What Does a Control Panel Do?

Web host control panels are not the tools you will use to actually create your website, but they are the management system that make all websites happen. The most important thing your control panel does is keep all of your websites files in order, allow you to produce directories, and subdirectories, as well as making sure they are secure.

Your control panel will most likely be the jump off point for all of your programming needs. Many control panel programs offer internal gadgets like site builders where you can create web pages for your site, ftp file uploaders so you can bring up media and files from your computer right to your site’s storage online, many allow for single click insertion of fancy website add-ons like blogs, forums, shopping carts, photo galleries and more.

When you look at various web hosts make sure you can check out their control panel, and also see what the programs contained in them do. Ask for a trail run of the page maker if it isn’t offered up front. Make sure it is smooth and easy to use, and creates the type of page you want for your site.

Another reason to do a test run of any control panel you are considering is to be sure it works well on your operating system, and the browser you prefer to use. While most control panels will work with all of the recent versions of computer operating systems, and the more common browsers, there are always some that haven’t been considered when the program was created and will cause glitches or clumsy work atmospheres.

When it comes down to it, the most important aspect of a control panel is accessibility. It has to be easy and fast to access. It has to move seamlessly between all of its functions. It has to be stable, and available.

When choosing a host the control panel is a vital aspect, but also make sure the host has confirmed uptime of at least 98%. Downtime can kill business. If a visitor comes to your site and is met with a blank page, a server down page, or other error messages, it’s very likely they won’t come back. One loss is painful, a lot of them is disastrous.

Another very valuable asset is the ability to host several domain names on a single web package. Doing that allows you to buy all of the versions of your website’s name, for instance, yourwebsitehere.com, .us, .info, .net, .org etc.

The most valuable address is the .com, even though others may carry more weight in the respect category such as .org. When the average website visitor types in a website they automatically put .com at the end. If your visitor comes to your site and then leaves, they may not be able to get back again if your site address doesn’t end in .com.

The best aspect of a control panel, vs. the older method of off-line site management is that you can operate any aspect of your website from any computer anywhere. You’re no longer tied to a single machine in one place. An online control panel hosted by the webhost makes it simple and easy.

Functions of a Web Host
A web host company acts as an intermediary between the client and the Internet. It has several computers called servers, which are always connected to the Web. The client is able to store data on these servers. When an external user inputs or clicks a link of a particular web address (domain), the request is transmitted through the internet and received by the server, which then tries to locate the website and load it on the browser for the user. A good web host should allow 1) uploading and 2) downloading any time.

In terms of uploading and downloading, the two basic components are the web server and the FTP server. The web server is a software that receives and accepts requests which use the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and sends back HTML and images. Another component is the FTP server which the web master can use for transferring files. FTP is the protocol used to upload files to the server.

Some Types of Web Hosting Services
When a person does not want to spend for web hosting, the usual option is to find a provider that offers web hosting service for free. The downside is that the services are often limited in scope (e.g. there is a limit on storage space). Advertisements also often abound in the site. When a person wants to keep ads off, then it is better to choose paid hosting.

Another type is called shared web hosting. A person’s website shares the server with other sites and all the sites use the same resources including the CPU and the RAM. Typically, this type of hosting is not as limited as the free service. The third type is called reseller web hosting which allows the client to become the web host.

With dedicated hosting service, the client is provided a personal Web server and is given full control. When the client is using Linux, this is called root access; when he/she is using Windows, this is called administrator access. Contrasted to this is the managed hosting service wherein the client also gets a personal server but does not have full control over it.

Types of Hosting
A person can choose a web hosting service depending on what kind of site is going to be built. File hosting services (e.g. Rapidshare, Megaupload, 4shared, Mediafire) only provide storage for files but not web sites. Image hosting services (e.g. Photobucket) allow hosting of files in the jpg, gif and other image formats. Blog hosting services usually allow website hosting and sometimes offer file hosting and e-mail hosting. Other services host videos, one-click webpages, pastebin and shopping cart software.

Server Details
Web hosting companies usually have a set of requirements that a client needs to fulfil in order to gain access. These requirements include the server software, the scripting software and the operating system. The most popular database server is actually Linux and Linux-based hosting services have greater variety compared to the other alternatives. The LAMP platform (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP/Perl/Python) is commonly used among Linux servers. On the other hand, with the Windows platform, one can use Classic ASP or ASP.Net in addition to PHP/Perl/Python.
A Data-Saving Solution
For webmasters who want to make sure that the data is safe and sound, the automated remote FTP backup shell script can be used. This uses the AutoMySQLBackup script. It can back-up all MySQL databases on Linux-based servers, archive some directories (e.g. /etc/, /var/www/vhosts*/), establish connection to a remote FTP server and upload the backed-up data (daily or weekly). Many forsa in the Internet provide the complete instructions to the actual automated remote FTP backup shell script and detail its uses.

