Self-Managed w/o Panel	Self-Managed w/cPanel	Managed Services w/ cPanel + Support	Fully Managed Services w/ cPanel + Premium Support
Paid Email box Creation	❌	❌	✅	✅
Email Login Troubleshooting	❌	❌	✅	✅
Server Side Email (configure, and troubleshoot)	❌	❌	✅	✅
OX Mail (purchase, configure, and troubleshoot)	❌	❌	✅	✅
Titan Mail (purchase, configure, and troubleshoot)	❌	❌	✅	✅
Google Workspace(purchase, configure, and troubleshoot)	❌	❌	✅	✅
Configure MX records (DMARC, DKIM, SPF)	❌	❌	✅	✅
Troubleshoot sending and receiving issues	❌	❌	✅	✅

Malware
Security Service	Self-Managed w/o Panel	Self-Managed w/cPanel	Managed Services w/ cPanel + Support	Fully Managed Services w/ cPanel + Premium Support
Run malware scans to identify potential threats	❌	❌	✅	✅
Identify if root user may have been compromised and how (if possible)	❌	❌	❌	✅
Perform Root Cause Analysis	❌	❌	❌	✅
Malware cleaning	❌	❌	❌	❌

Migrations
Migrations Service	Self-Managed w/o Panel	Self-Managed w/cPanel	Managed Services w/ cPanel + Support	Fully Managed Services w/ cPanel + Premium Support
Assist with migrating a site using the Bluehost migration tool, or migrate guru	❌	❌	✅	✅
Assist customers with 2FA on source	❌	❌	✅	✅
Provide updates on paid migrations, collect information needed to finish a migration, and expedite when needed	❌	❌	✅	✅

Onboarding Walkthrough
Onboarding Task	Self-Managed w/o Panel	Self-Managed w/cPanel	Managed Services w/ cPanel + Support	Fully Managed Services w/ cPanel + Premium Support
Setting up backups	❌	❌	✅	✅
CMS Installation	❌	❌	✅	✅
DNS Setup	❌	❌	✅	✅
Domain Transfers	❌	❌	✅	✅
Email Setup/config	❌	❌	✅	✅
WordPress Staging	❌	❌	✅	✅
Configure CDN	❌	❌	✅	✅
Install SSL	❌	❌	✅	✅
Account Manager/Portal Navigation	❌	❌	✅	✅
Guide customer through host file setup	❌	❌	✅	✅
Setup Security	❌	❌	✅	✅

Server Side / WHM
Server Management	Self-Managed w/o Panel	Self-Managed w/cPanel	Managed Services w/ cPanel + Support	Fully Managed Services w/ cPanel + Premium Support
See if services are down and attempt to bring them back up	❌	❌	✅	✅
Perform server reboots	❌	❌	✅	✅
Add and remove cPanel users	N/A	❌	✅	✅
Troubleshoot server load issues	❌	❌	✅	✅
Install older PHP version on a server*	❌	❌	❌	✅
IP Reputation Management	✅	✅	✅	✅
Create sub-cpanels	❌	❌	✅	✅
Configure custom nameservers	❌	❌	✅	✅
Create / edit Packages	❌	❌	✅	✅
Configure Server Backups	❌	❌	✅	✅
Server Reimage	❌	❌	❌	✅
Check disk usage and provide a breakdown	❌	❌	✅	✅
If disk usage is at 100% and the customer can't delete content themselves, we will delete it for them	❌	❌	❌	✅
Clearing server-side cache	❌	❌	✅	✅
WHM Navigation / Troubleshooting	❌	❌	✅	✅
Custom Software Installs	❌	❌	❌	✅
Easy Apache Management	❌	❌	❌	✅
PCI Compliance Reviews	❌	❌	❌	✅
Modify named service (Bind ⇔ PowerDNS)	❌	❌	❌	✅
Adjusting user shell (adding jailshell for customers)	❌	❌	✅	✅
Creating / resetting their root password	❌	❌	❌	✅

