Web Hosting Geeks' Blog » database management http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog Web Hosting Industry News, Latest Trends, and Analyses. Thu, 24 May 2012 11:11:11 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Selecting a Control Panel – Crucial Attributes to Comparehttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/selecting-a-control-panel-%e2%80%93-crucial-attributes-to-compare/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/selecting-a-control-panel-%e2%80%93-crucial-attributes-to-compare/#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:24:02 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=760 Building a website is often a fairly difficult process for novice users, there are a lot of decisions to make before the process can even begin, and perhaps one of the most difficult decisions to make is which control panel is going to be used. Since control panels are included with web hosting packages, the decision will largely be based on which hosting company you choose. However, one of the primary factors when choosing a hosting provider is the control panel provided by the company.

Control panels are by far one of the most important components in the website production and maintenance process, so it is important to know what you’re looking for when selecting your control panel. For this reason we’ve compiled a short list of the most important attributes that absolutely must be compared during the selection process. The following aspects should not be overlooked when deciding which control panel would best suite your needs.

User-Friendliness

The most important attribute a control panel can have us usability. Regardless of how many fancy features the control panel has, if the user cannot use these features then they are worthless, Therefore it is important to consider your skill level in the website management field, and research the simplicity of  all prospective control panels before deciding on your final choice. Many control panels are designed for different purposes, some for business and some for casual websites. It is important to remember that the simplicity of the software should hold precedence over the amount of features it offers, especially for novice users.

Appearance

Another factor that will greatly determine your ability to use the control panel effectively is the look and feel of the user interface. This aspect contributes greatly to the aforementioned attribute of usability, and should not be overlooked. For this reason, considering an open source control panel with modifiable themes may be advisable.

Flexibility

Once you’ve narrowed your list down to a few control panels that are easy to use and visually appealing, then you’ll want to start comparing the various options offered by the software. Having a plethora of options available for website management is crucial in the long term, especially as your site expands and the traffic increases. Therefore it is important to make sure the control panel has key features such as effective database management, email access management, and FTP account management.

Platform

Before selecting a control panel, make sure it is compatible with your operating system and your server environment. Failing to carry out this simple step could result in a lot of unnecessary hassle. If you frequently use various platforms then you may want to choose a control panel that has cross compatibility, like Plesk.

Performance

Last but most definitely not least, is performance. Even with a long list of features, a control panel must be able to carry out those features efficiently without slowing down. If the control panel is slow in the least bit, your productivity will suffer. In regards to performance, it is important to make sure you read plenty of user reviews before deciding upon a particular control panel.

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]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/selecting-a-control-panel-%e2%80%93-crucial-attributes-to-compare/feed/ 0 The Importance of MS SQL in Windows Hostinghttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/the-importance-of-ms-sql-in-windows-hosting/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/the-importance-of-ms-sql-in-windows-hosting/#comments Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:30:17 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=501 Windows hosting is compromised of several useful components, many of which are developed by computer software giant Microsoft.  Most of these features are designed with simplicity in mind and lend tremendous power to business applications.  As an online business owner, one feature of Windows hosting that can truly help your organization is a powerful software tool known as MS SQL.

What is MS SQL?

Microsoft SQL Server or simply MS SQL, is a commercially licensed relational database management system and the main rival to the MySQL open-source software.  As a licensed software application, it is a proprietary product with the source code and copyrights owned by Microsoft.  Some talk negatively about commercially licensed products because you must purchase them in order to use them on the open market.  However, the major advantage of such products is that they come with excellent support, are thoroughly tested functionality and receive continuous upgrades.  In the case of MS SQL, you get all this and much more.

As one of the most widely used SQL systems, MS SQL is supported by a large number of applications and programming codes designed to integrate with its databases.  One of its most common uses is website implementation to generate dynamic content.  In fact, if you have ever visited an e-commerce site and browsed through pages or product listings, more than likely, you have interacted with a database such as MS SQL.

What Does MS SQL Do?

Like any SQL database, an SQL Server database is a data storage facility that allows you to manage significant amounts of information.  Because it is so challenging and time consuming for the average person to manually sort through such large amounts of data, databases are used to request data and retrieve the requested information in a faster and more efficient manner.  Although it possible to directly interact with a database, the mere structure of the data often makes this a difficult process.  Similar to many Microsoft products, MS SQL is are far more user-friendly than other database systems.  This particular software was designed with the premonition that users and applications will frequently need to access its databases, which is why it streamlines the process and makes retrieval easier.

Databases are capable of storing all types of information.  Upon first hearing the term, you may assume that a database is something that stores customers names, telephone numbers and addresses or product inventory for a warehouse facility.  While MS SQL can indeed handle basic text information, it also has the power to store other types of data such as graphics, audio files and even more complex formats.  With all the advancements in web technology, this ability really comes in handy for someone who desires a feature-rich, interactive website.

Whether you need a database to store a list of employee data, create a dynamic website or power an e-commerce storefront, MS SQL makes a perfect solution.  Signing up for a Windows hosting package that offers this feature is well worth the investment.

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