A person who is seriously contemplating establishing his/her own website or upgrading from free hosting should weigh the costs and the benefits of the possible decisions. While free hosting does not require fees, in the long run, paid hosting might be better because the client is allowed a higher degree of control and management. In the end, the factors that really determine the decision to upgrade to a paid web hosting service are the budget, the degree of control desired, the content of the website, and the type of market/audience one wants to reach.

To answer that question, we have to look at the alternative solutions available. CPanel and DirectAdmin are two popular alternatives to Plesk that offer similar functionality. CPanel has been around since 1996 and is arguably the most popular control panel in the industry. With this, you can expect solid community support and a good track record of stability. However, DirectAdmin is designed to be user-friendly for users who don’t have much experience using this type of software. It is also designed with speed in mind, and takes up less system resources. The price differences between the two are drastic.

Currently, CPanel offers 1-3 year licensing plans to users who want to purchase. The prices vary based upon the type of setup you will be using it for. For a dedicated server, the current price is over $400 for a year. If you intend to use it longer than that, you can purchase a license that is valid for three years for just over $1000. DirectAdmin on the other hand, offers multiple payment solutions. For a year of DirectAdmin, you can expect to pay about $200. You also have the option of buying a life-time license for $299. You also have the option to use DirectAdmin on a monthly basis for $29.

As for Plesk, it is similarly priced to CPanel, but it does offer the option of purchasing a long-term license. Additionally, Plesk has a few leasing options available to customers who don’t want to purchase a life-long license. You are charged on a monthly basis, and have two options to choose from. For $39.99 a month, you can use Plesk on up to 100 different domain names. Alternatively, for $69.99 a month you can use it on unlimited domains. The third option is to purchase a lifetime license which allows unlimited use of Plesk for a one-time charge of $1399.

In conclusion, Plesk is a solid alternative to other popular control panels on the market. If you intend to use it for a long period of time, then purchasing a unlimited license is an affordable option. However, if you don’t intend to use all the features that are available to Plesk users, then there are cheaper alternatives like DirectAdmin that could be more economical if you are on a limited budget.

While most web hosts will give you the option of cPanel, as it is the more widely known type of control panels, vDeck is another option that may suit your individual business needs. While cPanel has been around longer, vDeck is definitely accumulating its share of fans. While both types of control panels have their pros and cons, the ultimate decision will come down to your personal preferences and business needs.

Advantages of cPanel

In terms of user friendliness, cPanel has a clear advantage over vDeck. One of the well-known traits of cPanel is its easy to navigate design. Each aspect of management is organized into a specific module and lined up into neat rows for easy browsing. In contrast, vDeck is often accused of being slow and overly complicated. If you are new web hosting, you might wish to go with the cPanel option for its greater simplicity. If you have little to no HTML experience, cPanel will be easier for you to navigate.

Another advantage of cPanel is history, longevity and popularity. The cPanel has been around longer than the vDeck, even though the vDeck has entered vDeck 3.0 in his development phase. That means that there are a plethora of tutorials, videos and websites devoted to any question you might have about the cPanel. As fewer people use vDeck, there is less readily available videos and tutorials available if you have questions.

Advantages of vDeck

The interface of the vDeck control panel is not as easy to figure out as cPanel. However, what it lacks in user-friendly capabilities, vDeck makes up for in terms of business applications. Search engine optimization, advertising and marketing capabilities and business friendly submissions are often favored by high traffic e-commerce websites. Proponents of vDeck argue that vDeck makes it easier to manage large websites, or to administer a larger number of websites than cPanel does.

Another advantage of vDeck is that it often comes with pre-designed templates that allow you to change the control panel’s look. It also allows for custom add-ons in a way that cPanel does not. Generally speaking, for those with greater experience in website design, cPanel can be a little too simplistic in its option, and those individuals tend to prefer vDeck because it allows for more advanced design and management.

Bottom Line

Typically, cPanel is favored by small to medium sized businesses or those looking for a web host for their personal web pages. On the other hand, vDeck is favored by large businesses with a number of websites to manage or by indviduals who have a greater knowledge of website management experience. Before picking a web host, be sure that they offer the type of control panel that best suits your business.

