Dominant Web Hosting Control Panels in 2009

Back in the early days of the World Wide Web, there was no such thing as a control panel.  This meant that it took a highly skilled developer and system administrator to maintain a simple website.  Trivial tasks such as setting up an email account, creating a database and running cron jobs all qualified as tedious processes that called for advanced OS commands to configure.   With Unix and Linux being the major platforms, these were tasks many administrators did not look forward to.  Thanks to advancements in web hosting technology, control panels now exist, allowing the above processes and several more to be handled by experienced and novice users alike.  Rather than taking an hour to set up a single email address, the entire process can be done in a matter of minutes with the few clicks of the mouse.

cPanel and Plesk are respectively the oldest and most popular control panels on the market.  These two applications are in high demand for several reasons, but mainly because of their features and efficiency in the server environment.  In this article we will talk about these two rivals along with DirectAdmin, another control panel ascending the ranks of popularity.

cPanel

cPanel is the leading control panel and a particular favorite among beginners.  Though it began as a Linux-only control panel, a beta version of the software is now compatible with the Windows operating system as well.  Users prefer cPanel because of its user-friendly interface that offers a simple design while placing all the features you need on a single page.  It won’t take you long to become comfortable with how to upload files, turn on your FrontPage extensions or access the site builder as everything is easily accessible.  Another benefit is the inclusion of Fantastico, which allows end-users to quickly install add-on scripts like blogs, forums, content management systems and other software programs with ease.  The simplicity of cPanel makes it ideal for end-users and system administrator familiar with the Linux operating system.

Plesk

Though very capable, Plesk is often viewed as being more complex than cPanel.  With that said, it has more administrator-friendly features and better clustering capabilities, able to function seamlessly in environments where multiple server applications are involved.  It also has a longer reputation of being a cross-platform solution as it is one of the first control panels to support Linux and Windows system.  Though it strives to meet the same goals, Plesk has a steeper learning curve for both system administrators and end-users.

DirectAdmin

The lesser known of the three, DirectAdmin is quickly becoming a popular choice for web hosting control panels.  This software presents a simple interface that makes it incredibly easy to use for beginners.  While it has does not have all the bells and whistles like the control panels above, less in more is the case of DirectAdim and the major reason behind its growing popularity.

There are several control panels on the market but only a select few are making noise in 2009.  The three programs mentioned in this article are leading the way because of their superior design and ability to automate a number of would-be complex tasks

Managing Files with cPanel’s File Manager

cPanel comes integrated with numerous tools and one of the most useful is the File Manager.  This handy utility allows you to manage your files on the server via HTTP rather than a third-party FTP client such as FileZilla.  It lets you upload files, create or delete files, create folders and more.  In this tutorial we show you how to utilize some of the basic functions in the File Manager.

Creating a Folder

- To get started, locate and click on the “File Manager” icon in the “File” section of cPanel.

Once inside, you will find managing options at the top of the screen along with directories and folders on the left.  The File Manager contains all your website files, therefore, creating folders allows for better structure and organization.  You will find that this greatly simplifies the file maintenance process.

- To create a new folder, click on the “New Folder” link

- Next, enter a name for the new folder and specify the destination where it will be created.

- To finish up, simply click the “Create New Folder” button and the new folder will be listed in the specified location.

Upload Files

- To upload a new file, choose the folder you want to upload files to from the navigation pane on the left.

- Next, locate and click on the “Upload” icon at the top of the screen.

- In the next window, click “Browse” and locate the files you want to upload from your hard drive or storage media.

- Double-click on the desired file and the upload process will start immediately.

You can also upload multiple files by clicking on the “Add Another Upload Box” link.  Simply repeat these steps for all the files you want to upload.

The files you upload to the server can be easily downloaded to your hard drive through the “Download” option.

Create New Files

Creating new files through the File Manager is simple, possibly easier than creating them on your PC.

- To get started, simply click on the “New File” link.

- Next, enter a name for the file you want to create.  Be sure to add the appropriate extension.  So if you create a PHP file, its extension will be .php.

