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1H.com Offers Debian Compatibility for its Automated Hosting Products

suhailajmal — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:20:59 +0000

1H, a server management and hosting automation software offering firm, declared its automated hosting products can now completely support Debian and can be installed on the servers, holding its operating systems.

Press release reports that this also consists of support services for hosting control panels, which supports Debian – DirectAdmin and Plesk.

According to 1H, companies have the option of installing Guardian, Hawk and Hive on those server machines, having the operating systems of RedHat Enterprise, Debian and CentOS. The software package introduced by 1H has server monitoring by Guardian, server optimization by Hive and intrusion prevention by Hawk.

Press release further reports that for the previous two months, the main concentration of 1H was to develop this product and later on it became possible only after many different requests from web hosts, which run Debian OS on their servers.

In a statement, the co-founder and acting CEO, Marian Marinov, stated “we’ve received numerous requests from clients running Debian OS and practically couldn’t offer them a solution when they clearly needed one. So we geared up to respond to that demand as soon as possible and help all those potential partners manage their hosting business in a better and more efficient way.”

He further added, “our system operations team worked hard the last two months to deliver a fully automated installation process for Debian users, it now takes less than 10 minutes to deploy all 1H products on a production Debian machine without causing any downtime or service interruption.”

Original: 1H.com Offers Debian Compatibility for its Automated Hosting Products

Mobile Website Builder Provided with Plesk 10

DN — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 19:35:14 +0000

(From Website Hosting)

dotMobi recently announced that its newest cloud-based service, goMobi, will be available on Parallels Plesk 10 control panel and automation platform. This announcement follows the release of a report by Heart Internet that details how half of all web designers never consider the user’s mobile experience when designing websites. Over the past several months, goMobi has developed working relationships with many hosting providers including HostPapa back in June.

Developing Mobile Websites Effectively

The software gives businesses the opportunity to develop mobile websites efficiently in a short amount of time. The resulting mobile site has been designed to work on many different devices. Also, goMobi is an integrated application within Plesk Panel 10. It is also available directly from the company as an Application Packaging Standard (APS).

Available to Over 10,000 Providers

dotMobi has worked to allow goMobi to be available to over 10,000 web hosting providers and resellers who utilize the SaaS model. Since the software add-on is a pluggable APS application, it is immediately available for rapid, but simple, deployment by many web hosting providers. goMobi is expected to significantly increase their revenues by helping businesses launch a mobile website.

Mobile Web Features

According to experts, mobile website browsing is expected to surpass desktop traffic by 2014. Therefore, goMobi only utilizes mobile features such as click-to-call, QR codes, mapping and full integration with social networking and other location-dependent services in order to develop new relationships.

Plesk Interface

Web hosts will be able to offer the software directly through their website. Once a user registers and activates their account, the interface will appear in the Parallels platform for easy access. goMobi offers thousands of Plesk hosting providers the chance to boast a unique feature that will give them the opportunity to upsell, bundle or resell a mobile website creator that could reach billions of mobile users.

HostingCon 2011

At the upcoming HostingCon 2011, the Vice President of Marketing and Alliances will be presenting. His presentation is titled, “Technology and Margins: Using Customer Demand to Drive Product Direction to Grow Profitability Today.” One of the topics will be the emergence of mobile Internet. dotMobi and Parallels will both be in attendance at the show.

This software is the first of its kind. The best aspect is it can be accessed instantly from the control panel. This will significantly assist businesses from needing to outsource the development of a mobile website and significantly increase revenues for web hosting providers.

Original: Mobile Website Builder Provided with Plesk 10

Choosing a Web Hosting Plan Based on the Control Panel

DN — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 20:01:06 +0000

(From Website Hosting)

Every website online is hosted on a leased web server that is included with a web hosting plan. Also included with a web hosting plan is a control panel, which is basically the user-friendly interface used by the webmaster when managing their websites and web server. Since each control panel carries its own benefits for different types of webmasters, and the majority of hosting plans have preinstalled control panels, it is important to consider this aspect when choosing a web hosting provider.

Control panels are specifically designed to facilitate administrative functions such as database creation and management, e-mail account creation and management, FTP account and client management, subdomain creation, domain forwarding, creating server backups and much more. Although nearly all control panels include these basic features, there is a significant difference in the way the user interface looks and functions. The following are several factors to consider when choosing a web hosting plan based on the control panel.

