Problem Overview

In ISPConfig 3.3 multi‑server setups, you may encounter the following issue:

• ✅ Scheduled (Automatic) SQL backups work normally
• ❌ Manual SQL backup does nothing
• ❌ No error message appears
• ❌ No backup folder is created
• ✅ Some websites may work, others do not

This behavior can be confusing because everything seems healthy — but manual backups simply don’t trigger.

This article explains the root cause and provides the permanent fix.

---

Why This Happens

ISPConfig handles backups differently:

✅ Automatic Backup

Runs locally on the SQL server via cron and does not rely on datalog synchronization.

❌ Manual Backup

Uses this flow:

1. The ISPConfig UI writes a task into sys_datalog (on the Master server)
2. The SQL server reads the datalog entry
3. server.sh processes the task
4. Backup runs

If the datalog entry cannot be properly written or transmitted, the manual backup will silently fail.

---

The Real Cause: max_allowed_packet Too Small

In most cases, the issue is caused by a MariaDB configuration problem:

max_allowed_packet

On Debian 12/13 and many CentOS installs, the default is:

16M

In some cases, even:

1M

That is too small for ISPConfig 3.3 multi‑server environments.

Why?

Because sys_datalog may contain:

• SSL certificate blobs
• Large JSON configuration data
• Backup metadata
• Website configuration structures

If a datalog record exceeds max_allowed_packet, MariaDB silently rejects the transfer.

Result:

• Small websites → manual backup works
• Larger websites → manual backup does nothing
• Auto backup still works

---

How to Check Your Current Value

Run on BOTH Master and SQL server:

mysql -u root -p -e "SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'max_allowed_packet';"

If you see:

16777216  (16M)

or smaller → this is your problem.

---

✅ The Permanent Fix (Debian 13 / MariaDB 10.11+)

Step 1 — Edit MariaDB Configuration

On Debian 13, edit:

/etc/mysql/mariadb.conf.d/50-server.cnf

Find the [mysqld] section and set:

max_allowed_packet = 256M
wait_timeout = 300
interactive_timeout = 300

Save the file.

---

Step 2 — Restart MariaDB

systemctl restart mariadb

Verify:

mysql -u root -p -e "SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'max_allowed_packet';"

You should now see:

268435456

---

Step 3 — Reset Stuck Datalog Entries

On the Master server:

mysql -u root -p dbispconfig

Run:

UPDATE sys_datalog SET processing = 0;

Then on the SQL server:

/usr/local/ispconfig/server/server.sh

---

After Fixing

Manual SQL backups should now:

• ✅ Work for all websites
• ✅ Create backup folders immediately
• ✅ No longer silently fail

---

Why 256M Is Recommended

For ISPConfig multi‑server setups:

Setting	Recommended Value
max_allowed_packet	256M
wait_timeout	300
interactive_timeout	300

256M ensures large SSL or configuration payloads do not break datalog synchronization.

---

Important Notes

✅ You must update BOTH Master and SQL servers
✅ Restart MariaDB after changes
✅ Clear stuck datalog entries

If you only update one server, the problem may persist.

---

Final Thoughts

If you see:

• Manual SQL backup does nothing
• No error in UI
• Auto backup works
• Some sites succeed, others fail

The issue is almost certainly MariaDB’s max_allowed_packet.

Increasing it to 256M resolves the problem permanently in almost all ISPConfig 3.3 multi‑server environments.

1️⃣ Install Debian 13

最小安裝完成後：

apt update
apt upgrade -y

---

2️⃣ Enable Root Login

nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

加入或修改：

PermitRootLogin yes

重新啟動 SSH：

systemctl restart ssh

---

3️⃣ Set Static IP

nano /etc/network/interfaces

加入：

auto ens18
iface ens18 inet static
    address 10.0.0.x
    netmask 255.255.255.0
    gateway 10.0.0.1
    dns-nameservers 8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4
    up ip route add 10.y.0.0/24 via 10.0.0.z
    down ip route del 10.y.0.0/24 via 10.0.0.z

確認無拼字錯誤。

---

4️⃣ Reboot

reboot

---

5️⃣ Set DNS

nano /etc/resolv.conf

內容：

nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 8.8.4.4

---

6️⃣ Test Network

ping google.com

若可解析並 ping 通，表示 DNS 正常。

---

7️⃣ Edit Hosts

nano /etc/hosts

加入：

10.0.0.w    master.ispconfig.domain

（確認 IP 與實際 master 相符）

---

8️⃣ Install ISPConfig

cd /tmp
wget -O - https://get.ispconfig.org | sh -s -- --interactive

---

9️⃣ Installation Mode

Installation mode (standard,expert) [standard]: expert

---

🔟 Join Multiserver Setup

Shall this server join an existing ISPConfig multiserver setup (y,n) [n]: y

---

11️⃣ MySQL Master Information

MySQL master server hostname []:
master.ispconfig.domain

MySQL master server root password []:

