1.  No Software Required: We may have just modified a Phil Collins song to meet our needs, but that doesn’t make the point any less valid: If you’re using a control panel, there’s absolutely no need to clutter up your home computer with FTP software of any kind. This, after all, is really the point of having a control panel in the first place. With something like cPanel in place, you can access your site from any location around the globe via browser. From there, you’re free to upload, mangle, and download your system’s files as needed. It’s quick, efficient, and saves you hard drive space in the long run.

2.Easy Stats: Another advantage to using a control panel over the traditional terminal are the various statistical tools available for your perusal. Using these tools, you can stay up to date on a minute-by-minute basis with who has been accessing your site, from where, and when down to the second. Want to know how many of your users have been coming from the Southeast? With a control panel in place, it’s no problem at all to find out. In fact, we might even say it’s easy as pie—especially considering pie charts are a definite possibility.

3.  Ease of Installation: Another benefit to using a control panel is its ease of software installation. Essentially, with a package like cPanel creating a front-end for your site, you’re allowed to add, remove, or modify web applications as you please. Want to add a forum to your site? No problem, assuming you have a control panel! How about shopping carts, bags, help desks, image galleries, billing software, or even a content management software like WordPress? With all of the above, it’s a done deal, assuming you’ve got the control panel to match. Best of all, these installations can be removed just as easily as they’re added, allowing for an unprecedented level of control over your site’s performance.

4.  Know Your Usage: Typically, when a web hosting provider comes stock with a control panel, the panel is capable of tracking your data usage, just like Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T allow users to track their minutes and allowances from the Web. In this way, it’s a cinch to keep a tab on just how much of your plan you’ve been using, allowing you to scale back next month if needed, or ramp up the features, should your site experience a sudden hike in popularity.

Cons:

1.  Big Tasks Suck: However, a control panel isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. In fact, when it comes to certain filing procedures, they can be a right pain in the derriere. For example, let’s imagine you have a directory that’s currently housing something like 5,000 unique files. Now, what if you wanted to move all 5k of these items to a new folder? How about only the files that begin with a specific phrase? Using a graphical control panel, this could take hours of tedious clicking and sorting. However, with the command line, a single string can take care of the whole operation in only seconds. Now that’s power!

2.  Getting Dirty Requires Less: Let’s create another example: Let’s say your server begins acting strangely, and all of your files suddenly change their permission states. With a control panel, sorting out the mess could, again, require hours of manipulation, and even then, privileges are notoriously hard to manage with a graphical front-end. When it comes to such root level functions as modifying folder permissions, visibility, or password protection, using the shell terminal is really the only way to go.

3.  Security is Shell-Oriented: Another notch in the terminals favor is the fact that graphical interfaces are typically far less secure. These control panels rely on a software relationship between the hardware, the shell, and the pretty, eye-candy studded panel you deal with on a daily basis. All of this connectivity adds up to an impressive level of control, but also to a lot of compromised security. Not to mention the fact that cPanel’s popularity makes it a prime target for hackers looking to make a quick steal. The shell terminal, on the other hand, is direct, password encrypted, and one-way. With this in mind, it’s nearly impossible to hijack a shell tunnel, providing an infinitely more secure experience, and at no cost to your overall control.

So there you have it! On the whole, there’s really only one quick question you need to ask yourself when considering the application of a graphical control panel: And that is, “How much ease of use am I really after?” If quickly and simply managing your site is of the utmost importance to you, there’s no better way to do it than with a program like cPanel. Otherwise, for the dedicated and control-based webmaster, the shell truly is king.