Web Hosting Experience

The most commonly used control panels on the market are (in order from most to least popular): cPanel, Plesk, Vdeck, CubePanel, and Hsphere. While each of these control panels have very unique interfaces and overall functionality capabilities, they are all capable of accommodating the requirements of nearly any webmaster. However, some control panels provide additional functionality and therefore have user interfaces that are more difficult to navigate (because they contain more options and modules). Perhaps the easiest control panel to use (which most novice webmasters begin their online endeavors with) is cPanel, so it is not surprising that it is also the most popular. Thus, while inexperienced webmasters may opt for a hosting plan that includes a preinstalled those with more experience that would like to expand their current capabilities may want to consider a more corporate solution like Plesk.

Operating System Compatibility

It is also important to note that certain control panel are only compatible with specific operating systems. For example, cPanel is used within the Linux operating system, while Plesk can be installed within both Windows and Linux. Thus, individuals that would like to utilize cPanel operating system will be restricted to Linux Web hosting plans. However, recently the makers of cPanel have introduced a Windows compatible control panel known as Enkompass, which has a user interface that is very similar to cPanel’s.

Learning Curve and Demo Modes

Every control panel comes with a bit of a learning curve, which is basically the amount of effort and time that you will need to put forth in order to learn to use it effectively. Fortunately, some control panels (such as cPanel) will allow you to use a demo mode before purchasing a web hosting plan that has this control panel installed. If you are a novice webmaster it is not advisable to use control panel that does not have a demo mode, as you could be wasting a significant amount of time trying to learn how to use the control panel unnecessarily.

Original: Choosing a Web Hosting Plan Based on the Control Panel

Helm Control Panel Review

DN — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 06:32:32 +0000

(From Website Hosting)

Control panels are an extremely important aspect of web hosting accounts because they give the webmaster complete control over all of their site’s administrative functions. Although the most popular control panel by far is cPanel, other control panels have been gaining popularity recently, with Plesk being a close second to cPanel in terms of popularity. One new control panel that closely resembles Plesk is the Helm control panel. Being that Plesk is so popular amongst webmaster, the creators of the Helm control panel wanted to take advantage of this popularity by designing a graphical user interface that is very similar to the Plesk control panel. The following information reviews some of the most important features and attributes of the Helm control panel.

User Account Navigation

One of the most appealing aspects of the Helm control panel is its simplified navigation within user accounts. In fact, the software is solely based on the usability and simplicity of the user interface. The Helm control panel strongly resembles Plesk in its banner and image design, which helps to give former Plesk users a familiar feel from the very beginning. There are three areas that can be easily accessed from the front page of the control panel, the Wizards, Settings and Preferences sections. The first section that a novice user should visit is the ‘Wizards’ section, which contains walk through tutorials and setup procedures to help you get started using the Helm control panel the right way with minimal effort and no learning curve involved.

Hidden Functionality

Perhaps one of the most notable flaws of the Helm control panel is the fact that much of the functionality is hidden within sub menus that are not readily visible from the main menu. Although it may appear that there are not a lot of features, the navigation of the software is actually incredibly organized and categorized, which makes it slightly difficult to find the exact feature you’re looking for when you first begin using the software. Even so, in comparison to other control panels, the user navigation is much more detailed, and therefore much more complicated for some individuals. To find the useful features, you first have to select one of your domains form the ‘My Domains’ section, after which you’ll be shown a list of features that can be used for that domain.

Domain Features

After accessing the ‘My Domains’ section of the control panel and choosing the right domain, the user will then be confronted with a list of options, including FTP, domain settings, traffic statistics, database management, email accounts, and backup utilities. Although these features are generally easy to use, some believe that they should be moved to an area of the control panel that is easier to find. While some people may find this ultra-organized control panel simple to use, others may find it to be unnecessarily complicated, and without the ability to install third-party applications easily and create your own blogs form scratch with blogging applications like WordPress, many still prefer Plesk over the Helm, control panel.

Original: Helm Control Panel Review

Plesk – The Most Reliable Control Panel for Dedicated Hosting

DN — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 05:47:54 +0000

(From Website Hosting)

The control panel of your web hosting account is perhaps the most important interface that you will encounter as a webmaster, and as you continue to create web sites and manage the sites that you currently own, you’ll notice that the control panel is your most frequently visited corner of the internet. As such the control panel becomes a sort of cyber home to the webmaster, so it is essential that you ensure you are comfortable in your cyber home, in order to facilitate the simplest and most profitable administration of your web sites.

