Many business owners do not realize that maintaining website performance is every bit as important as making the website appear to be professional. In fact, many site owners make the mistake of overloading their site with too much information and thereby hindering the speed and functionality of their website. While having complex flash presentations, eye-catching media, and other entertaining features on your website is optimal, it should not sacrifice the performance of your website. After all, how many people will want to stay at your site if all of these features are taking an hour to load? In order to crate a well balanced website and monitor the server load of your website you’ll need a competent control panel, and you’ll need to know how to use it as well.

Database Management

Managing databases and managing your website might as well be interchangeable phrases, as the databases of your website basically comprise it’s existence. Without the right database management skills, you could find yourself staring at a cluttered unorganized mess of date. Using a control panel to maintain cleaned and up to date databases is a good way to improve the speed of your website.  Using database servers like MySQL will let you use several databases for multiple reasons, thereby balancing some of the load placed on the web server. Using a control panel like cPanel will let you manage all of your databases with ease.

Controlling File Transfer Protocol

Uploading files to the server can be a daunting task, especially when you have a lot of content for your site. To lessen the amount of time it takes to upload, it is best to become familiar with your control panels FTP module. You’ll also want to outsource some of the work eventually, especially if you have people producing content for you in large quantities. A good control panel will let you create new FTP accounts for each user, so they can upload the content straight to the website, saving you a lot of time and frustration. Each FTP account can be given limitations or permissions that allow certain users to handle certain tasks. For example, a writer would only be able to upload written content to the site.

Analyzing Traffic with Your Control Panel

Another way to boost productivity and manage the loaf placed on your website is to use the traffic analyzing utilities that are included with your control panel. Using these tools you can find a plethora of statistics that lend insight to the nature of your website’s traffic. This information can help you make decisions in regards to upgrading your web hosting plan, and judging when it is time to expand your server capabilities. The number one reason why website owners suffer from poor website performance is because they fail to upgrade when it is time to do so. Staying on top of your website’s traffic habits not only lets you monitor your servers capability, but you’ll also be able to see what traffic generating techniques work for you by analyzing daily and weekly traffic statistics.

The search for a good web hosting company can be very confusing, especially with the ever increasing selection. Each company promises they are the best, so who do you believe? Before you can make your decision, you should know that all features are irrelevant unless the web hosting service offers top notch security. Before deciding on a web host you’ll want to make sure they are capable of keeping your website secure. The following terms will help you make your decision by letting you know what you should be looking for.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)

SSL is an encryption protocol that keeps all of your website’s communications, both incoming and outgoing, secure from intruders. The incoming information ( credit card numbers, addresses, emails) is the most sensitive information and can be used by hackers to commit fraud with your customers’ information. For this reason SSL is one of the most important security features, and most online shoppers will not buy products or services form you if you do not have an SSL certificate posted on your website.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

FTP is a network security protocol that facilitates file transfer on both internal and external networks.  FTP is an important security feature because it gives the webmaster the ability to manage site accessibility and send files securely.

Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)

SFTP is a stronger version of FTP, offering more of a guarantee than standard FTP by using a secure shell to transfer data over the internet and between networked computers. Serious business owners will want to make sure their web host offers this as part of their security package.

Firewall

Nearly every web host is protected by a firewall of some sort, however not all web hosts give the end-user access to the administrative functions of the firewall. If you are serious about the security of your website, then you will choose a host that grants customer access to the configuration of their site’s firewall.

Spam Filter

You may think spam is just a nuisance, however there are many hackers that use spam to plant nasty viruses on your computer. Among the bad things that can happen because of simple spam is phishing (password stealing), and even data loss caused by malicious software. Spam not only threatens the security of your website and the safety of your computer, it also consumes plenty of bandwidth and it clutters your inbox with unwanted messages. A spam filter will solve nearly all of the potential problems that are caused by spam.

Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Protection

A DDoS attack is very well know yet common attack executed by a hacker with access to multiple compromised computers. This attack is particularly dangerous because it can comprise an entire network of computers in short period of time.  Every website on the server, including yours will be affected detrimentally. In fact it is more than likely that the end-users will be affected the most by this type of attack. It is vital that you make sure your web hosting service has protection measures in place to prevent this kind of attack.

A control panel is the application used to maintain and administrate your web hosting account, and ultimately your domain. Control panels will allow you to maximize your website’s productivity by making server/domain maintenance and administration a simple task. There are many choices a user has in regards to choosing a control panel, however the following five control panels are considered the most popular and useful control panels in the industry today.

cPanel

cPanel is by far the most popular and maybe even the most user-friendly control panel around. Cpanel provides more services and features than any other control panel in the industry, and it’s customer service is said to be second to none. Cpanel is an all-in-one web hosting solution, allowing it’s customers to administer all aspects of domain hosting, including FTP, email creation, and database maintenance. Cpanel customers also have the option to resell the web hosting services with a reseller’s account. The cPanel interface is so well designed that becoming an expert at using it takes only a few hours at the most. Since cPanel is the most popular control panel, it also has the most tutorials available online. All of this combines to make cPanel the most favored web hosting control panel on the internet.