Related posts:

• January 26, 2009 – Why You Need a Good Control Panel
• November 3, 2008 – A Control Panel for Your Dedicated Server
• September 29, 2011 – The Ins and Outs of DirectAdmin
• September 25, 2011 – What To Remember When Moving To A New Control Panel
• September 13, 2011 – Choosing Between cPanel and Plesk
• September 7, 2011 – The Control Panel B Team – A World Beyond cPanel
• January 12, 2011 – Simple cPanel Tutorial – Backing up your Website
• December 1, 2010 – Choosing Control Panels: cPanel or Plesk
• November 23, 2010 – A Review of JustHost
• November 17, 2010 – cPanel’s Expansion below the Equator

The first complete version of DirectAdmin was released on Mar 1, 2003.  Reviews of some of its earliest versions circa 2005-6 weren’t so hot.  Lately, however, it’s been gaining traction, as evidenced by the active user support forum for it, and the increasing number of hosts offering it alongside of cPanel.  In fact,  vpsLink, HostPC and SiteValley includes this control panel among their standard hosting options.

So what is the main drawing point for DirectAdmin?

Simple: It’s simple.

DirectAdmin’s main draw is how light it is as a software package.  “Light” means a lot of good things for the user.

First, it means that it is fast to operate, not having cPanel’s heavy overhead.  This is especially critical on shared hosting services, since it might be several dozen users at once using these.  That kind of processing can add up fast if not done right.  Second, it means that it is easy to use and navigate through.  Its interface is also very similar to cPanel, so users crossing over won’t spend a lot of time re-educating themselves.

Third, being a lightweight package means that it is far more reliable and doesn’t crash nearly as much.  When it does crash, the recovery is comparatively pretty quick and clean.  Finally, being a smaller package means that it’s also a cheaper package, resulting in lower price passed on to you, the end user.  A number of free web hosts use DirectAdmin for this reason.

Simple isn’t all good … is it?

The downside of this easier approach means that DirectAdmin doesn’t quite have the full rainbow of options that cPanel has.

Or does it?  In multiple reviews online comparing cPanel to DirectAdmin I found users talking about the advanced administrator tasks that you can only do in cPanel.  However, when pressed to name what those tasks were, I did not see a single specific one listed.

This doesn’t mean that they don’t exist.  With a package as established and worked over as cPanel, its probably a sure thing that there are some cPanel wizard tricks that you cannot do, or do easily with DirectAdmin.  On top of that, even if there isn’t that much in direct functionality that’s different, cPanel has a larger set of tutorials, FAQs, and current users ready to share their knowledge of the product.

Less popular because it’s less popular?

One web site suggests that the preference towards cPanel in the hosting world might be little more than momentum.  If that’s true, then considering the fact that DirectAdmin is also largely considered to be the more secure of the two control panels (again, for reasons of programming simplicity), this might not be the case forever.

Whatever the reason, DirectAdmin is clearly rising in the web hosting world as a respected control panel package.  If your host offers this, you might consider looking into it.

Related posts:

• September 14, 2009 – VPS Web Hosting – Do Your Really Need a Control Panel?
• January 6, 2012 – Control Panel: Advantages & Disadvantages
• September 25, 2011 – What To Remember When Moving To A New Control Panel
• September 17, 2011 – CloudLinux 6.1 Launches
• September 13, 2011 – Choosing Between cPanel and Plesk
• September 7, 2011 – The Control Panel B Team – A World Beyond cPanel
• January 12, 2011 – Simple cPanel Tutorial – Backing up your Website
• December 1, 2010 – Choosing Control Panels: cPanel or Plesk
• November 23, 2010 – A Review of JustHost
• November 17, 2010 – cPanel’s Expansion below the Equator

With that in mind, there are several things that need to be kept in mind when deciding to migrate from one control panel to another. It’s not an easy task, and considering the benefits, you may want to reconsider.  So, here’s our quick thoughts on what you need to know before swapping to a different control panel.

 It’s In The Matrix, Neo:

First off the bat, we’d like to remind you that not all control panels are wired the same. Each interface achieves its goals in completely different ways. We aren’t just talking about a scripting language here, either. Who knows if the underlying code of your new system won’t be completely different from the one before it? Not to mention the fact that your new panel may not play well with the various packages and applications you’d like to use.