- Choose the destination where you want the file to be saved.

- Lastly, click “Create New File” button and the file will be created.

Edit Files

The edit feature in the File Manager lets you make immediate changes without needing to upload new versions of your files.  This is particularly useful for relatively small changes.

- Find the folder where the file is located and click it.

- Click on the “Edit” link at the top of the screen.

- When the new window displays, alter the text of the file to your specific needs

- After making the necessary alterations, click on the “Save Changes” button.

The changes you made should take effect immediately.

Additional Features

Other functions in the File Manager include advanced editors such as the Code and HTML Editor, Extract and Compression tools, and the ability change permissions for your files.  For those users who don’t feel comfortable working with FTP tools, the File Manager in cPanel makes the perfect alternative.

Getting HotLink Protection from cPanel

After putting significant time and effort into building your website, you check your web stats and come to find that an unscrupulous webmaster has made you the latest victim of hotlinking.  A perfect example of hotlinking would be another site using HTML to display images from your site.  Not only are they stealing your data, but precious bandwidth as well.  While preventing the theft of your website data is difficult, there is a way to stop people from leaching off your monthly bandwidth.

HotLink Protection

The cPanel control panel is equipped with a useful feature called HotLink protection.  As the name implies, this feature prevents other webmasters from directly linking to the files on your site, thus allowing you to save preserve precious bandwidth.  This tutorial will show you how to use the HotLink protection feature within cPanel.

Enabling and Configuring HotLink Protection

- From the main page of cPanel, locate and click on the “HotLink Protection” icon under the “Security” category.

On the next page, you will see that the HotLink Protection feature is disabled.  Before enabling it, you should review the domains underneath “URLs to Allow Access”.  You should see URLs for all the domains you are hosting on the server.  Specify the ones you want to have access and move onto the next step.

- In the “Block direct access for these extensions (separate by commas)”, enter the extensions you want to block direct access from.  These could be extensions such as jpg, jpeg, gif, png, bmp, etc.

- To allow direct requests to the image URL from your browser, check the “Allow direct requests” option.  This option must be checked when enabling HotLink Protection for files you want to be viewed in QuickTime by your visitors.

- In the “Redirect request to this URL” box, enter the URL you want request for your images to be redirected to.

- Lastly, click the “Enable” tab at the top of the screen or the “Submit tab at the bottom of the screen.  Both will provide the same results by enabling the HotLink Protection.

cPanel will give notification that HotLink Protection has been enabled for the specified URLs.

Give it a Try

After making the configurations, you can perform a test to see if the HotLink Protection feature is working.  If you don’t have a website located on another server, use MySpace or a similar site that allows you to add images.  When trying to hotlink one of your images from another site, you should be greeted by an error message either denying the request or redirected to the URL that you specified in the configuration steps.

Conclusion

Working with the HotLink Protection feature in cPanel is fairly easy.  The entire process should take you no longer than a couple of minutes to complete.  Keep in mind that this will not prevent people from copying your text or images and uploading them to their server.  However, it will protect you from the lazier thieves and most importantly, stop them from stealing your bandwidth.

cPanel Tutorial: Installing SohoLaunch Site Builder

When purchasing a web hosting plan, there is a great chance that your account is already equipped with a default site builder.  This could be the RV Builder utility or similar program.  While these tools may perform the needed services, many prefer more powerful and comprehensive applications to build their site with.  If this sounds like you, a handy little software tool known as SohoLaunch may be of interest.

What is SohoLaunch?

SoloLaunch is a user-friendly software program that allows you to easily build and maintain a professional website regardless of experience.  You don’t have to know PHP, ASP or even programming technologies as basic as HTML.  Unlike applications such as Microsoft FrontPage and Dreamweaver, you don’t have to install SohoLaunch on your local hard drive. The software operates on your host’s web server and can be directly accessed from a web-based interface. Best of all, the program is free to use as it comes included with your web hosting account.  Getting started is easy, but first you have to make the installation, which is what we will discuss in this cPanel tutorial.