Plesk for Linux

The Linux version of Plesk is said to be one of the most stable and powerful control panel on the market today.  Though Plesk does not carry as many attributes as cPanel, the learning curve for this control panel is very short. In fact, most of the functions are specifically designed to automate any administration function. Plesk for Linux is capable of controlling up to thirty domains by default, but you have the option of upgrading to an unlimited amount of domains if you’d like.

ServerCP

ServerCP is another user-friendly control panel that often comes integrated with VPS and dedicated  hosting packages. ServerCP is also an extremely powerful Linux-based web hosting solution, equipped with countless useful features.  ServerCP supports unlimited domains by default and also comes with a very user-friendly installation application that lets you install various popular web hosting applications such as blogging platforms (like Wordpress), photo galleries, and even e-commerce shopping carts.  ServerCP is currently available as a free edition (ServerCP Lite, or you can upgrade to the premium version of the software.

Virtuozzo Power Panel

Virtuozzo Power Panel is made by the company Parallels. This control panel is available in multiple  versions designed to support Windows and Linux VPS’s (virtual private servers).  The virtuozzo power panel allows you to access all administrative functions directly from your web browser. Some of the functions that can be accessed via your web browser include web service management processes, server reboots, backup restoring, log data viewing and server resource monitoring . The Virtuozzo Power Panel allows you to have an unprecedented amount of control via your web browser, and is said to be the most optimal control panel for users of Virtual Private Servers.

Once a web site has been established and is ready to roll, an important piece of software that might make the road to success a bit easier is a good control panel.  Control panels allow web site owners the ability to administer their accounts via a web interface.  Of the many programs available, DirectAdmin is one control panel that is easy to use, stable and is competitively priced.

User Features

On the user end of things, DirectAdmin has a number of helpful features that make administering a web site a thing of ease.  Five different menus are presented – e-mail, ftp, dns, statistics, and sub-domains.  FrontPage extensions can be easily enabled or disabled by clicking a button.  Instead of using ftp, users can opt to use the built in file manager to upload files and create new directories.  DirectAdmin also has an advanced tools section where users can install SSL certificates, view server information and even enable site redirection and domain pointers.

Reseller Features

For resellers, DirectAdmin is an administrative gift.  New hosting accounts can be created instantly and current accounts can be modified or deleted as needed.  Predefined account packages can be created allowing even quicker account creation.  The built in ticket support system is designed to allow resellers to contact all resold account owners in case of system wide messages.  IPs can be allocated and name servers can be personalized.  All in all, DirectAdmin works well for resellers.

Administrator Features

Server administrators benefit greatly from DirectAdmin as well.  Resellers and admin accounts can be created quickly, predefined reseller packages can be set up, and IPs can be easily allocated all within the administrator’s portion of the DirectAdmin program.  Every aspect of server administration is controlled through the control panel making the life of an administrator just a bit less hectic.

Overall Features

DirectAdmin comes bundled with a ticket support system.  When logging into the system, administrators and support staff will be greeted with how many messages are waiting to be attended to.  The ticket support system can be configured to send e-mail notifications when a ticket has been created.  DirectAdmin is set to update live which means no more having to manually download and install new versions of software.  A quick click on the “licensing/updates” button performs the update without hassle.  The control panel program is also completely customizable allowing web hosting providers to make their “premier” control panel unique and part of their web site theme.

Cost

Pricing for DirectAdmin is split into several options.  For $29 each month, web hosting providers can opt for a monthly license.  To save a bit of money, providers can go with the yearly option offered at $200 per year.  The most economical over time is the “Lifetime License.”  For a one-time fee of $299.00, web hosts can outright own their own copy of the control panel software.  This last option also comes with 90 days of technical support.

Final Thoughts

Administrating a web site, reseller site or an entire server should not be a chore.  DirectAdmin is one control panel that takes the hard work out of being a web site owner and makes it fun again.

When looking for a content management system (CMS) to create and manage a web site, there are literally hundreds to choose from.  One that stands out from the crowd due to its ease of use and simple implementation is Wordpress.

Installation

The few items that should be checked prior to installation is whether or not PHP and MySQL are installed on the server where the web site resides and whether FTP access is enabled.  Wordpress relies on PHP and MySQL in order to work and the site must be accessible via FTP in order to upload files.  Once these items have been attended to, Wordpress can be downloaded and unzipped onto the user’s computer (not the web server at this point).  A database must be created on the web server as well as a user with the privileges set to access and utilize this newly created database.  Once the database has been created, the file named wp-config-sample.php needs to be renamed to wp-config.php then opened up and edited to reflect the details of the database previously created.  After the wp-config.php file is saved, the entire folder can then be uploaded to the web site at the root web location.

Configuring and adding

The installation of Wordpress is the hard part.  The easy and fun part is configuring and adding to the program.  There are a large number of plugins and themes available to make a web site one of a kind.  Plugins range from statistical gathering to comments to polls and much more.  If there is a need, guaranteed it has already been created as a plugin by someone.  At last count, there are over one thousand themes available at the Wordpress site and this number continuously grows.

