Choose settings for DNS, backup, and email servers

For a secondary server used only for DNS, backups, or email, review the features it needs. This guide applies to cPFence v4+ on Enhance. You need Manage General Settings for the selected server.

1. Check the server’s roles

Check the server’s assigned service roles in Enhance, then select the matching server in cPFence. Confirm whether it also hosts websites before disabling website protection. The cPFence Role column describes its management role, not its Enhance service roles.

Check every role before disabling protection

A server can have multiple roles. Keep website malware protection and WAF enabled when it hosts websites that need them; a DNS or backup label alone is not a reason to disable protection.

2. Save only the changes you need

1. Open System Settings, choose the intended Server scope, and select General Settings.
2. Review the choices below against the server’s workload.
3. Change only the appropriate switches and select Save changes.
4. Refresh the saved values and check the module status. Other protection remains governed by its own settings.

Server workload	Settings to review
DNS or backup only, without websites	Turn off Real-time malware protection, Proactive scanning, and Web application firewall when those website features are not needed.
Email only, without websites	Keep needed mail/security controls; turn off Web application firewall when it has no website workload.
Email protection	Review Email scanning, Email quarantine, Email spam protection, and Spam AutoShield independently. Website auto quarantine is a separate choice.

The same malware and mailbox masters are also available under Threat & Malware Detection → Settings.

Choose the intended server before opening its Settings drawer. Keep protection needed by its actual workloads; these saved choices are not a recommended role profile. Select the image to enlarge it; use your browser's Back command to return.

Spam protection and outbound limits are separate from mailbox scanning and quarantine. The displayed saved choices are not packaged defaults. Select the image to enlarge it; use your browser's Back command to return.

Quarantine is a deliberate choice

Mail scanning and mail quarantine are independent. Review detections and retention before enabling automatic quarantine; changing a switch does not establish that mail is clean.

3. Copy a role-specific selection safely

For several servers with the same workload, follow Apply to servers…. Select only matching destinations and changed fields, then inspect every result. Do not copy a DNS-only profile to application servers.

Use settings backup and restore to preserve a configuration before broader changes. License management remains a separate task.

Troubleshooting

• Disabled control: check its owning master and your General Settings permission.
• Unexpected saved value: reload after a conflict and compare the actual server’s settings before trying again.
• Resource use remains high: review Owl monitoring and resource thresholds to identify the workload before disabling more protection.