Five Webmin modules that give you added power and control

Webmin is one of those administration tools that every IT pro should know backward and forward. It's powerful, reliable, gives you a central location for all server administration tools, and it's extendable. Tons of modules are available to enhance your Webmin installation. From access to CruiseControl to Zmailer, you will find a module for just about everything under the sun. Here are five modules that will help you take care of tasks that normally wouldn't have Web-based configuration options. Note: All but one of the links take you to the actual download of the module.

This list is also available as a photo gallery.

1: Certificate Manager

Certificate Manager (Figure A) lets you create and manage OpenSSL certificates with the ease of Webmin. Originally developed by Caldera, the module has continued to grow and expand. Later iterations support CSR signing, PKCS12 conversion, and access control.

Figure A

Certificate Manager

2: DansGuardian

DansGuardian (Figure B) allows the Webmin administrator to completely configure the DansGuardian proxy server without having to drop into the command line. This is a boon not just for Webmin users, but for DansGuardian users as well.

Figure B

DansGuardian

3: Dovecot

Dovecot (Figure C) enables the mail administrator (or anyone who's administering a server) to configure many aspects of the Dovecot IMAP/POP3 server. With this module, you can configure networking and protocols, user and login options, mail files, and SSL. You can also manually edit the configuration files.

Figure C

Dovecot

4: Filesystem Backup

Filesystem Backup (Figure D) allows you to easily back up and restore various file systems on your server. These backups can be done in TAR format and saved to the machine you're working from. Granted, this backup system will not enable you to do bare metal or system-state backups. But for quick and easy remote file system backups, it can't be beat.

Figure D

Filesystem Backup

5: ProFTPD Server

ProFTPD Server (Figure E) is one of the best FTP servers you will find. Being able to configure and manage an FTP server from within Webmin can be quite the help. With this module, you can manage access control, files and directories, networking/logging options, per-directory options, authentication, and more. If you need an FTP server but don't want to have to configure one manually, this module is what you need.

Figure E

ProFTPD Server

Extend and conquer

You will be amazed at how many third-party modules are available for the Webmin administration tool. The five you see here will expand your Webmin administration capabilities to cover features you might not otherwise be able to handle using a Web browser.

Additional resources

• Five admin tools that bridge the platform gap
• Configure Apache with the help of Webmin
• Review: Gadmintools suite of configuration utilities