SSH/FTP
SSH/FTP Management	Self-Managed w/o Panel	Self-Managed w/cPanel	Managed Services w/ cPanel + Support	Fully Managed Services w/ cPanel + Premium Support
Creating SSH/FTP Users	❌	❌	✅	✅
Troubleshooting SSH/FTP Connection Issues	❌	❌	✅	✅
Configure FTP Clients	❌	❌	✅	✅
Configure SSH Terminals	❌	❌	✅	✅

SSL
Service	Self-Managed w/o Panel	Self-Managed w/cPanel	Managed Services w/ cPanel + Support	Fully Managed Services w/ cPanel + Premium Support
Install Paid SSLs	❌	❌	✅	✅
Renew Paid SSLs	❌	❌	✅	✅
Assisting with AutoSSL/LetsEncrypt	❌	❌	✅	✅
Validate SSL via different validation methods such as .http and CNAME hash	❌	❌	✅	✅
Troubleshoot sites showing a security risk due to the lack of an SSL	❌	❌	✅	✅

Windows Windows support is exclusively ticket-based.
Service	Self-Managed w/o Panel	Self-Managed w/cPanel	Managed Services w/ cPanel + Support	Fully Managed Services w/ cPanel + Premium Support
Plesk Login Credentials	❌	❌	❌	❌
Adding a domain	❌	❌	❌	❌
Creating an email account	❌	❌	❌	❌
Uploading Website Files	❌	❌	❌	❌
Managing Backups	❌	❌	❌	❌
Creating FTP Accounts	❌	❌	❌	❌
Installing Let's Encrypt free SSL	❌	❌	❌	❌

WordPress
WordPress Management	Self-Managed w/o Panel	Self-Managed w/cPanel	Managed Services w/ cPanel + Support	Fully Managed Services w/ cPanel + Premium Support
Install plugins / themes	❌	❌	✅	✅
Assist with replacing missing core files when needed	❌	❌	✅	✅
Help with Login errors or admin access issues	❌	❌	✅	✅
Install WordPress	❌	❌	✅	✅
Wordpress Navigation Walkthrough	❌	❌	✅	✅
Activate / Deactivate plugins / themes	❌	❌	✅	✅
Troubleshoot 4xx / 5xx errors driven by plugin / theme friction	❌	❌	✅	✅
Troubleshoot database connection errors	❌	❌	✅	✅
Change the home and site URL	❌	❌	✅	✅
PHP.ini settings tweaks (max_execution_time, memory_limit, etc.)	❌	❌	✅	✅
.htaccess edits (rewrite rules, redirects, deny codes, replacing .htaccess, etc.)	❌	❌	✅	✅
wp-config.php updates (DB credentials, debug flags)	❌	❌	✅	✅
Update PHP Version	❌	❌	✅	✅
Assist with updating core files when needed	❌	❌	✅	✅
Identify optimization opportunities and make recommendations on how to address it	❌	❌	✅	✅
Search and replace to fix mixed content	❌	❌	✅	✅
Staging setup and troubleshooting	❌	❌	✅	✅
Deep troubleshooting of plugin/theme compatibility	❌	❌	❌	❌
Custom site repair after malware/hack	❌	❌	❌	❌
Full WordPress optimization or design changes	❌	❌	❌	❌
Site migrations or manual cleanups	❌	❌	✅	✅
Page speed tuning and SEO audits	❌	❌	✅	✅

Not Supported
Service	Self-Managed w/o Panel	Self-Managed w/cPanel	Managed Services w/ cPanel + Support	Fully Managed Services w/ cPanel + Premium Support
Configuring Crypto Currency Servers	❌
Configuring Gaming Servers
Creating/implementing Custom Coding (CSS, HTML, PHP, etc.)
Setting up Virtual Machines
Troubleshooting Virtual Private Network (VPN)

* Cannot install any version of php that is not cPanel-approved

How can we help you? Please contact us via phone or chat if you need assistance.

Did you find this article helpful?