PanelAlpha steps forward with version 1.7.1, the next update building on the well-received 1.7.0 release, which introduced the Site Migrator Plugin. While the previous rollout focused on expanding functionality with new layers of automation, this one turns attention deeper into the core of the platform, where we focused on extending DNS capabilities and adding a series of valuable improvements.
Bunny.net DNS Integration
Like many other features that have found their way into PanelAlpha in the past, the Bunny.net integration started with a simple community request that showed up often enough that sooner or later it was clear it should become part of the platform.
And when you think about it, the fit is quite natural. Bunny.net has been earning a strong position in the hosting world over the past few years. It started mainly as a CDN provider but has expanded its infrastructure while keeping services fast, reliable, and easy to run. Their DNS network follows the same philosophy: simple in concept, globally distributed in practice, and built to deliver stable resolution. That combination explains why many hosting companies already rely on it.
With PanelAlpha 1.7.1, administrators can now connect Bunny.net as a DNS provider and manage essential DNS operations directly within the platform. The initial integration focuses on the core tasks needed for everyday work, such as creating zones, syncing them, managing records, or toggling proxy settings. As always, we prefer to start with what is immediately useful and grow the feature further based on feedback from users running Bunny in production environments.
Smoothing Out the Daily Work
A large part of this release focuses on resolving issues that could disrupt everyday workflows, often when you least expect it.
One of the key fixes addresses problems related to instance creation. In certain edge cases, newly created environments could overlap with existing sites. This has now been resolved, which means new WordPress instances launch cleanly without interfering with sites that are already running. For hosting providers onboarding new customers or deploying test environments frequently, this removes an annoying source of uncertainty.
The SSL module has also been improved. Previous issues affecting certificate orders and renewals have been resolved, and DNS validation has been strengthened. Integration with Let’s Encrypt now behaves much more reliably, ensuring certificates are issued and renewed without unexpected failures.
We also improved instance imports and domain management. Failed operations could previously leave behind fragments that caused conflicts later on. These leftovers are now removed properly, which makes migrations and domain redirects behave much more smoothly and reduces the risk of downtime during changes.
A More Stable WP Cloud
Another area that received special attention in this release is WP Cloud integration.
Visitor tracking has been fixed, restoring reliable analytics data for administrators monitoring traffic across their environments. Backup operations have also been stabilized, preventing failures that could previously interrupt scheduled backups.
We also addressed issues around log downloads, making troubleshooting easier when administrators need deeper insight into what is happening inside the environment.
These adjustments make the WP Cloud setup more dependable both for infrastructure administrators and for the customers running their WordPress sites on top of it.
Expanded System Compatibility
With version 1.7.1 we also expanded the operating systems available for PanelAlpha installations. Previous requirements included Debian 12 “bookworm” and Ubuntu 22.04.4 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish). The platform now also supports:
- Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat)
- Debian 13 “trixie”
For hosting providers planning infrastructure upgrades, this gives more flexibility when choosing the base system for new PanelAlpha deployments.
See You at CloudFest?
Work on PanelAlpha continues at full pace, and the next chance to talk about how we plan to push the platform beyond the usual industry standards will come very soon. CloudFest returns to Europa-Park in Germany from March 23 to 26, 2026, and our CEO Konrad Keck will be there in person.
Want to have a solid starting point for that conversation? Take a moment to explore the full list of changes introduced in PanelAlpha v1.7.1.
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