You should at least wait one day before you even begin to transfer your Web site to a new Windows Web hosting provider. After you have waited a day, you can login to your Plesk control panel of your current host. Click on “Domains” and search for the domain that you wish to move. After you have done this, click on “DNS Settings” and then click on “SOA Record”. Now you need to change your TTL, or your “Time to Live”. Your default time to live is probably at one day or 86400 seconds. You should now change it to fifteen minutes or nine hundred seconds.

When you change your time to live from one day to fifteen minutes, your changes will take effect everywhere fifteen minutes after you change servers. This is very helpful after you move your Web site. It is mainly helpful because you may want your Web site to point to a new server extremely fast. By doing this, you will be able to receive file changes, new e-mails, and new database records without them disappearing before they reach the new server.

Step Two – Provide Information about Your New Host

Wait at least another day before you log into the Plesk control panel of your current host. Once you have logged into the control panel, go to “Domains”. Find your domain and click on that. After you have done this, go to the “Backup Manager” and click on the “Personal FTP Repository” tab. Click on “Settings” and type in the information about your new host. This information will be needed. You will need to provide information such as your FTP log in credentials and your server’s IP address. After you have done this, type in “httpdocs” in the directory for backups tab. Then click on “OK”. If the connection was not successful, you will be notified by Plesk. There will be nothing to worry about if you are not notified.

Step Three – Download the Backup File

After you have done this, it will be time for you to go back to the Backup Manager. Click “Backup” and enter the name of the file. Then click on the “Personal FTP Repository” radio button. After you have done this, click on “Domain Configuration and Content”. Then click on the “Backup” button. How long it takes to backup your Web site depends on how much is actually on your Web site.

After you went through the process of backing up your Web site, go to the backup file that can be found under the “Personal FTP Repository” tab. Go to the zip file. It is already prepared and has already been transferred to your new server. You should download the zip file to your computer. In order to do this, you can easily click on the floppy disk icon that should be found at the right.

Step Four – Upload Your Backup File

Now it is time for you to try to backup the file that you just downloaded. There are two ways that you can do this. You can do it by contacting your new Windows Web host provider or you can upload the file yourself. If you prefer to contact your Windows Web host provider, then contact the customer support the company. Let them know that on your Web site you used Plesk to back up a file. Tell them that it is under the “httpdocs” folder. Ask them if they could restore the file for you. You can also do it yourself by going to the backup manager of your new Plesk control panel. Upload the files to the server repository. After you have done this, go to the server repository tab and click on your file name. Click on the restoration options and hit “Restore”. After you restore, go to your Web site and make sure that everything works properly.

Plesk control panel provides you several advantages that make it a lot easier for the users to manage their own server. It can be easily used on the Windows Dedicated server for reselling the hosting services. In addition to this, you can also choose the Plesk to host your websites and the domain names.

Plesk control panel makes domain management a lot easier like never before. You will be able to maintain your domain with the help of the Plesk. If you wish, you may even provide all these privileges to any other client of yours so that they can manage their domain all by themselves.

With Plesk control panel, you will have the option to provide separate domain administrator control panel. You can offer your clients the separate control panel of the domain administrator if at all you want to share the benefits with them.

With the help of this separate control panel, your clients would be able to manage their own website and even their own emails. One of the biggest advantages of the plesk control panel is that your clients will enjoy the same features if you offer them right access.

Plesk control panel is the most diverse control panel available. It offers cost-efficiency advantages to the hosting service providers. These days, this control panel is in increased use as a famous default control panel solution by most web hosting services.

Quite unlike its top-most competitor-cPanel, the Plesk control panel comes wholly compatible with the two major operating systems- Windows and Linux. It has come up with its broadened spectrum to offer you the capabilities which other control panels are known to offer, especially in terms of its compatibility and ease of use.

Apart from being compatible with both Linux and Windows operating systems, Plesk is found to be suitable enough for virtually all types of the server ambiance, including shared, virtual, dedicated hosting services.

The RPM installation and modular deign of Plesk offers dedicated web hosting service providers the potential to provide a useful administrative tool. It emerges to be the most innovative tool which stands perfect for tech savvy groups and individuals as well.

The uniqueness of the Plesk control panel is its expandable nature. This is a sort of expandable software which can be tailor-made by means of using different third party applications, thus making it a perfect choice among the users with its innovation and dedicated server space.

Offering a host of specialized features and applications, Plesk is in continuous use in this private server ambiance. Its effectiveness, wide-ranging functionality and compact size all combines to offer major benefits when used.

When talking about its wide ranging features, it must also be mentioned that Plesk’s can also be used with third party software known as Virtuozzo. The Virtuozzo permits administrators to make use of different interfaces and templates of diverse control panels simultaneously, thus offering the Plesk users the capacity to take benefit from the features of other control panels outside the Plesk software.

