Complete Domain Management

HMS Panel provides a complete system for managing domains.  Users can add domains and sub-domains to the IP address of their choosing whether it is located on or off the server.  Wildcards can be added so that all sub-domains for a particular domain point to a specific IP address.  You can also modify domain zone files along with CNAME records, A records and MX records.

Email Management System

Web hosting customers on the client side benefit greatly from features such as HMS Panel’s robust email management system.  Users can easily create email accounts and customize their communications with forwarders, catch-all addresses and auto-responders.  While customers have access to their messages via the control panel interface with SquirrelMail, they can also integrate Microsoft Outlook Express or their preferred mail client.

.htaccess Management

HMS Panel offers a robust .htaccess management tools that can be used to apply various settings to directories within a particular domain.  This includes error handling with custom 401, 403, 404, and 505 redirects, IP and domain blocking, file and directory redirects, hotlink protection, directory browsing and much more.  The .htaccess management console utilizes AJAX technology, making it a dynamic and very flexible system.  While this system is very convenient, experienced administrators also have the ability to modify .htaccess via the standard control panel interface.

Web Application Management

Similar to most control panels on the market today, HMS Panel is integrated with a facility that enables customers to perform one-click installations of various pre-installed software applications.  The software management console makes it easy to incorporate programs such as WordPress, phpBB, phpAdsNew, Gallery, Drupal and osCommerce among several others.  These applications are mainly available due to user request, but the HMS Panel control panel offers the ability to install many more third-party scripts.

Advanced Security

HMS Panel was developed with advanced web technologies and security mechanisms.  The software utilizes sophisticated API authorization to ensure that server communications remain protected.  By leveraging an enterprise-grade authentication system, HMS Panel is able to better assure that web applications and network security features are properly configured.  The software also uses process isolation, a technology that allows administrators to isolate web applications from one another, making it so that potential issues with one application do not affect others running on the server.

A Complete Control Panel Solution

Now on version 3.5.1, HMS Panel is quickly evolving to be one of the most remarkable control panels on the market.  It has all the basic capabilities offered by other panels with a few qualities that make it stand out from rest.  If you are in search of a new control panel for your server, give HMS Panel a shot with the free 30-day trial license.

Advanced Domain Management

The FreeHostia control panel allows you to create subdomains, register and transfer domains, change your nameservers, DNS records and much more.  These are features normally provided by a conventional domain name register but FreeHostia makes it so you can do it all from your web hosting control panel.

Extensive Website Management

Similar to cPanel, the FreeHostia control panel comes with a web-based file managed integrated within the software.  It also supports a number of FTP clients and lets you easily set up FTP accounts for your users.  The unique aspect of this panel is that it provides a facility that allows you to install SSL certificates onto your domain.

Website Tools

FreeHostia has bundled a nice variety of tools in its control panel.  One of the most notable is the Efefante Installer utility, which is similar to Fantastico in cPanel.  This tool allows you to add programs such as forums, photo galleries, blogs and content management systems onto your account with a few easy clicks.  Elefante is also integrated with a suite of marketing tools that can be used to enhance the popularity of your site and attract more visitors.

Web Analytic Tools

Once traffic starts rolling in, you can analyze those statics and the performance of your site by viewing detailed reports on your visitors.  Learn where they are coming from, what keywords they used find you, and make improvements where needed.

Built-in Support Ticket System

The FreeHostia customer support staff can be reached quickly right from your control panel.  Simply visit the Open New Ticket section, fill in the form, submit it and wait for a reply. You can also track the status of all open tickets and review prior inquires as well.

Conclusion

The FreeHostia website management software is more than your average control panel.  While it offers many of the same features and capabilities you will find in other applications, it also has some unique qualities you don’t see all that often. For example, it is one of few control panels that allows you to upgrade your web hosting package directly through the interface.  Once the addition has been paid for, the entire upgrade process is fully automated and done in a matter of minutes.  Throw in the billing system and all the advanced management tools and it becomes clearer to see why FreeHostia is the home of thousands of happy customers.

