Cube Panel Overview

Control panel software describes a program installed onto a server by a web host.  As the name implies, it gives the end-user authority over the account and enables them to make various administrative changes.  Its graphical interface provides the user with access to all the major features of their web hosting account.  Some of the options a control panel gives you include adding primary and parked domains, creating and managing email accounts, access to visitor statistics, access to server logs, access to multiple databases, the ability to upload and manage web content and much more.

While you have probably heard of leading brand control panels like cPanel and Plesk, here is one capable program you might not be familiar with - Cube Panel.

What is Cube Panel?

Cube Panel is one of the latest control panel programs to hit the market.  This server administrative software is geared towards professional web hosting and resellers.  It offers everything the user needs to get the most out of their servers, systems and associated software.  Cube Panel is intuitive, user-friendly and highly compatible as it supports both Windows and Linux platforms. The program is fully customizable and includes a variety of features including a multilingual control utility.

Cube Panel is developed by Biztology, a Spanish web hosting company.  To keep pace with the fierce market, Biztology created this control panel with features that support three different access levels: API (Application Programming Interface) web services for resellers, allowing the incorporation of various management systems and third-party software for end-users, and a domain registration setup than enables each host to act as their own ICANN accredited registrar.

The Cube Panel software began in beta form with Cube Panel Lite, a complete free edition that supports up to 30 domains, and Cube Panel Professional, a fully featured trial version that is available for 20 days.  Biztology decided to give away these free versions to get the public familiar with Cube Panel, hoping to embark upon a successful tenor in the industry.

Although cPanel remains the most widely used control panel, Biztology’s software has quickly gained notoriety with its latest version in Cube Panel Professional version 2.4.  This program comes packed with many more features such as the structure backup and migration module.  The new addition gives you the ability to seamlessly export configurations of the control panel to any Cube Panel server.  It also includes more options for configurations, personalization and updates for third-party software.  The newest version of Cube Panel can be easily integrated with the existing infrastructure of a small business or powerful corporative applications utilized by Internet Service Providers.

Conclusion

Your web hosting account should involve minimum complexity and provide maximum functionality.  Cube Panel enables this by offering quality service that automates the administrative procedures of your entire operation from adding domains and managing emails to importing data and backing up your web content.

Cube Panel still has a long way to go as it is provided by very few web hosts.  However, this program has well over 34,000 installations since being released in 2005, indicating that more users are realizing the benefits.

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Nov 25, 2008 : Control Panels No responses yet

H-Sphere Control Panel Review

The H-Sphere control panel is developed by PSOFT, Comodo’s website hosting and server automation division.  It currently runs on the most popular operating systems including Windows, Linux and Unix and supports a number of database systems such as MySQL, MSSQL and PostgreSQL.  Scripted in the Java programming language, H-Sphere is a multiserver hosting solution capable of handling any database compliant with SQL.

Features

H-Sphere is known for its ease of use and functionality.  It comes with an integrated billing system and offers various payment methods.  The program also supports nearly thirty payment gateways along with six E-payment services including PayPal.  A plethora of tools make it easy to design and maintain your site with support for Microsoft web building technologies and numerous programming scripts.  H-Sphere provides easy access to your web hosting provider with a built-in support system.

Benefits

Recent analysis of competitive web hosting control panels among H-Sphere, cPanel, Ensim and Plesk indicate that H-sphere is the most secure and reliable.  As a highly extensible multiserver cluster, it has the ability to manage a wide range of servers from a central location.  Your databases, mail and domains can all be maintained right from the user interface.  H-Sphere also allows you to integrate more servers with a few easy clicks.

H-Sphere isn’t as much recognized for ease of use like other solutions.  For this reason, the novice may find it somewhat complex for their hosting needs.  On the other hand, the experienced webmaster will appreciate the advanced feature set and all the control this program gives the end-user.  For those who require assistance, H-Sphere provides a lot of online documentation along with help from the program’s vast community of users.

With multilingual support in more than 10 languages and exclusive features, H-Sphere sets the stage for an efficient hosting environment.

Disadvantages

H-Sphere offers several benefits but its disadvantages are considerably greater than other control panels.  For instance, licenses for H-sphere accounts tend to be more expensive than the competition.  These licenses are however, reusable and sold as clusters rather than a server, the situation with Ensim.

