Your web host will offer you a control panel. But you can probably guess by the name, but a control panel helps you to manage your website. It keeps all the functions a user may need in one handy place which makes it easier for them. These tools can conclude traffic information statistics, FTP accounts, e-mail account provision, the ability to add sub-domains, file management and much more.
There are a number of different control panels available in the market. These include Cpanel which is among the most popular, Hostopia, Sphera, Ensim, VDeck, NextGenCP etc. They all differ in their look and feel as well as functions. Web hosts usually have their own control panel preferences, which depend upon the platforms they use. The control panels are selected according to their features and ability to perform on a particular platform.
These are features you need on a control panel:
CGI Center
Parked Domains
Addon Domains
MIME Types
Hot Link Protection
Disk Usage
FTP Manager
Password Protect Directories
Parked Domains
Addon Domains
Password Protect Directories
MS SQL Manager(Windows only)
Redirects
Redirects
Web/FTP Stats
Frontpage Extensions
SSL Manager
PostgreSQL Database Manager
MS SQL Manager(Windows only)
Redirects
CGI Center
Network Tools
Raw Access Logs
Network Tools
Index Manager
SSL Manager
There are issues that separate control panels, and one is how it easy the panel is to use. A panel like Plesk may offer simple and friendly tools and options whereas cPanel offers many functions. To ensure you make the right choice of control panel, you need to know what is available. You can find out more by studying the following:
cPanel:
This is found on Linux systems, it does not provide Windows or OSX support but it does cater for more than 10 versions of Linux. cPanel enables users to take control of their site and is useful for using MySQL databases and organizing email account management.
The range of features and functions provided by cPanel is higher than many services available today and this diversity and price are key reasons in why cPanel is so popular.
Plesk:
Plex is available for Linux and Windows web hosting servers where cPanel is not. Many users find it helpful that Plex has an interface similar to Windows XP. The control panel looks good and offers many features available in cPanel. It can enable any user to build their own site with easy to sue tool. It offers many features but it may be viewed as more expensive than other products, especially cPanel.
H-Sphere:
Of all the control panels available, H-Sphere is extremely popular and can be used with Windows and Linux. There are many functions offered by H-Sphere although it pales in comparison to Plesk or cPanel.
DirectAdmin
DirectAdmin is unique as it offers many services other panels do not but it does lack some of the functions offered by the main panels. It has a limited range of support with only a few Linux versions and no Windows support but it is a cheap option.
Ensim
Available for Windows and Linux, Ensim doesn’t have a lot of features but it has an interface that is adequate.
Interworx
Interworx also caters only to Linux based Web hosting servers. It has got a clean and well-organized interface with some impressive features like the site usage snapshot.
Hosting Accelarator
Hosting accelerator supports only Windows Web hosting servers. Its interface is not well organized and appears crowded with options which may overwhelm inexperienced users.
Helm
This is another Windows only web host server and this offers the ability to view billing details from within the control panel.
CWIPanel
CQIPanel is available for Windows and has no real exciting features.
InsPanel
This is another Windows based server which offers a basic range of features.
Among the above mentioned control panels, cPanel usually ends up as the favored choice due to its range of features, ease of and affordability.
However, there are new control panels emerging all the time and NextGenCP looks very impressive. It may have been developed over a number of years but it appears to be worth the wait.
NextGenCP has been developed with the help of the latest internet technologies. It has a fast and easy to use environment which has been specially built for web hosting clients. It has been designed so well, that even novices can get a hang of it in relatively less time. In fact Pandela.com claims that you can carry out any function with a maximum of three clicks of your mouse. However its simplicity is deceptive, as it hides a powerful range of features, which would be able to manage all web site requirements. At the same time Pandela.com has made an offer to its users, according to which, if they do not find a feature they need in the NextGenCP, then they just have to inform the developers at Pandela.com the needful will be done!
An overview of the features of NextGenCP:
Domain Control:
Everyone can now have full control over their domains and sub-domains and the ability to register and host these domains is extremely simple.
Database Management:
This product makes it extremely simple to create and manage your very own database with just a few clicks of the mouse. phpMyAdmin provides the database management and the data is secured by Database Backup Manager.
Mail Accounts:
It is easy for users to control and access their email accounts. An advanced SPAM filtering system is provided by Pandela.com and this will keep your inbox free of junk and unwanted emails. If this isn’t enough, there are also filters for the mail, assistance for accounts and other functions.
Site Tools:
NextGenCP has plenty of tools, which make managing a web site very easy. Some of these tools are Script Installer, Hotlink Protection and IP Access Manager.
Statistics of the site:
This information will provide total knowledge of visitors and show how much bandwidth is being used and the usage of email accounts per day.
Feel the benefit of the support system:
Having full access to a support system is a great feature offered by NextGenCP. Anytime a user notices a problem, they have to submit a ticket and they will be offered assistance from a member of staff as quickly as possible. It usually takes no more than fifteen minutes to be responded to.
All of the above features have contributed to making NextGenCP, one of the best control panels for web site hosting available in the market. And Pandela.com is not resting on this achievement, but moving on to make NextGenCP even better, with every passing day.
About the author:Tired of hyped up web hosting companies that don’t deliver? Get the tools and real user reviews you need to find the best hosting companies for you at www.webhostingmadness.com.