Archive for Plesk
What To Remember When Moving To A New Control Panel
Posted by: | CommentsVery rarely will you have to move your website to a new control panel interface, especially if you’re using shared hosting. Most web hosting providers will not give you the choice of several different offerings, or even the option to migrate to a new base. However, if you’re using VPS or dedicated hosting, you may be looking at a totally different animal. The control panel at work is under your thumb, and should you get a wild hair to swap from cPanel to Plesk, it’s your prerogative.
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.
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CloudLinux 6.1 Launches
Posted by: | CommentsA couple days ago CloudLinux, the cloud-based operating system developer, released the 6.1 edition of their flagship product—an hunk of code appropriately titled “CloudLinux 6.1.”
Obvious pieces of information aside, what is CloudLinux 6.1 and why the bloody hell should I care? Well, for starters, the operating system is designed for web hosts, and is built upon the 2.6.32 kernel, which provides updated security, stability, and compatibility. On the subject of compatibility, CloudLinux is fully ready to roll with Red Hat and CentOS, as well as almost every control panel you can name. This includes cPanel, Plesk, DirectAdmin, and a choice few others.
If you’re concerned (or even just interested) in making the swap to CloudLinux, the company promises it can be done in under ten minutes without any damage to your existing systems. Not only that, but until October 15, the company will even provide you with free installation or conversion.
But still, what’s so great about CloudLinux? Well, not only is it the sole commercially-supported (think better tech-support) Linux OS made specifically for shared hosting, but it also comes with a unique feature set. The service brands each user account with a dedicated Lightweight Virtual Environment (that’s an LVE for those with the savoir faire). Each virtual environment allows the superuser—that’d be you, web hosters—to limit the CPU, memory, and concurrent connections allowed for each tenant.
Essentially, this eliminates any negative feelings between neighbors, or bad vibes between you and your tenants. Never again will one of your delinquent users suck up all the bandwidth, or use more than their fair share of the server’s CPU. With total control over your consumers, you might actually start to feel like the virtual slumlord you are.
Not to mention that CloudLinux offers MySQL Governor for further control over available database resources. The developer will also soon release the first virtualized file system available for shared hosters. This system, titled CageFS, will take some large steps towards ensuring your consumers’ files can only be accessed by them, or their associates.
All in all, CloudLinux is shaping up to be quite the Linux-based operating system. If you’re looking to swap, now is the time, what with the free installation and conversion. If you’d like more information, feel free to shoot the developer a message here. They’ll answer your questions, and of course, try to hook you even harder than we just did.
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Choosing Between cPanel and Plesk
Posted by: | CommentsIf you’ve been into web hosting long, you may know of all the different control panels. You know their nuances and differences, as well as the strengths of each:
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?
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The Control Panel B Team – A World Beyond cPanel
Posted by: | CommentsThe 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.
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Choosing Control Panels: cPanel or Plesk
Posted by: | CommentsThe average web developer is very familiar with and knows of all the different types of web hosting control panels. Control panels are essentially a web based platform that seeks to simplify the process of managing a server. There are a ton of options out there both the two biggest choices are Plesk and cPanel.
The Origins Of Plesk and cPanel
cPanel has been around for over a decard and was originally produced and released in the mid-1990s. cPanel has recently become the platform of choice for most shared hosting providers and users. cPanel is used primarily for Unix based operating systems like Red Hat and CentOS. Plesk on the other hand was released in the early 2000s. The company’s main difference is that their panel supports both Windows and Unix based operating systems.
Advantages Of cPanel
cPanel’s primary advantage is its depth of use. With so many users, cPanel is fairly easy to find solutions, tips and advice from other users on just about any problem you may encounter during its use. A lot of people prefer cPanel simply because its ease of use. The GUI is noted as being easier to use that that of Plesk or any other panel. cPanel has one of the shortest learning curves of any of the panels for web hosting on the internet. However, its primary strength is still is wide use.
Advantages of Plesk
Plesks’s primary advantage is it supports multiple operating systems. This makes is particular attractive to Windows based server users. As a hosting company, this allows you to target difference clients by being able to support different operating systems. Another advantage of Plesk is its price. Generally speaking the licenses are cheaper for Plesk than that of cPanel. It also handles automation and multiple servers better than cPanel.
When looking for a web hosting company, the control panel it uses should be a primary factor in your decision. Control panels were designed to help ease some of the burden of managing a web server. If the panel is too hard to use, or you just don’t like it, then it’s not worth your investment of time and it may be easier just to manage the server from a remote login. Unfortunately, this only works with providers who allow you to remote into the web server.
In most cases web hosting providers provide both cPanel and Plesk and the real decision is simply what operating system you need for your site. The rest is just a matter of preference.
Dedicated Hosting – A Brief Introduction and Overview
Posted by: | CommentsAs a website naturally progresses and becomes more popular, it’s not uncommon for a web developer to want to move onto dedicated hosting platforms. This can come from a variety of reasons such as lack of bandwidth from shared hosting, to the lack of customizability that comes naturally with shared hosting. Generally speaking, most people make the move to dedicated hosting when the site has out grown shared hosting in one way or another. But what is dedicated hosting and what do you get with it?
Customize the Server
One of the best things about dedicated hosting is it’s customizability. Your website is no longer made to fit in a cookie cutter mold that most shared hosting plans offer. Dedicated hosting allows you to, first and foremost, choose the operating system for the server. Generally speaking Windows and Linux are the most common operating systems used but really any server based OS can be used by most dedicated hosting providers.
Another option is the software running on the server. A webmaster can simply install anything that they want on the system to run whatever widget or section of their site they desire. This makes adding new features to a site as technology changes a breeze. It does put some of the burden to keep up in your hands though, as most dedicated plans are a do it yourself type environment.
Also with dedicated hosting, the user gets to choose the control panel they prefer. Some people prefer a panel like CPanel or Plesk and with a dedicated hosting plan you get to choose this. Of course you can also self-manage in the operating system without a control panel if you prefer.
Better Backups
A lot of shared hosting plans come with back up utilities that just are rather basic, leaving many webmasters frustrated. With a dedicated hosting plan you can install a more robust back up system, making this process much better in the long run.
Cons
The one major con of dedicated hosting is the price. Typically a plan can range from $80 to $300 dollars a month depending on the server hardware and operating system. Because of this, most webmasters find it’s too much money for their budget and they stick with shared hosting. Dedicated hosting is more expensive because you are the only one who has access to the resources of the server. Unlike shared hosting, when multiple users have access to the same server, with dedicated hosting you are the only user on your machine. This is the main reason it’s so expensive. But it can also be the biggest selling point.
When it’s time to make the move to dedicated hosting just be sure you have moderate experience in managing a server. While you will get some help from your provider, it will be mostly up to you to manage and maintain your new server.