Dedicated server- Plesk control panel can be an invaluable assistance on the virtual platform like VPS. Use of Plesk with the other software-Virtuozzo has offered an increase on the investment returns of the web hosting service providers while accommodating the requirements of the end users.

In the web hosting administration panel market, Plesk is one of the most popular and recognized options available. If you’ve never heard of Plesk, let’s start off with a quick introduction. Much like the popular cPanel, Plesk is simply a web hosting administration panel GUI front-end offered by software maker Parallels, Inc. It allows users to quickly and easily upload, edit and configure content for your web pages. It also facilitates the creation and administration of the back-end databases on which your site relies to serve up dynamic content for your visitors. While all administration panels have their benefits as well as their drawbacks, Plesk is particularly suited for beginners for a number of reasons.

The number one reason that non-technical users should opt for a Plesk-based web host is its ease of use and simplicity. That doesn’t mean it’s inflexible or lacking in advanced features, it’s just that it’s designed to be intuitive and easy to work with right off the bat. Modeled on the basic Windows XP Explorer theme, longtime Microsoft customers will feel right at home and have a far easier time navigating through folders and files with Plesk than with other programs. In addition, the interface is also highly customizable, allowing users to reconfigure the layout in just about any way they see fit for maximum speed and productivity.

One of the major selling points of Plesk is the fact that it supports a wide array of operating systems. Plesk works with Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and 2008, as well as most of the major Unix-like distributions like Debian, CentOS, Red Hat Linux, OpenSUSE, Ubuntu and even FreeBSD. It’s major competitor, cPanel, has added support for Windows Server 2008 but not any prior releases of Microsoft’s server software. Plesk also supports MS SQL, MySQL and PostgreSQL in the database arena. Basically, it’ll work with just about any combination of software you throw at it. Whether you’ve chosen a shared hosting or a Virtual Private Server hosting plan, Plesk is a stable and responsive tool for administering your website.

Another major benefit to using Plesk is its extensibility. You can add any number of plugins to the default setup for a variety of tasks, from filtering spam to supporting additional back-end languages like ColdFusion. Plesk features a website builder and code editor by default, simplifying the process of getting a website up and running. In the safety department, it utilizes the HTTPS protocol to ensure that your traffic is secure and encrypted so that your website isn’t hacked or infected with a virus or other malware. Overall, Plesk has a solid track record when it comes to online privacy and security.

At one time, Plesk was considered more difficult to use than its competitors. This is fortunately no longer true and it’s now just as easy to get accustomed to as any other admin panel. What sets it apart from the crowd is its unique combination of versatility, stability, safety and user-friendliness. For those that feel a bit intimidated at the thought of hosting their own website, Plesk is a great introduction to website administration and a solid place to start. But it also boasts advanced features that more tech-savvy users will appreciate when it comes to fine-tuning a site for performance and speed. So whether you’re just starting out or you’re already an expert webmaster, Plesk is one of the best admin panels you can get.

Once a web manager purchases a reseller web hosting account, they will be given unlimited features with a control panel. The most recommended control panel on the market is the cPanel. Other control panels are Direct Admin, Plesk, H-Sphere, and Webmin. The cPanel, which is also known as the web hosting manager, has an interface where web managers can set up client accounts and operate Linux or SSH commands. The cPanel is easy to operate with point and click applications. Reseller web hosts have complete control over the control panel by terminating or suspending a clients accounts. The control panel will be located on the previous web hosting website, where the reseller can log on to get into the control panel. Through their account, a reseller can create websites of their choice, and as many as they want. They also have advantages of allowing clients to register their domains through the resellers web hosting service through one account.

Reseller web hosting is usually a lot less involved as web hosting can be, so it is easy enough for inexperienced web managers to purchase a resell web hosting service and operate it on his own. Families can make a profitable business through reseller web hosting because pretty much every website needs web hosting. If a reseller owner has any hardware problems with their service, they only need to contact the server provider where the person purchased the resell web hosting service. Businesses who choose to buy a reseller web hosting account to sell web hosting services to customers will need to do a lot of advertising in order to market their new business to other customers. This can be very difficult, frustrating, and time consuming, especially when they have competitors who are already established.

Once a person signs up for a reseller web hosting account, they will have access to the control panel where they can set up their own customer accounts. They will be given instructions through email on how to set up billing accounts and manage the accounts. They will also have twenty four seven support from the web hosting company if a person is having problems setting up their account. They will also be able to give their customers their own control panel once the customer signs up for the resellers web hosting service. The customers will also be able to edit and create their own web pages.