How to Install SohoLaunch Via cPanel

- Log into your cPanel account, locate and click on the “Fantastico” icon at the bottom of the main page.

- Under the “Site Builders” category, click on the link that reads “SohoLaunch Pro Edition”.

- On the new page, you should see information regarding the SohoLauch application.  Click on the “New Installation” link to proceed with the installation.

Installing SohoLaunch is much easier and even faster than other Fantastico scripts.  All you have to do is select the domain you want to install the software on.  You will also be required to create a username and password to designate as your administrative credentials.  Keep in mind that SohoLaunch requires a clean directory for a successful installation.  If you already have a website stored on your root directory, you will have to create a separate one to install the program.  After entering the required information, simply the click “Install Pro Edition” tab.

When the next page loads, Fantastico will let you know that it needs to create a MySQL database and user in order to install the software.  Simply click on “Finish Installation” and wait for Fantastico to work its magic.  This process shouldn’t take long at all.  Once the process is complete, Fantastico will give notification and provide a link that takes you directly to the SohoLaunch administrative area.  From there, you can log in and start building your new website.

Something to Keep in Mind

Take note that only the basic version of SohoLaunch is free.  The full functionality of the software is generally provided on a 15-day trial basis.  After this, advanced features such as member logins and the integrated shopping cart will be disabled while all the standard features are free fore life.  In order to enjoy the advanced functionality, you would need to purchase a software license from the official SohoLaunch website. Once you upgrade, all the additions made will be returned as you created them.

Plesk: The Multipurpose Control Panel

Although cPanel is highly praised, Parallel’s Plesk is regarded as one of the most widely used and efficient control panels on the web hosting market.  The major advantage it has over cPanel is the power to operate on both Windows and Linux platforms.  In addition, Plesk is one of few control panels that makes an ideal solution for shared, dedicated and virtual private server environments.  It is said to be the most secure and stable platform available for web hosting companies and their customers.  The software is being increasingly used by hosting providers who want to enhance performance and boost per-server profitability.  Plesk makes a great choice in almost any hosting arrangement and this article will discuss some of the specific benefits.

Dedicated Hosting

The RPM installation and modular design of Plesk allows dedicated hosting providers to cater to the needs of the technically inclined.  The software can be set up in an instant and deployed in no time.  Many companies have taken a liking to Plesk because it offers such an excellent value by delivering high a level of performance at a reasonable price.  System administrators have access to several unique features including the XML-API, a built-in interface that automates the provisioning process.  It also facilitates the implementation of the numerous third-party applications built into the control panel.  With fully integrated software development kits and a number of back-end utilities, Plesk gives hosting providers and end-users the ability to dramatically enhance their operations.

Shared Hosting

Tiered self administration and a unified multi-platform design makes Plesk a perfect administrative tool in the shared hosting environment as well.  This control panel makes it easier for providers to mange multiple domains on a highly scalable architecture optimized for demanding tasks.  An administrator with little to no technical background can easily create and manage user accounts on the server.  In addition, customers can manage their own domains without direct support of the server administrator.  The power of Plesk covers the needs of the simple and complex side of the traditional web hosting service, enabling full customization that benefits both the host and the end-user.

VPS Hosting

The Plesk control panel is also becoming more common in the virtual private server environment, mainly because it delivers exceptional management power and has a small footprint that ensures great performance.  When used in conjunction with the Virtuozzo software, Plesk allows system administrators to quickly deploy templates of multiple control panel systems.  This is made possible a VPS’s ability to create several isolated server environments on a single machine.  On a virtualized platform, Plesk and Virtuzzo are unparalleled in their ability to increase ROI and revenues for professional web hosting providers while meeting the demanding needs of customers.

Conclusion

Plesk has so many beneficial uses that choosing this control panel is proving to be quite advantageous to many webmasters. The software offers power that allows you to administrator a single machine, a cluster of servers or a simple shared hosting account.  If you’re still looking for a control panel, Plesk could be the solution.