Not for Shared Hosting

Unfortunately, when you’re using a shared hosting plan, you do not have a choice in regards to which control panel you use, as you’re forced to use the native control panel offered by your hosting company. However, when you upgrade to a VPS or dedicated hosting plan you have the option of installing your own control panel. If you have, or are considering purchasing a dedicated hosting plan, then you should consider the following benefits of using Plesk with dedicated hosting.

Reliability and Reputation

Plesk is known for being one of the most advanced and reliable control panels on the market, often offered with dedicated and VPS hosting plans by default. The Plesk control interface is simplistic yet highly capable of outperforming other well known control panels like cPanel. The main benefit of Plesk is its flexibility in regards to site backups and server data exchanges. If you anticipate a lot of file transferring and you want to ensure the continuity of your data from one web host to another, then keeping Plesk as your control panel is the best way to do so. Over the years, the various versions of Plesk have improved to produce the present edition which has a reputation for being a business-minded control panel that is tailored towards serious webmasters with powerful web servers.

Installing Plesk

Installing Plesk is as simple as selecting a few preferences and clicking the mouse a few times. In fact, there are Plesk installation manuals available online that will guide you through the process step-by-step. If you’re unable to find one of these guides then you can contact your hosting provider and ask them to assist you in the installation. Fortunately, within the past 5 years the developers of Plesk have created autoinstall scripts that take the hassle out of manual installation. After purchasing a dedicated server the last thing a busy online business owner wants to do is waste time with software installations. Plesk is easy to install and use, which gives you more time to dedicate to more important aspects of your dedicated hosting endeavors.

Conclusion

If you are currently using a dedicated hosting plan, you may want to consider trying Plesk for a day or two to see who you like the feel of the user-interface. Most long time Plesk users refuse to use any other control panel after experiencing the sheer power and capabilities that cannot be found in any other proprietary hosting software.

Original: Plesk – The Most Reliable Control Panel for Dedicated Hosting

A Review of Helm Control Panel

DN — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 06:13:08 +0000

(From Website Hosting)

The Helm control panel is one of the latest that resembles the Plesk control panel software. Since Plesk is such a popular control panel used by a number of web hosting providers, other control panels have attempted to mimic their graphical user interface and intertwine many features into their software to keep pace. For instance, Plesk contains a sidebar and window folder, Helm has a similar feature within the GUI.

Another example of this resemblance is the image and banner design. It is speculated that this helps new users to feel more comfortable with the software. Helm is a simple control panel with a strong relation to its user’s accounts. Some of the most navigable areas, which are found right on the front page of the control panel, can be accessed through:

• Wizards
• Settings
• Preferences

Although there is a lack of content on the index page, don’t let this fool you. There is plenty more to this control panel, you simply need to find it. This is one of the biggest drawbacks to using the Helm control panel. There is an abundance of unattractive icons which lead to undesirable functions. The major lack of easy navigation and difficulty in finding specific functions makes of a complicated interface.

To access the most useful information, users must learn to click on the registered domain name under My Domains. This will allow them to find all the major functions of the control panel they need. Once in this section, there are email accounts, databases, statistics, domain settings, FTP and backup functions. These need to be moved to an area which is easier to find.

There are also many additional services offered by Helm such as add-ons and scripts. Helm offers exactly what is needed by the basic user. Therefore, some users will love Helm and other will not fund enough functions. It still lacks the ability of creating blogs, applications and advanced website platforms with the click of a single mouse button.

Once again, Helm is a basic control panel offered to new and moderate users. There are more than enough features for those new to the website game. Webmasters looking for advanced features will not find useful and thus should steer clear of this control panel. As they continue to become more popular, they will be able to simplify specific actions and allow for more customization among its users.

Original: A Review of Helm Control Panel

How to Use Control Panels to Prevent Site Downtime During Data Migration

DN — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:27:57 +0000

(From Website Hosting)

One of the most frustrating parts of owning and operating an online business can be the occasional need to switch web hosting servers. Changing your web hosting provider may require that a new control panel be mastered. The most time consuming part of becoming acquainted with a new web hosting plan is mastering the new control panel with which you are provided to operate your site.

