# Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS has reached End of Support (EOS) and is no longer actively maintained. The module remains available for purchase in the Open Source version, along with License Upgrade option at a discounted price. Current license subscriptions continue and stay valid for future renewals.

# (opens new window) About Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS (opens new window)

Rackspace Email Extended for WHMCS is a fully featured addon module that allows you to resell and manage email accounts entirely from your WHMCS system!

Owing to our product, your customers will be able to conveniently manage all aspects of Rackspace email accounts like e.g. mailboxes, aliases or mobile sync.
As an administrator, you will be able to customize Rackspace products to meet the needs of your customers.

  • Admin Area Features

    • Create/Terminate Account
    • Change Package And Account Password
    • Define Service Type Per Product
    • Configure Resource Limits Per Product
  • Client Area Features

    • Email Hosting - Remote Access And Management Of:
      • Mailboxes
      • Spam
      • Aliases
      • Mobile Sync
      • Storage Notification
    • Microsoft Exchange - Remote Access And Management Of:
      • Mailboxes
      • Spam
      • Contacts
  • Available Configurable Options

    • Max Mailboxes
    • Mailbox Size
    • Extra Storage
    • Active Sync Licenses
    • BlackBerry Licenses
    • Exchange Max Mailboxes
    • Exchange Extra Storage
    • Email Archiving
  • General Info

# Installation and Configuration

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS has reached End of Support (EOS) and is no longer actively maintained. The module remains available for purchase, including the Open Source version and License Upgrade at a discounted price. Current license subscriptions continue and stay valid for future renewals.

In this tutorial we will show you how to successfully install and set up Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS. (opens new window)
We will guide you step by step through the whole installation process.

# Installation

  1. Log in to our client area and download the module.
Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: client area product page with the Downloads tab and the latest version Download
  1. In the downloaded file you might find one or two packages that support different PHP versions.
    In the most recent versions of the module, you will find only one package that supports PHP 7.1 and later.

    Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: file manager listing a downloaded archive with one package for PHP 7.1 to PHP 7.4

    Previous updates of the module may contain two packages dedicated to various PHP versions.
    The first one that supports PHP 5.6 up to PHP 7.0, and the second one addressed to PHP 7.1 up to PHP 7.3.
    Note: Keep in mind that PHP versions 5.6 up to 7.0 are no longer officially supported and their security issues are not fixed or released any more. Find more info here (opens new window).

    Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: file manager listing two packages, one for PHP 5.6 to 7.0 and one for PHP 7.1 to 7.3

    Note: You can check the current PHP version in your WHMCS. To do so, proceed to 'Utilities' → 'System' → 'PHP Info'.

  2. Extract the package and upload its content into the main WHMCS directory.
    The content of the package to upload should look like this.

    Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: file manager listing of the extracted package showing the modules folder
  3. When you install Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS for the first time you have to rename 'license_RENAME.php' file.
    File is located in 'modules/servers/rackspaceEmailExtended/license_RENAME.php'. Rename it from 'license_RENAME.php' to 'license.php'.

    Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: file manager with the license.php file being renamed in the server module folder
  4. In order to configure your license key you have to edit a previously renamed 'license.php' file.
    Enter your license key between quotation marks as presented on the following screen. You can find your license key in our client area → 'My Products'.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: license.php file open in an editor with the license key variable between quotation

# Server Configuration

  1. Set up a new server and a product.
    To do so, log in to your WHMCS. Move to 'Setup' → 'Products/Services' → 'Servers'.
    Afterwards, press 'Add New Server'.

    Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS admin Servers page with the Add New Server button highlighted
  2. To proceed, you will need to obtain your Rackspace API keys. To do so, log in to your reseller 'Rackspace Account'.
    Find 'Manage Admins' in the Common Actions box on the top right corner. You will be moved to the 'Administartors' setion.

    Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: Rackspace reseller control panel home with the Manage Admins button in Common
  3. When you are on the ' Administrators' page, click the 'API KEYS'. You will find it on the left, in navigation menu.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: Rackspace Administrators page with API KEYS highlighted in the left navigation menu
  1. A popup with 'Your API Key' will appear. Copy your 'User' and 'Seccret Keys', you will need them in the next part of the module configuration.
Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: Rackspace Your API Key popup showing the User Key and Secret Key fields
  1. Enter your server name and choose 'RackspaceEmailExtended' from a 'Type' dropdown menu.
    Paste the previously copied 'User Key' and 'Secret Key' into 'Username' and 'Password' fields.
    Enter the 'Hostname' address to your Webmail server - it is required for the 'Login to Webmail' function in the client area.
    Afterwards, press 'Save Changes'.

    Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS Edit Server form with hostname, module and Rackspace API keys filled in
  2. After you configure your server correctly, you will see a following screen.
    Now, you need to create a new group for your server. For that purpose press 'Create New Group'.

    Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS Servers list with the Rackspace server and Create New Group button
  3. Enter name, click on your previously created server, press 'Add' then press 'Save Changes'.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS Create New Server Group form with the Rackspace server in selected servers

# Product Configuration

  1. In order to create and configure product, move to 'Setup' → 'Products/Services' → 'Products/Services'.
    If you do not have a product group, 'Create a New Group'. If you do, simply go to step 13.

    Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS Products/Services page with the Create a New Group button highlighted
  2. Enter product group name and press 'Save Changes'.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS Create Group form for a product group name with the Save Changes button
  1. When you have a product group, you can create your product and assign it to Rackspace Email Extended. If you already have a product, go to step 15.
    To create a product click on 'Create a New Product'.

    Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS Products/Services page with the new group and the Create a New Product button
  2. Afterwards, choose your product type and product group from dropdown menus, enter your product name and press 'Continue'.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS Create a New Product form with product type, group, name and module selected
  1. Now, go to 'Module Settings' section, choose both 'RackspaceEmailExtended' and your previously created server group from dropdown menus.
    Decide which of the service types you would like to use and choose it from a dropdown menu.
    Afterwards, enter desired values in configuration fields and press 'Save Changes'.
    Please note that values do not need to be constant. You can use configurable options to adjust the values.
    Obtain more information about configurable options here.

    Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS product Module Settings tab with server group, service type and mailbox limits
  2. In the last step you need to create a new client custom field.
    To do so, proceed to 'System Settings' → 'Custom Fields/Custom Client Fields'.
    Fill in 'EmailCustomerID' into field name, tick 'Admin Only ' and press 'Save Changes'.

    Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS Add New Custom Field form with EmailCustomerID name and Admin Only ticked
  3. Important! Our module does not automatically download 'EmailCustomerID' for the proper Rackspace customer.
    To prevent duplicating accounts on Rackspace side you have to manually fill in 'EmailCustomerID' with appropriate value before running 'Create' function.
    You can find more about it here.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client profile in the admin area with the EmailCustomerID field filled in

Good job! You have just correctly set up your first product with Rackspace Email.
Product after a successful activation presents similarly to the one presented on the screen below.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client product details page with an active service and module command buttons

# Management

In the following sections we will try to present all the possibilities of Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS features.

# Configuration of Orders

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS allows you to offer a product tailored to customers needs. Let's create such an order.
For this purpose you need to create at least one configurable option. In this guide we will create a few more to present you the possibilities of our module.
If you are not familiar with configurable options yet, you can read more about them here
These are configurable options fields created by us, connected with our Rackspace Email Extended product.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS Configurable Option Groups page with Rackspace products assigned and option

Proceed to your product 'Module Settings' tab now.
Here, you need to fill in the marked fields with desired configurable option names as shown on the screen below.
Afterwards, press 'Save Changes'.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS product Module Settings tab with the configurable option name fields

If you fill out 'Module Settings' with correct names, during order made from the admin area, you should see similar screen to the one below.
Otherwise, ensure that configurable option names are filled out correctly.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area order configure page with the Configurable Options section

Let's see how it looks like from the perspective of your customers.
As you can see, owing to configurable options, they are now able to define mailbox size, amount of mailboxes, extra storage and many other options.
This makes each order perfectly suited to your customers needs.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS order form with domain choice, configurable options and an order summary

# Client Area

Read through the below sections to see how Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS is designed to work in the client area.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area product page with Email Hosting and Exchange management buttons

# Email Hosting

Email Hosting is an internet hosting service that manages electronic messages through an email server.

# Mailboxes

Let's start with some basic functionality of the module, that is the mailboxes management.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area Managing Mailboxes list with usage bars and Add Mailbox button

Creating a mailbox is quick and easy.
The first step is filling out 'General' form, where you can define user details, password and mailbox size.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area Manage Mailboxes form, General tab with user details and mailbox

Proceed to 'Contact Info' tab and fill it out with its user contact information.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area Manage Mailboxes form, Contact Info tab with phones and address
# Spam

Spam filtering page allows you to set your preferences, edit blacklists and safelists.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area Spam Filtering page with preferences, blacklists and safelists
# Aliases

With our module you can create aliases and assign chosen mailboxes to them.
To do so, press 'Add Alias', add email from 'Members inside this Domain' and press 'Save'.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area Aliases list with alias names, member counts and the Add Alias

On the list of aliases you can find information about the amount of mailboxes in each alias.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area Create New Alias form with domain members and outside members
# Mobile Sync

Mobile Sync allows your customers to synchronize their emails, calendars and contacts with their iPhones, Androids or Windows Mobile devices.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area Activate Mobile Sync page with specific mailboxes selected
# Storage Notification

This page allows you to set up notifications sent to your customers when mailbox reaches certain amount of capacity.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area Storage Notification page with capacity threshold and message

# Microsoft Exchange

Exchange Hosting is a server system, whereby software enables sending and receiving email messages and other types of interactive communications.
It enables sharing of business critical information online or through enabled wireless devices.
Let's see how our addon can help you manage your Microsoft Exchange services.

