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Control Panels in the Dedicated Server Environment

Control panels are installed on dedicated servers to simplify the process of administering websites and the server itself.  This type of software automates numerous tasks such as creating and managing email accounts, FTP accounts, domains, databases and much more.  Most control panels offer an easy navigable GUI (graphical user interface) that can be easily accessed through the typical web browser.  The purpose of such software is to allow webmasters with limited knowledge in computers or website management to easily maintain there hosting environment.  These capabilities can be enjoyed with a dedicated server, a reseller and even shared hosting arrangement.

What Does a Dedicated Server Control Panel Do?

In this environment, the goal of the control panel is to help you manage your server through a simple point and click functionality.  Unlike the software end-users are provided with in a shared hosting arrangement, a dedicated server control panel gives you administrative authority over the mail server, FTP server, database server and other vital aspects.  Through the interface you can setup hosting accounts and grant administrative privileges to staff all without the need to have expert knowledge with a web server.  Although maintaining a dedicated server is generally more complex, a quality control panel makes the process much easier.

Who Needs a Dedicated Server Control Panel?

Control panel software is highly recommended for the dedicated server environment.  This is especially true on a Linux platform which is naturally more complicated than other systems.  If you plan to run a platform such as Windows Server 2003 or 2008, a control panel isn’t necessarily required as these alternatives offer a built-in administrative application that provides a great level of control via the Microsoft Remote Desktop system.  As far as Windows-based dedicated hosting goes, the choice on whether to go with a premium control panel all depends on if you require the specific features and user manageability that typical software offers.

Finding a Control Panel for Your Server

Understanding the complexity of server administration, most web hosting providers will include a free control panel with your dedicated server to ease the learning curve.  Taking advantage of such offerings is advisable unless you have your own technical staff that is well versed in server hosted software applications.  Even when a control panel is offered, you generally have the option to install the software of your choice as well.

There are numerous dedicated server control panels to choose from but all have the same basic goal.  However, there are different features and functionality that make the software unique. When researching control panels for your server, keep in mind that the vast majority of these programs are platform specific.  This means that some control panels are specifically designed to work with Linux while others were made for Windows.  Very few support both platforms.

One favorable point is that there are quality control panels which perform seamlessly on whatever platform you choose, allowing you to get the most out of your dedicated server.  Each server control panel pretty much offers the same basic functions as mentioned above.  However, each has its own custom features and software abilities that make them unique.

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.

FrontPage Enhances Your Experience via WYSIWYG

FrontPage is an amazing technology developed by Microsoft.  It was specifically designed as a tool for website creation and management, enabling users to author web pages and build feature-rich websites with professional appeal.  The best part about FrontPage is that it doesn’t require the coding of HTML or complex applications.  One of it’s main attractions is the FrontPage editor which is a GUI featuring WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get).  When you create and edit your web pages, the changes appear in a display window in the exact manner is it would on the actual page.  Code used to create these dynamic pages are automatically generated and concealed from the user by default.  However, more experienced users can edit HTML code via a separate display window with the simple click of a button.

The biggest advantage of the WYSIWYG editor is that it gives you the ability to visualize how you want the website to appear.  Your background layout, fonts, colors, photos and edits can be viewed on the screen right as you add them, something that simply can’t be achieved by freehand coding.  WYSIWYG offers an easy to use environment where complex web pages can be created within a matter of minutes.  Not only is FrontPage time-effective, but far more forgiving in regard to programming errors.  With traditional coding, the simplest typing error can have an adverse effect on your web page results.  In the WYSIWYG environment, screwing up a design in almost impossible.  All you’re required to do is point, click and save to create your content.  Editing is also made easy.  Instead of searching for any errors that may be present in HTML, FrontPage allows you to view exactly what went wrong and make adjustments accordingly.

While FrontPage is extremely easy to use, by no way is it lacking in sophistication.  It provides the user with exceptional authoring capabilities that can be used to create interactive web pages that appeal to your visitors.  You can easily create forms, hit counters, search boxes, link buttons and much more – all without performing complex server-side programming.  Simply utilize the provided icons and drop-down menus to insert the desired application to your web page and FrontPage handles the rest.  Your main concern with FrontPage is assuring that your web hosting provider has FrontPage extensions integrated into their server.  If not, the applications you created with FrontPage will not function properly.

Hosting with FrontPage

If your site was built offline, you will need to find a provider that supports FrontPage to host it.  This will enable your site to run all the features and applications unique to the FrontPage environment.  Although it’s a Microsoft product, FrontPage is support by both Windows and Linux platforms.  The key is actually the web server as it must be enabled to handle the technology, simply meaning that FrontPage must be installed.

With everything set in place, you will find that FrontPage is one of the quickest and most convenient ways to publish a website.  It provides everything needed to create your site and a web presence that is sure to make you stand out from the competition.

cPanel – Webalizer Tutorial

Webalizer is an efficient feature found within the cPanel control panel. This application is very capable and provides a GUI (Graphical User Interface) to analyze the statistics of your website. Not only does it detail the traffic generated, but it also displays them in comprehensive charts and graphs. This program alone makes cPanel one of the most efficient control panels available today.

Accessing Webalizer

To access the Webalizer program, you must first log into cPanel. From there you need to look for the icon labeled “Statistics”. Once you click on this icon, you will be directed to a page that includes the following choices:

• Analog

• Webalizer

• Subdomain Stats

• Latest Visitors

• Bandwidth

• Error Log

Of course you want to click on the “Webalizer” link. When the page loads, you will see a double-column table that says “Select A Domain”. This table contains the following categories:

- Domain - this area is composed of the domains that are currently associated to your web hosting account.

- View - when clicking on the “magnifying glass” icon of this category you will then be able to see the web statistics associated with your primary domain.

After selecting the domain you would like to view statistics for, a new page loads displaying a “Usage Summary”. Here you will find a graphical chart with the amount of activity for your web pages and files viewed, hits, visits and visiting web sites over the last twelve months. If your domain and website have not been active for a full year, Webalizer will only display activity for the appropriate months.

A second chart displays a “Summary by Month” log for the past twelve months. Similar to the first chart, this one will only display the appropriate months if your domain and website has not been active for a full year. It does differ from the fist chart by only displaying the actual number of hits, files, pages and files viewed, visits and visiting sites opposed to a graphical representation. To view statistics, simply click on any month listed in the appropriate column. Once the page loads, it will display the following links:

- Daily Statistics – displays both a bar and numbers chart that represents the number of hits, files and pages viewed, visits and more.

- Hourly Statistics - displays both a bar and numbers chart that represents the number of hits, files and pages viewed, visits and more

- URLs - displays a table with top links accessed on your website which includes hits and kilobytes associated with the URL

- Entry - displays a table with the top entry pages accessed on your website which includes hits and kilobytes associated with the URL

- Exit - displays a table with the top entry pages accessed on your website which includes hits and kilobytes associated with the URL

- Sites – displays a table with the top visitors or web hosting servers used to access your site which includes hits and kilobytes associated with their server

- Referrers – displays a table of referrers or URLs used when accessing your website which includes hits related to the referrer or URL

- Search – displays a table of top keywords visitors used to access your website through a search engine

- Agents – displays a table of top browsers such as Internet Explorer or FireFox along with the type of operating system used when accessing your website. This also includes hit associated with those entities

- Countries – displays a table of a specific country’s top visitors that accessed your website which includes hits and kilobytes associated with that country

Webalizer is without a doubt one of cPanel’s most effective features. It allows you to analyze the status of your website and make improvements where ever needed to enhance marketing efforts and it’s overall success.