Going back to complexity, the installation, configuration and upgrade procedures for H-Sphere call for a higher level of system administration.  Although everything runs seamlessly after being set up, just getting there can be a challenge for beginners.   Some users have also stated that the saturation of advanced features makes this control panel too complicated for a small business solution, particularly when used as a single-server installation.  Supporters have fired back by claiming that the benefits of H-Sphere are more abundant when used on a clustered multi-server platform.

Other complaints are related to the extensive use of Java which serves as a drawback for some.  A client-side firewall may also block out the software without proper configurations.  The biggest knock on H-Sphere is the lack of a comprehensive data backup utility, a feature that has essentially become standard on the control panel market.

Conclusion

So is H-Sphere right for you?  It certainly makes a viable hosting solution, but you should definitely take the good and the bad into consideration.

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Nov 14, 2008 : Control Panels No responses yet

Reseller Control Panels

When signing up for a reseller account, one of the most important features you need to consider is the control panel software. This is one program that will make your life much easier, saving you money, time and a lot of frustration.

There are numerous control panels on the market but not all are suited for the reseller environment.  Aside from managing your business, you need to make sure your clients are set as well.  They will undoubtedly require control panel features that enable their businesses to excel.  Here are four programs that will make your job as a reseller much easier:

cPanel

cPanel is currently the most widely used control panel, well known for its user-friendliness and array of features.  One of cPanel’s greatest attributes is a third-party program called Fantastico.  With this script installer, reseller clients can build amazing sites with little to no designing skills.  The average cPanel account offers the reseller the WHM (Web Host Manager) application which they use to manage their clients.  This program allows you to create hosting plans and accounts for your clients, view storage and bandwidth usage, install SSL certificates and more.  WHM also contains a menu that takes you directly to the control panels of your customers.  The cPanel package is one that makes adds ease to the management aspect.

H-Sphere

H-Sphere is another control panel that makes a good option for a reseller account.  This software automates much of the administrative tasks including  registering domains, processing credit cards and sending email notification.  H-Sphere is server hosted software designed for businesses as it includes an integrated billing system that supports more than 20 payment gateways.

When compared to cPanel, the learning curve with H-Sphere is much steeper.  The novice webmaster may find this program a bit complex while seasoned developers tend to appreciate the power and flexibility it offers.  Whereas cPanel is suited for the Linux platform, H-Sphere supports Linux, Windows and Unix systems as well.

Plesk

Plesk is a control panel that offers the best both of both worlds - user-friendliness and flexibility.  It’s also one of the most stable and secure programs available.  Resellers and their clients both appreciate the clean interface and easy navigation.  Unlike cPanel and WHM which have different interfaces, a Plesk reseller package offers all users the same control panel software.  However, each user has a different level of control: Server Administrator, Reseller, End-user and Mail user.  The control panel is designed to grant each level of control over their accounts along with the levels and accounts below it.  For instance, the reseller could view his own monthly stats and then view the statistics of his clients as well.  This is advanced system offers seamless server administration and allows everyone to work efficiently.   Plesk is currently available for Linux and Windows platforms.

There is a lot that goes into reseller hosting but the control panel is where you will spend most of your time.  With the backing of a reliable program, your road to web hosting success will be much shorter.

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Oct 23, 2008 : Reseller Web Hosting No responses yet

InterWorx Control Panel Review

When it comes to control panels, there are plenty to choose from.  Some are geared towards a small hosting solution while others are designed for the demanding internet business.  InterWorx is one control panel that goes beyond the average with a robust feature set and unrivaled capabilities.

The developers of InterWorx speak highly of their product and refer to it as a cluster panel rather than your standard control panel.  Well suited for dedicated server hosting, the interface is divided into various levels from advanced cluster and server administration to simple functions intended for lower-level users.  InterWorx’s primary intent is to make the tasks of cluster and server administrators much easier.  It is also designed to provide the end-user and reseller with the same level of authority over their server space and features.  These approaches are identified in the interface as NodeWorx (cluster/server administration) and SiteWorx (end-user/reseller adminstration).