However, having a Plesk control panel can reduce greatly the amount of readjustment that may be required upon switching servers. Plesk offers the option to carry your previous control panel with you as many different providers offer Plesk as their default control option. If both the new and old hosting solution utilize Plesk, reducing the amount of downtime that your website experiences will be exponentially reduced and having your site up and running will come much sooner rather than later.

Switching Hosting Providers

One of the most commonly encountered issues with switching servers is the loss of data that can occur as a result of the move. The reason for this is simple and easily prevented. The TTL (Time to Live) of a website is not instant and during a transfer to a new server some data may be lost or possibly delayed for long periods of time. In order to prevent this from happening several settings must be changed twenty four hours prior to the move. To make the necessary changes you will need to log into your Plesk account with your current web hosting server and click on “Domains.”

After having accessed this option you will need to locate the name of the server you will be switching to if it is listed. After locating the information you need you will want to access the DNS settings. After doing this you will need to select the SOA record click. Once you have reached this point you will need to then change the default TTL to fifteen minutes or nine hundred seconds. Once all this has been done you will need to click on “Set” to ensure that your data is saved and the process is properly finalized. Doing this will ensure that any changes that occur will happen within fifteen minutes of the change, thereby minimizing on the amount of lagging data and data lost.

How to Restore your Site’s Backup

After a period of about a day or so it will be necessary to log in to your Plesk administrator desktop of your new domain and find the backup manager. After finding this option you will need to create a backup title and click “Personal FTP Repository.” Now you will need to click on “Domain Configuration and Content” and select “Backup.” All depending on the size and amount of data on your site the backup should finish in anywhere from five minutes to twenty four hours.

Finishing

All that will be left to do after backing up your web page is to contact the new host’s support company and notify them of your need to restore the backup of your old site. You will need to give pertinent information such as the name of the directory in the case of http docs. Asking for support in restoring your domain using the backup file you created can also be done and should provide a good amount of assistance in finishing the process with little to no problem.

Original: How to Use Control Panels to Prevent Site Downtime During Data Migration

The Top Web Host’s Favorite Control Panels

DN — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:53:39 +0000

(From Website Hosting)

The backbone of every web hosting solution is it’s control panel. Therefore ever good web hosting company knows that it is imperative to provide a solution that their customers will be satisfied and comfortable with. In fact, web hosts know that many customers base their decision based on the control panel alone. To expand the popularity of their business, and provide supreme satisfaction to their customers, these web hosts have decided upon a certain control panel that will give them and their end users excellent administrative control. The goal is to provide a control panel that any customer, even the most novice can become comfortable with in a short amount of time.

Although every control panel has the basic capabilities that one would expect, not all of them can provide the consistency, compatibility and simplicity that the top web hosts are looking for. Instead there are only a handful that would be considered industry standard control panels. These control panels are briefly summarized below.

cPanel

cPanel is by far the most popular control panel in the web hosting industry. Although cPanel does have somewhat of a learning curve, it is a very easy one, as there are unlimited video tutorials available online, teaching you how to use virtually every feature of the software. If web host’s had to choose one control panel, it would most likely be cPanel based on it’s sheer popularity alone! The web hosting providers have one primary focus in mind, and that is customer satisfaction. As long as customers continue to demand cPanel, then you can bet that the top web hosts will continue to offer it as a primary control panel solution. Cpanel’s ease of use combined with its feature-rich interface make it by far the web’s most dominating control panel.

Plesk

Plesk is right behind cPanel as a top contender in the control panel industry. Many web hosts choose Plesk based solely on it’s compatibility. Plesk is one of the only control panels that support both Windows and Linux, which is definitely a selling point for web hosts. Many web hosting providers choose to offer Plesk exclusively, in order to target the large group of webmasters that operate their website on a Linux server.

ServerCP

One of the most popular control panels offered in dedicated and virtual private hosting packages is ServerCP. This solution is a Linux solution that supports the hosting of unlimited domains, which it makes it perfect for a webmaster hosting multiple domains on a Linux server. Similar to the above control panels, this control panel is also extremely easy to use, and includes a one step installation process that even the most novice user can perform.

Original: The Top Web Host’s Favorite Control Panels

Is Every Control Panel Equally Effective?

DN — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:07:28 +0000

(From Website Hosting)

Every website is hosted by a web server that is responsible for storing and cataloging the website’s data. Most of the time this web server is provided by a third-party web hosting service, which also provides an administrative maintenance module for the server and your website known as a control panel.