As an example, your control panel may be hard-wired to run with Apache HTTP. By swapping to a server panel that’s not, you run the risk of losing all of your existing scripts, your hard-won applications, and perhaps even some of your content. At the least, be aware of the fact that different panel’s may use very different coding structures. If at all possible, do some research, and get to know your new neighborhood.

Moving Out Is Hard To Do:

Because structures may be so completely different, you may yet have a bear of a time transferring all of your data to the new panel. Imagine all those scripts and applications you have laying about. Will they all work with a new panel? If they don’t, can you find a ported version of the same item to match your new system? Not to mention, are you capable of coding for the new platform you have in mind?

Moving one whole site to a new panel isn’t too big a pain in the derriere. But if you have many multiple servers and sites, imagine moving them all to a new structure.

Related posts:

• September 14, 2009 – VPS Web Hosting – Do Your Really Need a Control Panel?
• February 4, 2009 – VPS Control Panel Options
• September 13, 2011 – Choosing Between cPanel and Plesk
• September 7, 2011 – The Control Panel B Team – A World Beyond cPanel
• December 1, 2010 – Choosing Control Panels: cPanel or Plesk
• November 29, 2010 – Dedicated Hosting – A Brief Introduction and Overview
• October 13, 2010 – Hybrid Servers: Helping the Environment One Byte at a Time
• August 12, 2010 – When is it Time to Graduate to a Dedicated Server?
• April 16, 2010 – Control Panel Industry Overview – 4 Top Competitors
• March 17, 2010 – The Unique Advantages of Plesk

Enkompass is easily one of the best control panels around for your Windows-based server. If you’re looking for a fresh face to add to your account, you could certainly do a lot worse. We aren’t here to sell you the software, but we will tell you what we like about it. Starting with the following:

1. It Looks Like cPanel, Smells Like cPanel: Like we said, Enkompass comes straight from the guys that made cPanel, one of the easiest to use and most familiar control panels around for UNIX-based servers. With that in mind, if you’re use to cPaneling your servers, you’ll instantly be at home with Enkompass. It looks and behaves about the same, making it an easy transition from one to the other.
2. Plays Well With Others: Reason number two is simple—Enkompass works well with other utilities. For instance, it plays like a good kid with Windows Server 2008 and Microsoft IIS7 Server. Not to mention full support for MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server 2005-2008. It also takes full advantage of Active Directory, providing enhanced scalability.
3. Scripting? We Got Loads Of It! Another reason we like Enkompass is its compatibility with a wide variety of scripting platforms. This puppy can handle .NET, ASP, PHP, Perl, AJAX, Silverlight, XML, and others, making it an all-one resource for the coder in you.
4. You Get The Literature: The last reason we think Enkompass is just wonderful has to do with its documentation. As a cPanel port for Windows (more or less, don’t shoot us Windows server geeks!) you still get access to the wealth of troubleshooting literature available for the Linux edition. Because both services behave more or less the same, the communities are entirely integrated, allowing you to take full advantage of already existent resources.

Related posts:

• December 17, 2009 – The Power of Cube Panel
• December 7, 2009 – Top Three Control Panels to Consider When Choosing a Web Host
• April 28, 2009 – Plesk: The Multipurpose Control Panel
• December 17, 2008 – The Advantages and Disadvantages of Ensim
• January 6, 2012 – Control Panel: Advantages & Disadvantages
• January 3, 2012 – Battle of the Giants: Linux and Windows Compared
• October 18, 2011 – coLinux: can Linux and Windows co-exist?
• September 29, 2011 – The Ins and Outs of DirectAdmin
• September 25, 2011 – What To Remember When Moving To A New Control Panel
• September 13, 2011 – Choosing Between cPanel and Plesk

But the sad truth is, we often forget these things, and wind up using the same control panel out of habit. If that’s you, then take this refresher on the two most popular panels around, cPanel and Plesk. We’ll dive into both, and get right down to the nitty gritty competitive nature of each.

What is cPanel And Plesk, Anyway?