⚠ 必須：

• 知道 master 的 MySQL root password
• 並且 master MySQL 必須允許 slave IP 連線

在 master 上確認：

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO 'root'@'10.0.0.x' IDENTIFIED BY 'password' WITH GRANT OPTION;
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

---

12️⃣ Keep MySQL Root Password

安裝過程中會顯示：

• MySQL root password

請保存。

---

13️⃣ Remove Install Logs

rm /root/ispconfig-install-log/setup-*

避免密碼留在系統中。

---

14️⃣ Set Default PHP Version

update-alternatives --config php

選擇：

php 7.4

否則 slave cronjob 會無法與 master 正常連線。

確認：

php -v

---

✅ Installation Complete

登入：

https://slave.ispconfig.domain:8080

使用 master 帳號登入。

---

WordPress Installation

1. ISPConfig → Sites → Add Website
2. 建立 Database
3. 上傳 WordPress
4. 設定 wp-config.php
5. 完成安裝

---

如果你需要，我可以：

• 幫你排成「正式教學文件格式」
• 或整理成「公司內部 SOP 文件版」
• 或轉成 PDF 版教學稿

告訴我你要哪種格式。

source : https://www.howtoforge.com/getting-started-with-acmesh-lets-encrypt-client/#renew-the-lets-encrypt-ssl-certs

Install Let’s encrypt SSL cert

Apache example:

acme.sh --install-cert \
        --domain example.com \ 
        --cert-file /path/to/cert/cert.pem \
        --key-file /path/to/keyfile/key.pem \
        --fullchain-file /path/to/fullchain/fullchain.pem \
        --reloadcmd "sudo systemctl reload apache2.service"

Renew the Let’s Encrypt SSL certs

acme.sh --renew -d example.com --force

Attention: Before using this script, you MUST KNOW how to use ISPConfig API. If you are first time to learning ISPConfig API, Please go to see First time test ISPConfig API learning how to config, how to run it and how to debug with https.

File name: sites_web_domain_id_get_all.php

<?php

require 'soap_config.php';

$context = stream_context_create([
    'ssl' => [
        // set some SSL/TLS specific options
        'verify_peer' => false,
        'verify_peer_name' => false,
        'allow_self_signed' => true
    ]
]);

$client = new SoapClient(null, array('location' => $soap_location,
                'uri'      => $soap_uri,
                'trace' => 1,
                'exceptions' => 1,
                'stream_context' => $context));

try {
        if($session_id = $client->login($username, $password)) {
                echo 'Logged successfull. Session ID:'.$session_id.'<br />';
        }


        $domain_record = $client->sites_web_domain_get($session_id, []);
        $domain_ids = array_column($domain_record, 'domain_id');


        print_r($domain_ids);

        if($client->logout($session_id)) {
                echo 'Logged out.<br />';
        }


} catch (SoapFault $e) {
        echo $client->__getLastResponse();
        die('SOAP Error: '.$e->getMessage());
}

?>

• After Install ISPConfig , the application would not saved any API Example or Document. So, we need to find out the example scripts at the source file and copy them to /usr/local/ispconfig.

cd /tmp 
wget -O ispconfig.tar.gz https://www.ispconfig.org/downloads/ISPConfig-3-stable.tar.gz
tar xfz ispconfig.tar.gz
cd ispconfig3_install/
cp -R remoting_client/ /usr/local/ispconfig/
cd /usr/local/ispconfig/remoting_client

• All API Document and example file was copied to /usr/local/ispconfig/remoting_client

• ISPConfig add Remote Users

ISPConfig Web UI > system > Remote User > Add new user

Entry username & password, And click what do you want function. In first test, please click all Functions. Please remember username & password for modify API config file .

save

• Modify API config file

cd /usr/local/ispconfig/remoting_client/examples/
nano soap_config.php

<?php

$username = 'admin';
$password = 'admin1234';

/*
$soap_location = 'http://localhost:8080/ispconfig3_3.0.5/interface/web/remote/index.php';
$soap_uri = 'http://localhost:8080/ispconfig3_3.0.5/interface/web/remote/';
*/


$soap_location = 'https://192.168.1.100:8080/remote/index.php';
$soap_uri = 'https://192.168.1.100:8080/remote/';


?>

Change to

<?php

$username = 'username';
$password = 'password';

/*
$soap_location = 'http://localhost:8080/ispconfig3_3.0.5/interface/web/remote/index.php';
$soap_uri = 'http://localhost:8080/ispconfig3_3.0.5/interface/web/remote/';
*/


$soap_location = 'https://localhost:8080/remote/index.php';
$soap_uri = 'https://localhost:8080/remote/';


?>

• Test First API

php system_config_get.php

If every was ok, you will see the follow message.