Ads

While a company may offer hosting at no cost, they are by no means not making money off of your site.  Nearly all free hosting offers will involve advertising placed on your pages.  These will be completely out of your control.  Some companies try to gear ads toward being relevant to the site topic but this isn’t always guaranteed.  Add in the very real fact that your competition may be placed on your web site and this can equal a loss of revenue for you.

No control

Another downside to hosting for free is a severe lack of control.  Most free hosting companies do not offer a control panel or an ftp access account to allow administration of a web site.  This means you cannot make page changes on the fly or add in programs that may be needed by your business.  If you are a retail business, this means no ability to add in a shopping cart or software that helps you control your inventory.  Putting a bit of tracking coding is not an option unless you can have access to the page coding.  Even attempting to change the look of your web site can be an issue.  Some free hosting sites will give you access to templates and a few will even allow some minor changes made to backgrounds.  But, all said, you are very limited to what you can do within your own site.

Support

Support is another problem with free web hosting.  You’ll be limited to perhaps some online forum areas to ask your questions but you won’t have numbers to call, ticket support systems or one of many options offered by paid hosting.  If your business site isn’t working, this can end up costing you a lot of money.

Affordable solutions

Paid hosting these days really doesn’t put a huge dent in your pocketbook.  Some hosting companies run specials on a regular basis and you’re sure to find one that will fit your budget.  You can find hosting from as low as $3-$5 a month, depending on what your business web site requires.  Many of these companies also give a lot of great features for your money – including unlimited web space, unlimited bandwidth and a huge assortment of easy to install programs to get your site up and running quickly.

What it boils down to

When all is said and done, you need to ensure your business is hosted with a company that you can rely on for support and also one that gives you the needed tools to ensure your online site is a success.  This is one time when you do not want to “tighten your belt” or “pinch pennies.”  Do a bit of research and find a good, solid hosting company with a price you can afford.

Potential Issues

In terms of performance and security, industry leading control panels such as cPanel and Plesk are not always what they are cracked up to be.  These powerful applications consume a great deal of resources and often force customers to upgrade their packages to continuously thrive in a VPS hosting environment.  This consumption is due to HTTPD processes ran by web servers like Apache that make a VPS more susceptible to performance issues and less able to handle exploits such as DOS (Denial of Service) attacks.  Though very useful, cPanel and Plesk are both resource hogs that are more likely to reduce the overall responsiveness and performance of web applications, leading customers to upgrade to more costly packages they do not necessarily need.  In addition to this, even simple tasks such as creating email account and managing databases are slow and lagging processes that generally take too long to complete.

Alternative VPS Control Panels

cPanel and Plesk are ideal for shared and dedicated hosting arrangements but could result in more problems then you bargained for when using them with a virtual private server.  Two more efficient control panels you may want to consider for your VPS hosting solution are DirectAdmin and LxAdmin as both are incredibly lightweight and consume notably less system resources than cPanel and Plesk.  This essentially means they are far more responsive, faster and likely to give you a better performance than the leading products.  A number of tests are increasingly showing that they are also more stable and secure than the competition.

Many observers are stepping out to the make the claim that cPanel’s days as a VPS control panel are numbered, attributing this to the fact that is the most resource leeching solution.  Due to its mass popularity and widespread use, it is also among the highly targeted by hackers, which presents numerous potential security risks to your hosting environment and sensitive data.  For this reason, you may want to carefully consider utilizing this control panel with your virtual private server.  Unless you have a robust VPS plan with a lot of RAM or absolutely require automation, it might be worth the risk to install a glamorous commercial product.

Conclusion

We are not telling you to refrain from using cPanel or Plesk as both are on top of the control panel market for obvious reasons.  However, in many situations, going with a lighter product or performing command line administration will allow you to get the job done in a faster, more efficient and secure manner.  Fortunately, there are several control panel applications specifically designed for the VPS environment, better assuring the optimal performance and adequate security you need to thrive with your web presence.

1.) Powerful and Intuitive

While the software is loaded with a host of features, the Cube Panel interface is simple and refreshingly intuitive.  Similar to cPanel, the main page is where you will find the most essential features and virtually everything you need.  There is a small column to the left of the page that gives a brief overview of your statistics as well as information on resources such as email accounts, FTP accounts and MySQL databases.  Whether it is composing mailing lists or installing SSL certificates, Cube Panel makes sure it can all be done with ease.

