Lock Feature & Pay‑Per‑Support Model

dPanel provides a lightweight lock system to protect critical resources and a pay‑per‑support billing model that eliminates forced subscriptions. This guide explains how both work together to give you full control over security and costs.

Understanding the Lock Mechanism

The lock feature can be applied to:

• User accounts – temporarily disable login after repeated failed attempts.
• Domain services – prevent changes to DNS or SSL settings while maintenance is in progress.
• File system – make specific directories read‑only to avoid accidental modifications.

Locks are stored in the locks.json file located in the panel’s configuration directory. A typical entry looks like this:

{
  "type": "user",
  "identifier": "john.doe",
  "expires": "2026-09-30T23:59:59Z",
  "reason": "Too many failed login attempts"
}

To add or remove a lock you can use the built‑in CLI:

# Add a lock for a user (expires in 24h)
dpanel lock add --type user --id john.doe --duration 24h --reason "Failed logins"

# Remove the lock
dpanel lock remove --type user --id john.doe

No Forced Subscription

Unlike many SaaS solutions, dPanel does not require a recurring subscription to keep the panel operational. All core features are available out‑of‑the‑box. The only optional cost is support—and you decide when (or if) you need it.

What This Means for You

• Zero recurring fees for the software itself.
• Pay‑only‑when‑you‑need‑help: support tickets are billed per request.
• Transparent pricing: each support request shows a clear cost before you submit it.

How to Request Support (Pay‑Per‑Use)

When you encounter an issue that requires assistance, follow these steps:

1. Log in to the dPanel dashboard.
2. Navigate to Support → New Ticket.
3. Fill out the form describing the problem.
4. Review the estimated cost displayed at the bottom of the form.
5. Click Submit to create the ticket and charge your account.

Your account balance is managed in the Billing section. You can top‑up manually or link a payment method for automatic top‑ups.

Example: Submitting a Support Ticket via API

curl -X POST https://api.dpanel.example.com/v1/support/tickets \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $API_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
        "subject": "Unable to restart Apache",
        "description": "The service fails with error code 503 after the recent update.",
        "estimated_cost": 15.00
      }'

The response will include a ticket_id and a confirmation of the charge.

By leveraging the lock mechanism and the pay‑per‑support model, dPanel ensures your servers stay secure without locking you into costly subscriptions. If you have any questions, feel free to open a support ticket—remember, you only pay when you need help!