Logged successfull. Session ID:qd0758c7265f2498285bef4e2f7ba4a3a25f8c7e3<br />Array
(
    [company_name] => Innonext
    [custom_login_text] =>
    [custom_login_link] =>
    [dashboard_atom_url_admin] => https://www.ispconfig.org/atom
    [dashboard_atom_url_reseller] => https://www.ispconfig.org/atom
    [dashboard_atom_url_client] => https://www.ispconfig.org/atom
    [tab_change_discard] => n
    [tab_change_warning] => n
    [use_loadindicator] => y
    [use_combobox] => y
    [show_support_messages] => y
    [maintenance_mode] => n
    [maintenance_mode_exclude_ips] =>
    [admin_dashlets_left] =>
    [admin_dashlets_right] =>
    [reseller_dashlets_left] =>
    [reseller_dashlets_right] =>
    [client_dashlets_left] =>
    [client_dashlets_right] =>
    [customer_no_template] => C[CUSTOMER_NO]
    [customer_no_start] => 1
    [customer_no_counter] => 5
    [session_timeout] => 0
    [session_allow_endless] => n
    [min_password_length] => 8
    [min_password_strength] => 3
)

• Normally, It was Done! BUG

But some API have some BUG and not work. This is because the normally working API was disabled ‘ssl verify peer’ when using https connect. So, we need add ‘disabled ssl verify peer’ in not work API.

Test sites_web_domain_get.php, you will get a error message ‘SOAP Error: Could not connect to host‘

php sites_web_domain_get.php
SOAP Error: Could not connect to host[root@system]#

Fix method, Edit sites_web_domain_get.php

<?php

require 'soap_config.php';

{add something here}

$client = new SoapClient(null, array('location' => $soap_location,
                'uri'      => $soap_uri,
                'trace' => 1,
                'exceptions' => 1{add something here}));


try {
        if($session_id = $client->login($username, $password)) {
                echo 'Logged successfull. Session ID:'.$session_id.'<br />';
        }

        //* Set the function parameters.
        $subdomain_id = 10;

        $subdomain_record = $client->sites_web_subdomain_get($session_id, $subdomain_id);

        print_r($subdomain_record);

        if($client->logout($session_id)) {
                echo 'Logged out.<br />';
        }


} catch (SoapFault $e) {
        echo $client->__getLastResponse();
        die('SOAP Error: '.$e->getMessage());
}

?>

Change to

<?php

require 'soap_config.php';

$context = stream_context_create([
    'ssl' => [
        // set some SSL/TLS specific options
        'verify_peer' => false,
        'verify_peer_name' => false,
        'allow_self_signed' => true
    ]
]);

$client = new SoapClient(null, array('location' => $soap_location,
                'uri'      => $soap_uri,
                'trace' => 1,
                'exceptions' => 1,
                'stream_context' => $context));

try {
        if($session_id = $client->login($username, $password)) {
                echo 'Logged successfull. Session ID:'.$session_id.'<br />';
        }

        //* Set the function parameters.
        $subdomain_id = 10;

        $subdomain_record = $client->sites_web_subdomain_get($session_id, $subdomain_id);

        print_r($subdomain_record);

        if($client->logout($session_id)) {
                echo 'Logged out.<br />';
        }


} catch (SoapFault $e) {
        echo $client->__getLastResponse();
        die('SOAP Error: '.$e->getMessage());
}

?>

Test sites_web_domain_get.php again

php sites_web_domain_get.php
Logged successfull. Session ID:u3712304db1b527b09cbe8582f141f0614331d551<br />Logged out.<br />[root@system]#

• Everything Done.

• You may not research other API in /usr/local/ispconfig/remoting_client/examples.

• About API Document, you may direct file download to you desktop computer.

https://www.ispconfig.org/downloads/ISPConfig-3-stable.tar.gz

Extract ISPConfig-3-stable.tar.gz in your PC.

You may find a file in extracted folder and run it, Ispconfig3_install\remoting_client\API-docs\index.html

Version 3.1.x

The following command will start cron job backup in advance.

command: cron_debug.php

php /usr/local/ispconfig/server/cron_debug.php --cronjob=500-backup.inc.php

Version 3.2.x

command: backup-now.php

Usage:
php backup-now.php --id=<4> [--type=]
Options:
--id id of the website to backup.
--type backup type: all, web or mysql. Default is all.

php /usr/local/ispconfig/server/backup-now.php --id=1 --type=mysql