The Wordpress site also has an extensive documentation area that covers installation, upgrading, file and plugin management and much more.  If a question can’t be answered within the documentation area, there is also a forums section overflowing with information from previously asked questions and people who are more than happy to help with wading through the ins and outs of Wordpress.

Showcasing

Once the Wordpress site is up, running and looking beautiful, Wordpress has a “Showcase” section on their web site.  This is a great way to show off a newly created site and gives peers a chance to review and rate different sites.  The Showcase area is also great for inspiration.  Some very beautiful and creative Wordpress sites are shown here.

Conclusion

Easy to install, simple and fun to add to and configure, great documentation and forum support, a way to show off new sites and free hosting – Wordpress is an excellent choice for managing web site content and building a beautiful new web site.

The control panel is a vital piece of software as it not only simplifies the management of a website, but the administration of the server hardware itself.  This type of program has the ability to automate a large number of would-be complicated tasks such as creating and controlling email boxes, databases, FTP accounts, domains and much more.  All of these processes are generally handled via an easy to use graphical user interface that can be accessed through the typical web browser.  With a control panel, an individual with limited computing or website experience can easily maintain a web server and all intricacies of managing their website.

Control panel software is designed to make administering a server much easier by way of intuitive point-and-click interfaces.  Most of these programs are able to automatically configure and manage a multitude of applications intended to meet a wide variety of goals.  This includes essential programs such as web, mail, FTP and databases servers.  A quality control panel acts an out of the box solution that streamlines administration functions for both the hosting provider and webmaster alike.

Do You Need a Control Panel?

If you are running the more complex Linux operating system on your server, the answer in most cases is a definite yes.  If Microsoft Windows is your operating system, you may not require such automation software as this platform offers a built-in control panel via the Microsoft Remote Desktop System.  Therefore, the answer to this question in regard to Windows all depends on whether or not you require the specific features and management capabilities a premium control panel can provide.

The good thing is that many web hosting firms offer free control panel software with their virtual private or dedicated server packages.  Although some charge for this feature, the plethora of options on the market should make it much easier to find one that offers free management software to compliment your server.  Unless you are an expert in server management or have a dedicated IT staff to install, configure and manage your software applications and web services, utilizing a control panel is probably your best option.  This little piece of software will make your life as a server administrator and webmaster far less complex.

Choosing the Right Control Panel

For the most part, all control panel applications offer the same basic functions and strive to meet the same common goals.  However, each program has its own special features and capabilities that make it unique and stand out from the rest.  The key is finding a control panel that has been tried, tested and suitable for your needs.  Most important, it must be compatible with your server and operating platform whether it is Linux or Windows.  This is a very critical aspect because control panels are generally designed to support one platform or another.  Perhaps the best way to decide on a solution would be to play with a few of the available demo panels offered by hosting providers to determine which one meets your preference and expectations.

Regardless of the service you choose, every web hosting account comes with one type of control panel or another.  This software is designed to provide you with the ability to control various elements of your account.  From the interface you can set up email accounts, manage domains, view stats, create databases and more.  Consider it as the central office from which you control all the vital aspects of your website.

The Need for Control Panels

The major goal of a control panel is to help you get hands on really play an active role in maintaining your hosting account.  It aims to enrich and simplify the experience by providing a user-friendly graphical user interface that can be mastered with little to no technical knowledge.

Most control panels give you convenient access to all the features included in your hosting plan.  Basic features include capabilities such as being able to add on domains and log into your web mail.  With a good program, you can manage all of these features and even access the tools needed to actually create your site.

Advanced Features

Over the years, control panels have received notable upgrades that enable them to offer a broader range of advanced features.  It isn’t uncommon to find software that allows you to establish an FTP connection, incorporate image galleries and perform web-based backups.  Another popular feature is the inclusion of add-on programs.  Though Fantastico is the most known, there are several built-in tools that let you install a wide range of free programs.  These applications usually include scripts for blogs, shopping carts and content management systems.  When moving into more advanced forms of hosting, you have control panels that allow you to set up hosting packages, maintain multiple user accounts and administer various aspects of the server.  The capabilities tend to be extended with each new release.

Distinguishing Control Panels

For the most part, all control panels strive to provide the same results but there are factors that separate different software.

Presentation – The biggest difference is the interface and software design.  While one program may differ from another in terms of appearance, they all provide you with a centralized area where all your features and tools can be accessed.   Some applications are just more organized and intuitive than others.

Features - Features is another area in which control panels standout from one another.  All contain the basics but some lack advanced functionality and are best for more simplistic types of hosting.  For example, you have your control panels designed for shared hosting and others made to perform in the dedicated server environment.  It is vital to determine the features you need before making a choice.

Platform – The difference in control panels is the platform they are designed to run on.  Some applications are specific to the Windows operating system, some to the Linux environment and others support both.  There are reliable control panels available for most operating systems but you should know that your choice could limit you to the capabilities of a certain platform.