# Mailboxes

As in Email Hosting you can create new email accounts and manage them.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area Exchange Manage Mailboxes list with Add Exchange Mailbox button
Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area Exchange mailbox form, General tab with user details and size
# Spam

Again, similarly to Email Hosting, you can manage your spam here.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area Exchange Spam Filtering page with hosted exchange recipient
# Contacts

Within a few seconds you can add a new contact and manage existing ones.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area Exchange Manage Contacts list with the Add Contact button

In order to add a new contact press 'Add Contact' and fill out a form shown on the following screen.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area Manage Contacts form, General tab with name and external email

# Management of Billing

When you combine Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS with Advanced Billing For WHMCS, you will be able to set up additional billing options.
Module allows you to charge your customers based on the server resources used by them.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: Advanced Billing setup for the Rackspace product with usage prices

With Advanced Billing module, you can also display your customers the current server resource usage and their cost.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: client area product page with usage records and costs from Advanced Billing

# Management of Existing Account

You can easily use Rackspace Email For WHMCS module with your already created rackspace account.
Instructions below explain how to set it up:

  1. Follow Installation instructions.
    Remember not to click 'Create' button during the entire process. That would unnecessarily create a new rackspace email account.

  2. Log in to your Rackspace Email server.

  3. Look for 'Acct#' values, these are your clients IDs.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: Rackspace Reseller Tools Customers list with the Acct # column highlighted
  1. Copy '#Acct' to the field marked on the screen below.
Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client profile in the admin area with the EmailCustomerID field filled in (2)

# Upgrading Product

You can offer an upgrade from Rackspace Email to Rackspace Email Extended.
To set it up correctly, proceed to 'Setup' → 'Product/Services' → 'Product/Services' and edit your Rackspace Email product.
Now, proceed to 'Upgrades' tab and choose a previously configured 'Rackspace Email Extended' product (in our case it was 'Email Accounts - Email Advanced').
Additionally, if you wish to offer an upgrade along with possibility to define product resource, tick 'Configurable Options' checkbox.
Next, press 'Save Changes'.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS product Upgrades tab with a package selected and configurable options ticked

Let's upgrade a test product from Rackspace Email to Rackspace Email Extended.
To do so, go to the client area and proceed to the Rackspace Email product.
Choose 'Upgrade/Downgrade' from 'Management Actions'.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area product page with the Upgrade/Downgrade link in the Actions menu

You should see a screen similar to the one shown below.
Choose a billing cycle for your Rackspace Email Extended product and press 'Choose Product'.

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area Upgrade/Downgrade page with the Choose Product button for a new

That's it. Choose the payment method, press 'Click to Continue' button and voila!

Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: WHMCS client area Upgrade/Downgrade summary with promo code and payment method

# Tips

  1. You need to be registered in Rackspace as a reseller, only then Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS will work properly.

    If you have a regular account in Rackspace, Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS will not work.

  2. Please note that although action 'Suspend' is available in Module Commands, the action itself is not supported by Rackspace API.

    It is not possible to call this action currently.

# Update Instructions

An essential guidance through the process of updating the module is offered here.

Ensure successful completion of the module update by carefully following each step, thereby preventing data loss or any unforeseen issues.
Additionally, you will find a current list of supplementary actions necessary for a smooth update process there.

# Upgrade Guide

Seeking a solution that offers greater flexibility, customization tailored to your precise needs, and unrestricted availability?
There is an option that not only proves to be cost-effective in the long run but also includes prioritized support services, making it a truly valuable investment.

Opt for the Open Source version (opens new window) of your Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS module to unlock these benefits.
Simply click on either the Get Source Code or Upgrade To Lifetime button found on the product's page in our client area to complete the one-step upgrade process, with a dedicated discount already applied.

Follow a comprehensive guide covering the transition process, the advantages it brings, and step-by-step instructions on what to do next after the order has been successfully finalized.

# Common Problems

  1. When you have problems with connection, check whether your SELinux or firewall does not block ports.

  2. If any undesired numbers appear in your client area, like the ones shown on the following screen, you can easily remove them.

    Rackspace Email Extended For WHMCS: client area product information page with unwanted numbers under the domain name

    To do so, edit 'your_whmcs/templates/your_template/clientareaproductdetails.tpl'. Find and delete the following code:

    {foreach from=$configurableoptions item=configoption}   
    <p><h4>{$configoption.optionname}:</h4> {if $configoption.optiontype eq 3}{if $configoption.selectedqty}{$LANG.yes}   
    {else}{$LANG.no}{/if}   
    {elseif $configoption.optiontype eq 4}{$configoption.selectedqty} x {$configoption.selectedoption}   
    {else}{$configoption.selectedoption}{/if}</p>   
    {/foreach}   
    

    Keep in mind that code may slightly differ from the one shown above.

  3. If customer rackspace accounts are duplicated go to step 17 of 'Installation'. You will find there a solution.

  4. If, after clicking on 'Login to Webmail', there is no correct redirection, make sure that the hostname address to your Webmail server is correctly entered in the WHMCS server configuration.