Controls and Features

InterWorx is extremely sophisticated yet simple enough to manage for even the novice.  This ease of use begins with the interface where all of the essential controls are in plain in view with comprehensive tools to guide you through the configuration process.  The learning curve is consistent, enabling you to become more advanced after conquering each task.

Multiple domain hosting has become increasingly popular and InterWorx provides support for whatever your web host offers.  This gives you the ability to conveniently build and manage several websites from a single interface with master directories for FTP and SSH.  All of your sites are provided with their own virtual hosts, email accounts and publicly available HTML directory.  Your only concern here will be properly managing resources as disk space and bandwidth is shared amongst all of your sites.

The ScriptWorx feature is the InterWorx version of cPanel’s Fantastico.  This automatic script installer gives you the power to instantly enhance the functionality of your site with shopping carts, blogs, guestbooks, message forums, content manage systems and much more.  Someone familiar with the PHP programming language can implement custom scripts of their own for more dynamic appeal.  InterWorx also comes with a neat feature that allows you to gain access to the latest updates on scripting languages whenever they are made available.

Despite it’s power, InterWorx is actually a lightweight program, scripted in PHP and powered by the MySQL database management system.  The software is no more demanding than an Apache server and uses very few system resources.  Built-in load balancing technology keeps the operation running stable in the background and provides excellent performance on the client side.

The InterWorx developers are comprised of a team with years of experience in the web hosting industry and software development.  The user community is even bigger with administrators and users who keep each other informed via online forums with details on the latest features and updates.  This support system has been the driving force to the overall growth of the InterWorx control panel.

InterWorx is the perfect solution for the dedicated server client, the reseller and the end-user as well.  Because the software isn’t as widely used as programs like cPanel and Plesk, your biggest concern will be finding a reliable host that can provide it.

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Oct 21, 2008 : Control Panels No responses yet

The Ups and Downs of Reseller Hosting

There are many options for hosting your website these days, including shared hosting, dedicated hosting, and VPS hosting.  Each type of service will provide a means for you to upload your content to a server, thus allowing your pages to be accessible via the internet.  Contrary to popular belief, this can be achieved with a reseller account as well.  With a reseller account, not only can you host multiple sites for yourself, but sell plans to other clients.  Many small business owners have learned to profit from these services and went onto become successful web hosting providers.

What You Get with Reseller Hosting

A reseller account offers benefits to all walks of life - those with little knowledgeable about the web hosting industry and experienced professionals alike.  One of the biggest advantages to this type of plan is that it is more flexible than shared hosting and more affordable than VPS and dedicated server hosting.   With an abundance of reseller plans available for under $30 per month, beginners are able to get into the web hosting business for next to nothing.

When signing up with a reliable company, your job as a reseller will be easier.  A respectable provider will set you up with many of the features of a VPS or dedicated hosting account, such as a powerful control panel.  With a program like cPanel or Plesk, you can manage the accounts of all your clients and also provide them with control panels to manage their own sites.  Whether it’s creating hosting packages or checking on monthly resource usage, these tasks can all be performed from one location.

What You Risk with Reseller Hosting

The benefits of reseller hosting make it a very attractive option but there are disadvantages you should be aware of.  One major downside is the fact that reselling is essentially a form of shared hosting as all of your clients are running their sites on a single web server.  Aside from your business, there are likely to be other resellers operating on the same server.  When examining these factors, it is safe to conclude that reseller hosting isn’t the most reliable solution.  The heavy load on a server could negatively impact your clients which results in bad news for you.   Business owners who are concerned about resource usage may be better off with a VPS or dedicated server.  Eeven though you can host multiple sites with a reseller account, keep in mind that the server does have its limits.

Another disadvantage of reseller hosting is the lack of root access, a luxury that is typically enjoyed on VPS and dedicated servers.  This means that you can’t install your own software or scripting languages and are basically limited to what the reseller host provides.  If you are limited, your clients will be as well.

As reseller hosting has become more common, providers are developing more robust solutions to compensate for the disadvantages highlighted in this article.  You will find that companies have a maximum amount of clients allowed on a single server while others offer reseller packages on dedicated servers.  If this is something you’re really interested in, there is sure to be a web host that can make the transition as smooth as possible

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Oct 20, 2008 : Reseller Web Hosting No responses yet