Control panels are great projects for novice and intermediate web developers because they provide a productive and useful service to the developer and their clients. Although many people have heard of cPanel, vDeck and other popular control panels, there are many custom solutions currently being implemented by independent developers and their clients. Web-cp provides the perfect base platform for such a custom solution, and the following review outlines the reasons why.

Open Source/Full Featured

One of the most appealing aspects about the Web-cp control panel is the fact that it already includes all of the basic features one would expect from a quality control panel, and it comes in various ‘flavors’.

The Web-cp selection actually consists of 4 different control panels – personal, reseller, domain, and server. Each of these solutions is geared towards a different type of user, and therefore provides a different level of functionality. By providing access to personalized and customizable control panel solutions, Web-cp offers the perfect starting platform for any control panel developer. Each version of the software is specifically designed to create the ideal user interface for the targeted user.

Web-cp Versions

The ‘personal’ control panel lets users perform tasks like editing personal information, changing passwords, and adjust spam control settings. The ‘domain’ version of Web-cp is geared towards domain owners, and lets webmasters add new users, sub domains, domains, aliases, databases, and domain pointers. The ‘resellers’ control panel lets hosting resellers efficiently control the domain accounts of their clients, and the ‘server’ control panel, lets server administrators add and/or modify resellers, monitor and control server usage, edit DNS and VirtualHost templates, and restarts server services. Having this diverse functionality at your fingertips will help you create a perfect control panel solution for your clients, without having to start from scratch.

Development Support

Another aspect of Web-cp that makes it perfect for aspiring control panel developers is the extensive development support offered on the software’s web site. There users can find information about recent Web-cp releases, and research detailed documentation, including information about recently added features, software compatibility, and error reports. The site also provides access to discussion forums, live chat, commercial support, a regularly updated bug tracker, and of course a Frequently Asked Questions section. All of these resources help you create the best control panel solution possible, with minimal experience and web development skills.

Although Web-cp is not currently offered by major hosting providers, and its popularity pales in comparison to that of a cPanel’s, it provides the perfect learning and development environment for those looking to create the next big control panel that will be offered by web hosting companies

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Whether it is software applications, databases, the actual server or other components underpinning critical business processes, managed hosting can provide cost advantages and numerous efficiencies to companies of all types.  This service allows small and mid-sized businesses to save money on an expensive in-house infrastructure and still get the necessary resources to maintain their IT environment and obtain the scalability to compensate evolving needs.  In addition, larger businesses can achieve a tighter integration of IT and access to technical expertise to support their operations and customer base.

There are many reasons to choose a managed hosting service instead of trying to build and maintain your IT infrastructure in-house.  Below are the top 5.

1.) Optimal Utilization of IT Resources – The typical IT infrastructure calls for an organization to not only spend big on costly resources, but spend time maintaining them as well.  A managed hosting provider frees up IT teams, allowing them to provide greater value to the company by placing their focus on non-critical IT tasks.  In most cases, the hosting provider is better to handles such tasks anyway.

2.) Lower, Fixed Cost of Ownership – Internally hosted and managed systems come with multiple costs, including major capital expenditures as well as operating costs and unexpected fees that result from system failures, maintenance and others situations.  By turning to a managed hosting service, you can save tremendously on upfront capital expenses and greatly reduce operating costs.  It is the hosting provider that takes care of the management aspects and all the expenses related to the infrastructure.  You don’t have to worry about unexpected occurrences as you simply pay a fixed annual or monthly fee.

3.) Enhanced Performance and Increased Availability – Managed hosting companies are making continuous investments in various technologies to enhance their infrastructure and deliver a greater value to the customer.  Thanks to the state of the art data centers of today, these companies are able to offer higher levels of performance, security and availability, essentially meaning that your business will continuously thrive under a wide range of conditions, all of which you won’t have to worry about.

4.) Around the Clock IT Expertise - The best managed hosting solutions are complimented by 24/7 technical support and customer service.  Managed providers act as an extension of the client’s IT team, making it easier for the business to access the skills they need at any time.  With the right service, this expertise will come in handy when it is time to integrate or upgrade.

5.) Incredible Value – A reputable managed hosting provider has dealt with and overcome the adversities associated with a complex IT infrastructure.  Its systems and solutions are tried and tested, easy and fast to deploy.  Boasting the ability to scale according to the needs of the customers, managed hosting providers allow businesses of all sizes to instantly reap the value of their services.

Related posts:

• November 4, 2010 – Web-cp – Free and Open Source Control Panel for Developers