2.) Cross-Platform Solution

Unlike cPanel, Cube Panel not only supports the Linux operating system, but Unix and Windows platforms as well.  And unlike Plesk, it does so with maximum efficiency to give you the best performance possible.  This factor alone gives it a considerable advantage over some of the most popular control panel programs.

3.) Integrated Data Backup Functionality

Losing the important data on your server can result in major headaches and detrimental ramifications for your business.  Cube Panel makes this a less likely scenario by providing a built-in utility that enables you to backup every piece of data.  All you have to do is click the “Backup copies” button to launch the Backup Management feature.  From here, you can instantly create a single copy of your website, or choose increments based on a daily, weekly or monthly schedule.  Cube Panel makes it simple to protect your data and easily restore it directly from a user-friendly interface.

4.) Extensive Domain Options

Cube Panel’s domain features serve as a great benefit to the hosting customer.  Its domain options are divided into two separate pages: Domain Permissions and Domain Limits.  The Domain Permissions page gives you an overview of the features specific to your web hosting account.  This includes what type of server-side programming support you have, where you stand in regard to FTP access and so forth.  The Domain Limits page displays all the services and resources specific to your account.  For example, it shows the total number of email accounts you are able to create, how much disk space is available to you, bandwidth allotment and much more.  These features allow you to easily keep track of your account and determine when upgrades are required.

Conclusion

The selling point of Cube Panel is simplicity.  Even though it provides many useful features, the mere design of the software makes for convenient navigation and great performance.  Although a license will cost you around a $100, you can test out it for free with Cube Panel Lite,  a limited version that still lends a great deal of power to server administrators.  Keep your eyes on this control panel because it could be a major player in the very near future.

Affiliate Program – An affiliate program refers to a revenue sharing program where webmasters can earn commission by generating leads, traffic or sales of a web hosting service.  If you feel that have signed up with a respectable hosting provider, you may be interested in their affiliate program to earn some extra cash.

ASP - Active Server Pages is a technology that allows developers to create dynamic, database-driven websites.  The web server processes the ASP code and then translates it into HTML for your visitors to view.

Auto Responder – An auto responder is an automated program that can be configured to acknowledge the receipt of an email, and automatically sends a reply to the sender.  This is an effective tool for keeping base with clients when you’re away from the desk or on vacation.

Backbone - A backbone refers to a single high-speed line or a series of connections that enable a pathway to a network such as the internet.  The more backbones or the higher the capacity, the higher level of availability your site will enjoy.

CGI Scripts - Common Gateway Interface scripts are small programs installed into a web server.  They are designed to perform specific tasks and enable functionality that a simple HTML document cannot.

Control Panel – A control panel is a software package that allows hosting providers and customers to simplify various web server tasks.  This type of application gives you the ability to easily maintain your mailboxes, files, manage domains and more even if you have little to no experience.

Dedicated Server – Also called dedicated hosting, a dedicated server describes a situation where you lease service from a hosting provider and get the entire server to yourself.  This in contrast to shared hosting, which hence, calls for you to share the server with other customers.

IP Address – An IP address is a unique numerical code used to specify hosts (computers) and networks.  Every machine connected to the internet has its own IP address.

Reseller Hosting – Reseller hosting is a type of hosting where a customer purchases service from a provider and then sells hosting package to customers of their own.  This has become a popular and affordable way for entrepreneurs and small businesses to profit from the web hosting market.

Shared Hosting - Shared hosting refers to a hosting arrangement where multiple websites are stored on a single server.  This is the most affordable and common type of web hosting there is.

Web Host – The web host is the company who provides you with the e-commerce hosting solution.  They run computers known as severs that have dedicated lines to the internet.  The purpose of a web host is to serve your pages to internet users and assure its availability.

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.

What is RVSkin?

RVSkin is a popular add-on made to function with the cPanel and WHM software.  This multi-theme, multi-language tool comes packed with some amazing features and a user-friendliness that coincides perfectly with  the leading web hosting control panel.  RVSkin currently supports over 20 languages including English, Dutch, French, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Italian to name a few.  What many like about the software is that it allows you to easily brand your cPanel skin in a matter of minutes.  As a reseller, you can incorporate logos, links to your company website and more.