For those more familiar with the business, you’ll already know that cPanel is the most popular platform for managing a server. What you may not know is that cPanel has been around since the mid-1990s and is more or less only compatible with Unix and Linux systems. This means it plays along nicely with Red Hat and CentOS.

Plesk, on the other hand, is a relative newcomer to the scene, arriving in the early 2000s. The difference with it is—you guessed it—it supports both Unix and Windows. So who’s got a real leg up on who? To answer, we’ll need to take a look at the strengths of each. We’ll start with the heavyweight, cPanel:

cPanel is The Windows Of Server Systems

What we mean by this is, because cPanel is so widely used, if you have a problem you can more than likely find a solution. There’s a very large group of people using the software, and because cPanel enjoys such a large support basis, its been studied to death. It also sports an easier to learn interface than Plesk, meaning it plays nicer with the masses, and makes it easier to get into web hosting. In essence, cPanel web hosting is as Ubuntu is to Linux—Please don’t shoot me Tux nerds: I’m just creating analogies!

Plesk Is Bi-server-ual

Plesk, on the other hand, handles multiple servers and operating systems like a champ. The interface is a bit more complicated, and has a slightly steeper learning curve, but in return it supports both Unix and Windows. It also handles multiple commands better than cPanel.

At the end of the day, as most quality hosting options give you a choice between both services, your real conundrum is this: Do you want ease of use with a Unix face, or do you want a multi-server Windows machine?

Related posts:

• September 17, 2011 – CloudLinux 6.1 Launches
• February 13, 2009 – cPanel Then and Now
• September 25, 2011 – What To Remember When Moving To A New Control Panel
• September 7, 2011 – The Control Panel B Team – A World Beyond cPanel
• December 1, 2010 – Choosing Control Panels: cPanel or Plesk
• April 16, 2010 – Control Panel Industry Overview – 4 Top Competitors
• March 17, 2010 – The Unique Advantages of Plesk
• February 9, 2010 – Plesk: The Most Diverse Control Panel
• December 7, 2009 – Top Three Control Panels to Consider When Choosing a Web Host
• November 10, 2009 – Closer Look at the FreeHostia Control Panel

Again, though, your presumption may be that this couldn’t possibly be all that is needed.  In this case, you’d be right.  Web hosting control panels are a fantastic way for the beginner-to-intermediate user to focus more on their web site and less on learning tech tricks.  But the more experienced you get, the more you are going to wonder where their limitations lie and when you should be using other ways of accessing and manipulating your account.

Command line interfaces: not quite the dark side.

If you’ve never done so before, the notion of learning any kind of scripting might seem like jumping to the dark side and liking it.  Those who have experience with this type of scripting may be chuckling at the thought.  Knowledge of the basics of how to use a command-line interface can quickly provide you with access to a world of functionality that you may not have even considered.

DOS, Unix, and for that matter, just about any operating system comes with a command line interface with some syntactical basics that are quickly picked up, never forgotten, and which have a plethora of uses.  Let us take the wildcard, for example.  The asterisk (“*”) is a long-running “match anything” standard.  Do you have a directory with 5000 files, and you only want to move files with a certain word in it to a new directory?  In a control panel this could take hours.  From a command line this can be done in 10 seconds.

Countless tools

While control panels are continually adding new features to them, they are catching up to operating systems that have been around for decades and have ridiculous amounts of add-ins and small scripts that are often forgotten about, yet still included.  Some of them admittedly today now seem silly and quaint, but many of them, if you can make basic use of them, can provide fantastic time saving techniques.  Let’s say, for example, that you are looking for a file, but all you know about is the rough 3-month period in which it was made, about how big it is, and one or two words that you are sure are found within the file.  Again, with most graphical systems this is a nearly impossible task.  With an “ancient” interface this can be done in a few lines and at most a minute of your time.

Remember when you complained about learning Latin?

