Kloxo Benefits

Kloxo built a reputation as a control panel that consumes very few system resources.  Lxlabs, its developers, claim that it is the lightest application on the global control panel market as the software only requires 15 MB of memory to run.  Since the program only requires minimal resources, hosting customers can get unrivaled speed and performance out of their VPS solution.  Aside from being extremely lightweight and highly functional, Kloxo also offers a 5-tier security model and many advanced, yet user-friendly features.

Kloxo Key Features

The main features of the Kloxo control panel can be broken down into five categories: General Account Management, Server Tools, Email Management, Security and System Services.

General Account Management

Domain and Sub-domain Control

DNS Template Management

Web-based File Manager

SSL Certificate Installation and Management

Resource Plan Management

Data Backup and Restoration

SSH (Secure Shell Host) Access

Device Driver Configuration

Resource Monitoring

Reboot and Power-off Control

Server Tools

MySQL and Postgre SQL database administration

Ability to Add and Delete Dedicated IP Addresses

FTP Session Management

PHP, modPHP and suPHP Configuration

phpMyAdmin Access

Web Server and DNS Applications

Email Management

Ability to Create and Delete Email Accounts

Web-based Mail Interface

Email Queue Access

Multiple Spam Filtering Applications

Security

SSH Configuration

Ability to block and delete local hosts

Watchdog application to FTP, mail and web servers

Brute Force Attack Monitoring Provided by LxGuard

System Services

Server Process Status Menu

Server Service Status Menu

Server Components Status Menu

HTTP, Mail and MySQL Logs

Cron job and Task Scheduler

InstallApp

One of the most popular features of Kloxo is a built-in model known as InstallApp.  This utility is quite similar to the Fantastico application that comes bundled with cPanel.  The major difference is that InstallApp offer more than 130 add-on programs.  Some of the software on the menu include blogs, forums, ports, customer relations applications and much more.  InstallApp allows these programs to be created with ease as it automatically creates a database and configuration for the chosen application.

Hosting with Kluxo

You can enjoy Kloxo and all it has to offer with virtually any VPS hosting provider utilizing the HyperVM control panel.  Virtualization has its complexities but Kloxo should be easy to use for anyone that is familiar with cPanel.  Most VPS administrators appreciate the panel’s many Linux friendly features while end-users find comfort in its user-friendly design.

Owned and distributed by cPanel Inc., the software is intended for the use of commercial web hosting companies, meaning it requires the purchase of a license.  However, cPanel is available for certain entities at discounted prices.  For example, non-profit organizations such as educational institutions can obtain a cPanel license for a reduced cost and sometimes free.  Dedicated and managed hosting companies can also purchase licenses at a reduced price when installing the control panel with their operating system.  cPanel is platform specific and runs on the Linux operating system.  Some of the variations it supports include CentOS, Fedora, Mandiva, Red Hat and SUSE among others.

Brief History of cPanel

The cPanel software was originally designed for Speed Hosting, a web hosting company that is now defunct.  Speed Hosting eventually merged with Web King, another web hosting provider that began using the software.  From there, the new company moved its servers to VDI, (Virtual Development Inc.), a web hosting company that is no longer around as well.  An agreement was made and cPanel was only made available to customers hosting with VDI.  It was not until 1999 that cPanel became a significant force on the control panel market.

1999 marked the release of cPanel 3, a version that offered many new improvements, including the addition of WHM (Web Host Manager).  Version 3 underwent a few upgrades including bug fixes and a facelift that gave it the default theme we all know today.  Because of internal conflict between VDI and original developer Nick Koston, the software was divided into two separate control panels – cPanel and WebPanel, with the latter being used by VDI.  Koston went on to work with other web hosts before deciding to focus solely on cPanel.   Now on version 11, cPanel is stable, reliable and the most widely used control panel on the market.

cPanel Features

cPanel offers a great level of control to the end-user, allowing you to handle various operations such as managing files and FTP accounts, administering PGP keys, adding domain names and much more.  The software also supports a number of third-party applications, the most popular being Fantastico.  With Fantastico, you can install a wide variety of programs such as WordPress, phpBB, Drupal, Tiki Wiki, Joomla and more than 50 others.

cPanel sets itself apart from many web hosting control panels with the ability to manage applications independent of the operating system.  For example, it can be used to automatically apply upgrades to software packages like PHP, the MySQL database server and Apache web server.  This functionality helps web hosting companies make sure that packages are always up to date and remain compatible with cPanel.  The power and simplicity of this control panel makes it a number one choice for server administrators and end-users alike.

Advantages of cPanel

cPanel is perhaps the most widely used control panel and some even regard it as the best.  The clean user interface makes for easy navigation with icons that put everything a user needs right in front of them.  cPanel supports an array of network operating systems including Free BSD, CentOS, Debian, Fedora, Redhat and Trustix.  This compatibility enables it to be used by almost any web host.  cPanel’s developers are currently looking to extend this portability by making the program compatible with Mac OS X and Windows operating systems.

The cPanel software makes it easy for the end-user to incorporate third-party programs into their web hosting account.  One of its most popular components is an add-on called Fantastico, a unique program developed by Netenberg.  Fantastico works as an automatic script installer, allowing the user to install a huge library of scripts with the simple click of a button.  Some of these scripts include highly functioning programs such as blogs, message forums, content management systems and much more.

The Downside of cPanel

It’s difficult for any software to be absolutely flawless and the same holds true for cPanel.  The biggest disadvantage relates to WHM (Web Host Manager), the version of cPanel designed for reseller accounts.  The layout used by both versions is completely different.  While the WHM interface is pretty straightforward, it can be confusing to resellers familiar with the conventional cPanel layout.  This makes cPanel somewhat unattractive when compared to other control panels that utilize the same interface for resellers and end-users.

Advantages of Ensim

The Ensim control panel offers a very professional and well designed client-side interface.  The main layout is divided into sections associated with numerous components of the hosting account.  Some of these areas include database management, email management and sub-domain management.  Several users have admitted that Ensim’s interface is far more organized and professional than that of cPanel.  This control panel supports an array of operating systems including Windows and Linux-based systems like Fedora and Redhat.

Ensim is feature-rich with an exceptional spam filter and its very own script installer that rivals Fantastico.  It also offers a number of helpful utilities such as the bandwidth reporting tool that provides detailed information in the form of charts and graphs.  Best of all, Ensim provides the same user interface for its reseller and end-user clients.

The Downside of Ensim

The Ensim control panel has a few minor drawbacks as well.  For one, the interface is incredibly difficult to skin, leaving users with fewer branding options.  While there is an option that enables seamless branding, the number of available skins are limited.  Moreover, Ensim is less known than cPanel.  This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean that Ensim has a ways to go before it achieves cPanel’s popularity.

Conclusion

As you can see, both control panels are extremely functional with minimal drawbacks.  However, they do have varying features that distinguish them significantly.  If you’re looking for a winner, we’re not in the position to declare one.  The best solution is one that provides features best suited for your site.  Therefore, we recommend both.