Web hosts use what is called a web hosting control panel in order to run their business. Whether to sign on actual clients, or to segment one’s server, these panels vary in degree of learning curve, licensing fees, and functionality. There are a number to choose from, so the decision won’t be easy.
One of the most popular Unix web host control panels is cPanel. This control panel is a proprietary system- and licenses can run as much as $425 per year. Developers of cPanel have also created a mirror software platform that runs on Windows, so it can be used by virtually any server type. cPanel has a low learning curve, making it perfect for first-time web hosts.
The benefit of choosing Webmin over cPanel is the fact that it is a free solution. Since it is open source, it is also widely and indefinitely supported by the community. This Unix based platform may not be as robust as cPanel, but for the price it is hard to beat. Modules are easy to install, and custom modifications to the system are easily done.
Automatically installing a software package like WordPress is easy enough with GNUPanel- a web hosting panel that has many neat features. Other content mangement systems and blog packages can be installed just as easy: meaning web hosts can easily direct clients to this functionality to get their website up and running near instantly. It’s also a good selling feature to potential clients who don’t know web development and web design standards. GNUPanel is easy to pick up, and also equally as easy to deploy.
Plesk is a popular proprietary alternative to cPanel. Plesk is mentioned as more user-friendly to the end user, as it has an interface much like you would see in the Windows operating system. Creating and managing users is painless, technical support is integrated, and statistics and monitoring are all available in the administrator interface. Overall, it’s a tight package that competes directly with cPanel as a licensed web panel.
InterWorx is a unique web hosting control panel, in that it is able to support multiple servers at once. It specializes in load balancing in a cluster server environment, so that high-traffic websites can still function despite intensive server usage. InterWorx is a proprietary system, but has competitive pricing that allows users to pay by the month, quarterly, or annually. Paying more for a custom installation or custom support options is also available to those who need a little extra from their web hosting control panel.
Closing Comments
There are many control panels to pick from. Whether you need a specific price, server environment, or feature set- there are free demonstrations available from all reputable panel developers. Take the time to try out each one and make a solid decision on who to pick.
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