Like Latin, it may seem like few people still use it.  But when you start using command-line interfaces, you start to see that by learning them you are equipping yourself with tools that will have more uses than you can hypothesize about.  So the answer to the question of what the limitations of control panels are is simple: it’s somewhere… and you are only going to know where when you see what else you are capable of by stepping outside their world a bit.

Related posts:

• December 1, 2010 – Choosing Control Panels: cPanel or Plesk
• December 17, 2009 – The Power of Cube Panel
• September 14, 2009 – VPS Web Hosting – Do Your Really Need a Control Panel?
• January 6, 2012 – Control Panel: Advantages & Disadvantages
• October 18, 2011 – coLinux: can Linux and Windows co-exist?
• October 13, 2011 – A Comparison of the Most Popular Linux Distributions
• September 29, 2011 – The Ins and Outs of DirectAdmin
• September 25, 2011 – What To Remember When Moving To A New Control Panel
• September 22, 2011 – How And When To Offer SSH Access To Your Customers
• September 22, 2011 – Enkompass: A Windows Control Panel For The Masses

So let’s do a brief rundown of some of the other common web hosting control panels out there, so you know how much you should smile when you see that your host offers it.

Plesk

Short for Parallels Plesk Control Panel, Plesk has gone through many revisions, and is considered by some to be even more stable than cPanel.  Also, if you are going with a Windows-based host, then Plesk’s support for it is several years older, meaning that it’s going to be even more stable (and secure: a Windows-based control panel is a double-whammy of potential security holes).  It also has extensive module support, and can be used in multiple speaking languages.  On the negative side, a number of users have complained that Version 10 is too overloaded and slow.

Kloxo

Formerly known as Lxadmin, Kloxo is an open-source control panel for CentOS and Red Hat Linux servers.  It had a troubled history to get where it is now, including a number of security holes, but users now report their satisfaction with using it.  One drawback to it is that support is only available via community forums, though word is that the software is growing enough in popularity that paid consultants are stepping up to the plate.

H-sphere

For a software package available on multiple platforms (Unix, Linux and Windows), H-sphere gets its share of mixed reviews.  Some of the negative points are elements that the end user won’t see: it is expensive for a host to purchase and it’s described as difficult to install.  There are also complaints about its ease of use.  On the other hand, its help documentation is extensive, and it has multi-lingual support in 10(!) languages.  It certainly has its devotees: in one online poll 15% of users listed it as their favorite control panel.

Interworx

Interworx is a control panel that’s quickly growing in popularity, though it’s more for backend purposes.  It supports load balancing and server clustering, and uses real-time graphs; what this means for you as the end user is greater stability both with the panel and on the server.  It’s described as not only being easy to use but also being very command-line friendly, something that doesn’t always get much control support.  It includes a module called ScriptWorx that is described as letting the user install just about any third-party software package.

There is a lot of energy being put into making competing control panel software packages.  So when you go to a new web host and see a name there that isn’t cPanel, don’t panic.  Many of these packages are high quality, and some would argue are better.  Take a close look at the plus and minuses, but definitely don’t just write them off. If cPanel is still your choice check best cPanel hosting providers.

Related posts:

• March 17, 2010 – The Unique Advantages of Plesk
• December 7, 2009 – Top Three Control Panels to Consider When Choosing a Web Host
• September 14, 2009 – VPS Web Hosting – Do Your Really Need a Control Panel?
• June 15, 2009 – Move Over cPanel: Make Room for Kloxo
• February 27, 2009 – Control Panel Options for Resellers
• September 25, 2011 – What To Remember When Moving To A New Control Panel
• September 13, 2011 – Choosing Between cPanel and Plesk
• December 1, 2010 – Choosing Control Panels: cPanel or Plesk
• April 16, 2010 – Control Panel Industry Overview – 4 Top Competitors
• March 30, 2010 – H-Sphere: Possibly The Most Competent Control Panel

Flexibility and Compatibility

Although popular control panels such as cPanel are mostly known for their ease-of-use, and are therefore commonly used by novice webmasters, Vdeck differs in this respect because it is flexible enough to be a perfect solution for nearly any size business. Whether you’re a small business owner or the CEO of a large corporation, Vdeck can accommodate your needs and preferences effectively. Vdeck includes all the tools and resources needed to efficiently manage an entire online store, or a small business portfolio site, without the need for any additional modifications or plug-ins. Vdeck is also compatible with a variety of operating systems, and can be used in nearly every hosting configuration . Since Vdeck can be used with any hosting type, it is possible to carry it with you throughout the years as you progress in your online business endeavors.

