The Control Panel B Team – A World Beyond cPanel

Art — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 11:10:19 +0000

The popularity of cPanel can mask the fact that it is far from the only control panel option out there. It is also not the only good one. Dozens of well-supported feature-rich control panels exist, and as not every host even uses cPanel, the beginner who is facing the question of choosing a new web host might want to know whether or not the control panel system that they use adds value to their web hosting package or not.

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.

Interworx: Lightweight Yet Effective Control Panel

Art — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:09:25 +0000

The control panel market offers many solutions for customers with varying needs. Whether you’re a small business owner or a CEO of a large corporation, you’re sure to find a web hosting control panel that will suit your needs. Many people have trouble finding out which control panel would be most suitable for their needs, however there are some control panels that can accommodate both large and small online businesses. One such control panel is the Interworx control panel.

InterWorx control panel is known as a cluster control panel, in other words it is capable of administrating several servers at once, although it can also be used to manage a single server as well. InterWorx is also optimal for a dedicated server environment, and its multi-leveled user interface is simple to learn, yet very powerful. The software was originally designed to accommodate the administration needs of users with multiple servers, however over time the developers included simpler features for novice users. Both resellers and end-users can benefit equally from this software, as the server space allotted is not restricted on either end. There are two main interfaces within the InterWorx software: the SiteWorx (domain/reseller administration module), and NodeWorx (server administration module)

Ease of Use

Although InterWorx is capable of handling complex administration tasks, it’s learning curve is relatively simple, even for novice users. It’s simplicity is compounded by the easy to use tool guide located in plain view on the main navigational page. In comparison to other control panels, InterWorx is very easy to learn, and all of the features can be figured out by simply experimenting with the software.

Multiple Domains

Increasing web presence by owning multiple domains has become very popular in recent years, and InterWorxs realizes the demand for a control panel that can handle unlimited domains. In fact, InterWorks gives users the ability to build multiple websites from a single interface with the use of FTP, SSH and secure databases. All of your domains receive email account administration and HTML directories. The only thing you need to worry about is the amount of disk space your web hosting provider offers.

Installation Application – ScriptWorx

InterWorx also includes an application called ScriptWorx, which allows you to install virtually any third party application with ease. These applications can greatly enhance the quality and functionality of your website by offering shopping carts, content, blogs, media galleries and more. Some of the applications will also greatly boost your marketing efforts, thereby increasing your business productivity. Since InterWorx is an open source software, developers can also use the integrated ScriptWorx tool to write their own scripts which can then be integrated into th software. This make InterWorx a very appealing control panel to programmers and developers. Included in the software is an update utility which gives programmers regular updates on new programming languages and scripts.

Compact Yet Powerful

Since InterWorx is scripted in PHP and powered by MySQL, it is a very compact yet powerful program. In fact, the control panel uses less resources than a single Apache server. InterWorx also includes a load balancing utility that allows the software to run quietly and efficiently in the background without disrupting any other functions on your operating system.

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The Control Panel B Team – A World Beyond cPanel

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Interworx: Lightweight Yet Effective Control Panel

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