RVSkin Key Features

RVSkin is integrated with numerous features.  Some of the most noteworthy  include:

Themes: RVSkin gives you a selection of 14 themes for customizing your control panel. Furthermore, these themes can be modified by the reseller and end-user within their version of the control panel.

Reseller Tool: The reseller features in RVSkin gives server administrators the ability to decide what features are available in their clients’ control panels.  If you don’t want your resellers providing features such as shopping carts and databases, they can be easily disabled and made invisible to the user.  You can also control what level of RVSkin access resellers enjoy.

Skin Editor: Branding your skin is made easy with the Skin Editor.  Server administrators and resellers can control the look of client control panels with customization that drives the brand name home.  Aside from inserting links to your site, you can also customize the skin with links to your support department or any other areas who want customers to have direct access to.

Page Editor: The Page Editor feature allows you to easily create pages in many different languages within RVSkin.  It offers full support for HTML programming as well PHP and Python.  Once your pages have been created, they can then be added to the skin using the Add Body Links function, which lets you exclude pages from the certain packages or allocate them to different language settings.

Marketing Tools: RVSkin is integrated with a number of tools that can help hosting providers and resellers increase their revenue.  In a few easy clicks, you can make configurations that provide your customers with the content they need to view certain information or place orders all from their control panel.

Third-Party Integration – One of the best things about RVSkin is that works seamlessly with various add-ons.  The software can be fully integrated with popular third-party applications such as Modernbill, CPSkins Auto Installer and Fantastico.

RVSkin Availability

Not every company provides RVSkin to their customers.  However, every host and reseller that utilizes cPanel has the ability to do so.   This powerful customization tool is admired for its ease of use and often preferred over similar applications such as X Skins and others that come standard with cPanel.

GNUPanel

A relatively new option, the GNUPanel is an application scripted in the PHP5 programming language and designed to run on the Debian distribution of Linux.  The standout features of this software include domain and FTP management, mail management and database administration.  This control panel lets you control popular applications such as the Apache web server as well packages like PHP and MySQL among others.  The software also enables the automatic installation of various third-party programs including Joomla, phpBB, osCommerce and Wordpress among others.  Hence the name, GNUPanel has an open-source license under the GPL.  Although this control panel is currently restricted to the Debian platform, its developers say the application is currently being designed to support other operating systems.

SysCP

The SysCP control panel allows you to manage your web space, mail, CGI scripts, DNS settings, create custom error pages, view statistics and more.  The features integrated into the software provide you with the ability to control a wide variety of applications including Apache, BIND, Courier and ProFTPD.  While there are numerous modules built-in into the control panel, there are even more extensions available for download that enable you to administer other aspects of the server.  Some of the third-party modules for SysCP include tools that allow you to manage applications such as Fetchmail and SpamAssassin, perform backups of your critical data and more.  This control panel supports five major Unix-like distributions with the most notable being Debian, Gentoo, FreeBSD, OpenSuSe and Ubuntu.  Under the GNU GPL, SysCP can be freely distributed and modified.  Before installing SysCP, be sure to check for compatibility as it supports certain versions of the afore mentioned operating systems.

Webmin

The Webmin control panel is becoming an increasingly popular option for dedicated server customers.  This software is incredibly easy to use and loaded with a number of features, which are primarily modules that provide the ability to administer the server.  It comes standard with modules for Apache and BIND, a BSD firewall, bandwidth monitoring, a cron job manager and much more.  Aside from the built-in modules, Webmin  supports a variety of third-party extensions that can be downloaded from the web.  It also gives you the option to develop your modules.  Webmin currently supports more than 80 different operating systems including Unix, FreeBDS and several variations of Linux.   Because it is under the GNU GPL as open-source software, many developers from all over the world have contributed to the code and improved the software.  The most recent versions of Webmin have been released under a license similar to that of BSD, basically meaning that it can be freely distributed and modified for both commercial and non-commercial use.

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 a high 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 going wrong with this control panel is almost impossible. 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.