Would your clients like to have multiple versions of PHP?

[catalin]

Now that we have CageFS & proper namespaces, it is very easy for us to add ability for the customer to choose which version of PHP to run.
We can offer customer php 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4 as well as "Latest beta" version. That would require suPHP, php as CGI or mod_fcgid. Beyond that requirement, it would work with pretty much any control panel.
Customer would be able to select PHP version that they want, as well as list of extensions (we can include pretty much everything to satisfy anyone).
We can even allow customer to edit php.ini

That would be in addition to "default/system" PHP.

I have heard a lot of people saying that they want to have it. Yet, some hosting companies voices that they don want it, as it would create a lot of new support questions, and they are afraid it would be a support nightmare.

What do you think? Is that something you would like to have? Do you see any potential issues we should consider?

[john]

It sounds like a great idea. Would this become a feature they change in cPanel?

Thanks for everything, CloudLinux has really improved our server security and stability!

[iseletsk]

Yes, it will be an icon they would click, select version of PHP, and optionally php extensions they want to run.

[peter.abraham]

Total cost of management includes support; so one version keeps support and administrative overhead lower.

[b.borislavov]

For sure customers should be able to edit php.ini and choose the version and the extensions, because with shared services we have customers with different applications, different needs and different visions, but they share the same environment. The only way to provide customer satisfaction, without causing problems with other applications you need different PHPs at least!

[clm]

This would be a very nice feature.

I know cPanel is preparing EA4 which will include RPM versions of PHP…

We are looking into php-fpm ( (FastCGI Process Manager) at the moment (cPanel are waiting for PHP 5.4.1 before starting work on this).

[steve]

Yes! This would allow me to convert all my servers running HIVE to CL. The clients on the HIVE servers really appreciate being able to switch between PHP versions, and overriding the PHP defaults.

[rrsmith]

Yes, this would be great!

Ideally it would be nice if the server admin could select how much the customer could configure, be it just the version, or extensions and all so it satisfies everyone. Those worried about increased support overhead could just disable this feature if they don want to use it.

Weve been stuck on PHP 5.2 for too long as replacing it with 5.3 would create a lot of compatibility issues so it would be nice to be able to offer multiple versions to satisfy all clients. Weve looked at other options like Litespeed and Hive just to have this feature so it would be great if CloudLinux could include it.

[2webmaster]

Sounds like a "Win Win" to me.

Frank

[elchicopesado]

Hi,

I have not voted. You can do it now with current technologies.
I think it should be a decision of the hosting offer it or not in cloudlinux way.

[clm]

@chcp a, I do not currently know of a web interface that allows customers to do this easily without entering any code or editing complicated files.

I would love to have a web interface integrated into cPanel to select PHP version, PHP modules (a default or advanced mode) and also a web based php.ini file editor to for example extend maximum execution time and memory limits.

As far as I know cPanel do not concider these features as important because of their complexity. However if CloudLinux can do this easily then we would absolutly love this.

This would obviously have to be optional (for hosts that don want it) and configurable (to maybe allow hosts to set certain limits).

[arie.mail]

Almost everything has been said already, but I really like this idea. You always need to be very careful with updating, because you might break your customers sites. If you just can have multiple versions, its the customers responsibility to which version they run, and you can always just add the latest versions for those who want it. I think this seamlessly fits in the idea of a CL environment, where the customer has not much limitations to the environment.

[rrsmith]

Any idea what sort of time frame we are looking at for this feature to be offered?

[iseletsk]

Somewhere in august. We already have all the PHP versions build, about 50 PEAR modules, and about top 30 PECL modules. We are working to fully automated the build process.
And once we are done with new LVE Manager (end of July), we will add UI to switch PHP (should be simple enough)

[greg.birch]

Hi Igor

I am really excited about this feature being part of the cloudlinux offering. Are you any closer to a release date for mulitple php versions?