This checklist verifies that core services on a DirectAdmin VPS are running and behaving as expected. It is used during routine maintenance, after updates, and when investigating suspected issues.
When to run this checklist
- As part of routine maintenance
- After server, web server, or PHP updates
- After a reboot
- When troubleshooting service availability
Access checks
- Confirm administrative access
- Verify SSH access is available
- Confirm the DirectAdmin control panel loads
Web service checks
- Web server availability
- Confirm the configured web server is running
- Load a known domain or test page
- Verify expected HTTP/HTTPS responses
Mail service checks (if enabled)
- Mail services
- Confirm mail‑related services are running
- Check for immediate error messages in DirectAdmin
- Verify no mail queues are backing up unexpectedly
Database service checks
- Database availability
- Confirm the database service is running
- Verify expected database connectivity
Supporting service checks
- Background and supporting services
- Confirm expected background services are active
- Ignore transient restart messages unless persistent
Resource sanity checks
- System resources
- Review CPU usage
- Review memory usage
- Confirm disk space is within expected limits
Operational notes
- This routine confirms availability, not performance optimization
- Transient warnings immediately after restarts are common
- Persistent failures should be investigated before continuing
Next step — choose one option:
– If issues are detected, pause and investigate before continuing.
– If updates were recently applied, proceed to After Server Update Verification Checklist.
– Or continue with routine maintenance and monitoring.