A control panel gives you the power to oversee and adjust virtually every feature offered by the web hosting company. The administrative functions you can control include email account management, sub-domains, FTP clients, and database management. Although some web hosts give users the option of choosing their own control panel, most web hosts simply include a pre-configured control panel within the web hosting package. Usually the control panel offered depends upon the operating system the web hosting company is using, whether it be Linux or Windows.

Simplicity: The Deciding Factor

Among the most popular control panels are cPanel, vDeck, CubePanel, Hsphere and Plesk. Although all of these programs offer beneficial features, they have very different designs and user interfaces. All of them are capable of meeting the needs of most webmasters, however some are more effective at doing so, not because of more features, but because of the ease in which those features can be used. The best control panel for you, might not be the best control panel for another. Novice users may find that using a simple control panel such as cPanel suits their needs, while more experienced webmasters may want a more comprehensive control panel like Hsphere. As both off these control panels are capable of the same functions, simplicity is often the deciding factor.

Functionality vs. Ease of Use

Cpanel and Plesk are by far the tow most commonly used control panels. While both of the programs are capable of carrying out the same functions, cPanel is usually seen as being a more comprehensive solution with a longer learning curve. Plesk is very easy to use, and it is also compatible with both Windows and Linux, but there are certain areas in which Plesk has not caught up with cPanel. Many choose vDeck because it combines the simplicity of Plesk with the features of cPanel. However, vDeck is not commonly included in a web hosting package.

Learning to Use the Control Panel

Regardless of which control panel you use, there is going to be somewhat of a learning curve. You can shorten this learning curve by experimenting with the demo before you decide to purchase a control panel solution. This will give you a good idea of whether or not you are going to be compatible with the user-interface of the control panel. If you are having trouble using your control panel, don’t be afraid to contact your web hosts customer service department. They will be helpful in guiding you towards the tutorials you need to get started.

Original: Is Every Control Panel Equally Effective?

Control Panels: Simple Solutions for Complex Tasks

DN — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:54:10 +0000

(From Website Hosting)

All websites are hosted by web servers that must be maintained to allow optimal functionality for the hosted web site. The manual maintenance of these servers would be an extremely time consuming and complex task without the help of a simplification module.

Each day, your website’s server handles hundreds, if not thousands of tasks. Each task is executed based on the administrative preferences and settings given to the server by the administrator. Without a user-friendly control panel interface, it would be very difficult to adjust and maintain the efficacy of your website’s server manually. Even tasks as simple as creating new email accounts would become time consuming, and the complexity of tasks such as database administration or FTP account creation would be too much to handle for most novice users. The control panel is indeed the most important application associated with your web hosting account. Let us discuss three obvious reasons why having a good control panel is imperative.

1. Database Administration

Most novice users know very little about the fundamentals of database administration, yet databases are the backbones of every website. A database is to a website what a vault is to bank. All of your website’s information is stored in databases that need to be maintained and administered to obtain maximum speed and functionality for your website. Most web hosting services use database servers such as MySQL, that allow the user to utilize multiple databases for various reasons. Control panels allow users to manage these databases with very little foreknown knowledge. Since well-maintained databases are so critical to your website’s performance, having a good control panel that simplifies the process of database administration is crucial.

2. FTP Administration

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a common;y used web-based protocol that simplifies the process of uploading files to your web server. Control panels enhance the simplicity and functionality of FTP even further, by letting webmasters create individual FTP accounts for their website’s users. These individual FTP accounts include usernames/passwords, user directories, allocated disk space and more. Using a control panel to manage your FTP functions will remove all manual work, letting you upload files directly from your control panel’s user-friendly interface.

3. Email Account Administration

Having the ability to create multiple email accounts is a standard feature with any web hosting package. Control panels automate the creation and administration of multiple email accounts, letting you set up useful tools such as autoresponders and message forwarders. Autoresponders are applications that allow the user to automatically respond to emails with a set of preconceived messages. Message forwarders automatically send received emails to specified email addresses based on your preferred criteria. These kind of email automation tools are essential in the productivity of online businesses. Having the ability to use these tools, and easily manage multiple email accounts is another reason why control panels are so important to novice and expert webmasters alike.

Server administration would be a daunting task for many webmasters without the help of a good control panel. Thanks to the development of software such as cPanel and Plesk, even the most novice users can now enjoy the full benefits of a properly maintained and personally adjusted web server.

Original: Control Panels: Simple Solutions for Complex Tasks