Traffic Analysis and Promotion

Vdeck improves webmasters’ ability to thoroughly analyze traffic statistics and trends, by providing several integrated traffic analytics software that can easily be installed on websites within the control panel. By having the ability to analyze and monitor web traffic in real-time, and generate monthly, weekly, and daily reports, it is possible to maximize the efficiency of a marketing campaign and improve overall promotion efforts. Vdeck includes a simplified script installation utility that can be used to quickly and easily install web hosting scripts, such as content management systems, with a single click of the mouse. Many of these scripts will aid in administrative tasks such as performing search engine optimization duties and organizing website content.

Expandable Functionality

Although Vdeck is considered to be a control panel, it has the open-source expandability that is commonly seen in content management systems such as WordPress, Joomla!, and Drupal. The functionality and features of Vdeck can be expounded upon using custom scripts and extensions, many of which are already available for free through Vdeck developer’s forums. Vdeck makes it easy to add custom Cron jobs that automate repetitive server and site administration tasks such as posting content, clearing comments, and creating site backups. Vdeck is also easy to learn how to use, because there are a lot of helpful tutorials and videos posted online by experienced Vdeck users. By networking within the Vdeck community you can gain access to programmers that are capable of creating custom modules within Vdeck for specific website and server management purposes.

Related posts:

• November 4, 2010 – Web-cp – Free and Open Source Control Panel for Developers
• October 11, 2010 – Multiple Domain Hosting for Improved SEO
• August 11, 2010 – The Best Business Control Panel – vDeck vs. cPanel
• August 9, 2010 – Using the Control Panel to View Traffic Statistics
• November 11, 2009 – Introducing HMS Panel
• February 4, 2009 – VPS Control Panel Options
• January 6, 2012 – Control Panel: Advantages & Disadvantages
• October 3, 2011 – WordPress Plugins – Making the Most of the Your Site
• September 29, 2011 – Using cPanel to Setup Cron Jobs
• September 29, 2011 – The Ins and Outs of DirectAdmin

There are various kinds of website hosting services from which you can choose from. Some companies provide you web hosting services for free, while some charge the user. There are certain drawbacks of using free web hosts. This is because there are certain limitations regarding the services they provide. Moreover, a user is not provided with customer service, and is not provided uptime guarantee. The limitations on bandwidth, advertising and edit sites may hamper the growth plans of a company.

Thus, it is advisable that you pay for the web hosting service. However, a user should take into consideration his needs before selecting a web hosting service provider. Depending on a users data transfer, disk space and other necessities, the service can cost him anything between $1 to $5000 per month according to his usage is extensive. Also, the payment can be done on monthly, annually or semi-annually basis.

In addition to your needs, web hosting reviews must also be taken into account before selecting a web hosting service provider. The reviews or ratings of the service providers are available on the Internet. Various service providers can be compared on the basis of price, traffic and space. One should also take into account the bonus or additional features provided by the web hosting providers. It is advisable that one should read the blogs regarding the web hosting service providers. They help you get a realistic feedback and thereby help you in selecting the best web hosting service provider.

Some of the other points that must be considered while choosing a top web hosting service are,

1. Bandwidth
2. Server Space
3. Control Panel
4. Support
5. Script access

The bandwidth capacity should be more than of 10 GB. However, it does not make sense to pay for capacity which you will not use. For people who run small businesses, bandwidth of one gigabyte is enough. The same holds true for server space. For personal use, 50 megabyte capacity is sufficient. Select the web hosting service provider that offers a user 24/7 customer service. This is because, in case of a problem, the customer centers will solve your problem. One can also visit their site and read the FAQ’s, since they add to the knowledge of a person.