The best reseller web hosting services are:

Just Host- Unlimited domain hosting, unlimited account capacity, and free domain for a life time for $19.95 a month.

Green Geeks- $19.95 a month for free domain for life and private anonymous name servers.

Cyber Host Pro- $15.30 a month for a free reseller account and free set up.

CPanel is, by far, the most widely used of the two, and is the most popular one today. It is practically an industry standard, and is known and loved for its easy to use interface, low learning curve, and the ability to get extra functions added to your website via what are called Fantastico scripts. Fantastico scripts allow you to install a blog, wiki, or an advanced CMS (content management system) to your website, giving you, the webmaster, freedom to create any kind of site you wish.

VDeck is a much more robust and complicated control panel. The learning curve is much higher, and there is considerable depth to it that cPanel lacks. The third edition of vDeck also includes the Install-Central feature, which is very similar to cPanel’s Fantastico. VDeck’s tools go beyond just website administration, though. There are also built-in tools for marketing your website, and features a plethora of extra advanced customization tools that can make a website really shine.

In comparing the two, it simply is not possible to say that one is definitely and indisputably better than the other. However, depending on the kind of website you are needing, one control panel will be more suited to your needs than the other.

For personal websites, cPanel is the better choice. As stated earlier, cPanel is much easier to pick up and use than vDeck, and more features can be installed via Fantastico. The library of Fantastico applications available is much larger than vDeck’s Install-Central thanks to cPanel being around longer and having a much larger user base. With only a few clicks needed to set up a blog and basic forum, cPanel rules the house for private users and small businesses.

Larger businesses may need more than cPanel’s simpler interface can offer, however, and this is where a lot of vDeck’s more advanced features come in. With built-in tools to set up and track your marketing, easily set up an online store, and add extra functionality to your website like customizable user areas, vDeck’s many strengths and fully featured and more complex user interface is ideal for users who need a highly professional and very large website with which to feature and advertise their products and services.

That is, in a nutshell, the strengths and weaknesses of these two excellent control panels. Most hosts offer cPanel automatically, so most webmasters looking to begin building their web presence will not need to spend a considerable amount of time looking for a host to call their own.

Armed with this information, we hope that webmasters reading this will be better able to make the choice that is right for them. Have a great time creating your sites, webmasters!

A key advantage that can be had with web host is the providing of a unique email address. This becomes especially critical to those operating your own business, or other organization. A unique email address adds professionalism and credibility to your company. All of the above mentioned features assist you in creating a strong relationship with the public. These features and add-ons aid you in your customer service efforts and are an absolute must for any organization. This allows you to connect with your clients or customers on a technological level. All organizations benefit from being online and in an ever evolving technological world it is imperative to be able to relate to the public easily and with an efficient response time.

Web hosts offer a number of other services. Perhaps most important is a quality level of internet connectivity, in terms of reliability and speed. You want your web hosting service to provide a strong guarantee of success and dependability. This lets you know that your Web site will demand a certain degree of attention and thus not end up lost in the clutter of the internet. If your Web site is not loading efficiently, then you will lose out on potential interested customers or followers. Additionally, web hosts also provide scripts, security, and technical support. Importantly, they also provide peace of mind, should something happen to damage or corrupt your Web site.

Another important issue when considering a web hosts is the amount of disc space and bandwidth that the server has to offer. Typically, it is in the interest of the customer to have a set amount of bandwidth, rather than a pay as you grow package. As your business or organization grows there are usually terraced layers of packages so you can anticipate where you will end up. This allows you to plan accordingly with the traffic and demand that your Web site pulls.

If you demand an enormous amount of space or have a large amount of information that needs to be stored than you can opt for dedicated web hosting. This means that you will be the only Web site on the server. By being the only Web site on the server allows you to have a much greater amount of bandwidth to work with. Another benefit of a dedicated server is that you will not be subject to the instability that can occur on a shared network due to other users.

You will also be able to have complete control over what types of software are installed on the servers. For example, on a shared server host, other programs might be installed that are required for other users but only slow down your connection. This enables quicker browsing and download speeds. Furthermore, a dedicated server lessens your reliance on the web hosting service. In other words, you will be able to bypass the web host and make immediate changes and updates without being bogged down by the speed of the web host’s technical support.

Having a high quality control panel is also a big plus when considering a web host. A control panel allows your web master much greater access and control over the functioning of the Web site. Imagine every time you have an issue with your internet you need to call up the customer service or sales representative and be transferred several times in order to solve the problem. The Control panel allows for access to your Web site, while cutting out the intermediary.