The control panel provided by the service providers should be a simple version as will be easy to use. Make sure that the web hosting service providers facilitate you with script access. It may not be required at that moment but, may be useful for future purposes.

Since the best web hosting service adds efficiency and success to the business, due consideration must be given in selecting a service provider.

Related posts:

• January 13, 2011 – Know How to Choose the Best Web Hosting Company
• January 13, 2011 – Web Hosting Guide
• January 13, 2011 – Web Hosting Instructions
• May 6, 2010 – Managed Web Hosting For Novice Users
• April 27, 2009 – Starting Your Own Business Through Reseller Hosting
• December 22, 2008 – Shared Hosting: The Ideal Small Business Solution
• December 2, 2008 – Is Free Web Hosting Really Free?
• January 6, 2012 – Control Panel: Advantages & Disadvantages
• January 3, 2012 – Battle of the Giants: Linux and Windows Compared
• October 2, 2011 – How Much RAM / Bandwidth / Disk Space Do I Really Need?

The web host usually has thousands of websites and may use more than one web server for that purpose, and so you will need to rent out space on the server to have your website have a presence on the World Wide Web. Thus, the key to choosing the best web hosting service is to find the web host who manages things well so that you are not taken up with bothering about what the latest server technology is and how to maintain your website. So, before you go reading up on all the different web hosting reviews, you should be clear that it is the web host who will deal with the technical side of things and you only need to focus on building your online business.

Today, you will find that the top web hosting companies are more or less having standardized features and among the more common ones are Control Panel, Diskspace, Bandwidth, Email Account, Scripting language and the ability to directly have customer support either through phone, email or through the web.

Next, you will need to consider what price you are paying for disk space and also the price to Bandwidth ratio. The best web hosting companies are those that will not over charge you for their Web Hosting Plans and a rule of thumb in this regard is that the greater the disk space as well as bandwidth that the web hosting company offers, the more you will end up paying per month to them.

Therefore, you need to know which the most competitive priced is for you which will depend on popularity which can be judged by looking at awards won by the web host, good web hosting reviews about it and whether it gets a lot of traffic or not. Next, you should look at reliability, speed as well as guarantee of uptime which means that the web host must guarantee a minimum of 99% uptime. Thus, you should enquire whether the web hosting company has redundant back up systems or not, which if it is affirmative, will allow alternative internet connections to kick in should the main connection get interrupted.

Furthermore, you need to look at the speed at which your site functions and this will depend on the different network connection types used. It is quite usual for service providers to choose to connect through T1 or even T3 lines. However, the better option is to use Optical Carrier lines because T1 lines give speeds of 1.5 mega bits per second, while T3 lines have speeds of 43 mega bits per second. In the case of Optical Carrier lines the minimum speed would be 51.85 mega bits per second and top speeds can touch as much as 155 to even 622 mega bits per second and this can go up to nearly five thousand mega bits per second.

So, the parameters you need to look for in the best web hosting company are proper management and reliable equipment and speedy service, which should help you decide on choosing one service provider over the other.

Related posts:

• January 16, 2011 – Technique of Web Hosting
• August 11, 2010 – The Best Business Control Panel – vDeck vs. cPanel
• December 2, 2008 – Is Free Web Hosting Really Free?
• January 6, 2012 – Control Panel: Advantages & Disadvantages
• October 2, 2011 – How Much RAM / Bandwidth / Disk Space Do I Really Need?
• September 29, 2011 – The Ins and Outs of DirectAdmin
• September 25, 2011 – What To Remember When Moving To A New Control Panel
• September 22, 2011 – Enkompass: A Windows Control Panel For The Masses
• September 13, 2011 – Choosing Between cPanel and Plesk
• September 10, 2011 – Control Panels – What are Their Limits?