A web hosting Control Panel is a program which allows end users and resellers to interact with their hosting account and configure it as needed. It allows you to add, remove and edit email addresses from your domain, it allows you to park domains, set up MySQL/MsSQL databases, it allows you to password protect directories, browse files on your hosting account, adjust MIME types and a lot more.
Why does a Control Panel benefit you?
A control panel can be a huge benefit for the end user of a hosting account. It allows real time interaction with your hosting account and permits you to do things when and where needed. This has huge benefits for the user and the host. On the users side it allows you to create, delete and change settings when needed rather then waiting for a support technician to carry out the work. For the host, it cuts down time needed to support clients which in turn cuts down expenses, increasing profit for the company.
What Control Panels are Available?
There are several well known and control panel brands available such as Helm, cPanel, Plesk and H-Sphere. Each have been around for a number of years and are updated regularly adding new features and security patches. Not all control panels are compatible with the type of hosting package you choose. An example would be Helm which is a Windows based hosting web control panel only.
Advanced Features
As well as being able to tweak simple settings, add mail boxes and such a control panel allows you to install statistics packages on your account which allows you to track users. Generally a stats package install through a control panel can be done in just a few clicks with little work to get it going. Another advanced feature, but still simple in a control panel is the ability to browse files on the web server under your account. If for some reason you do not have FTP access (like in an office environment where you use the company proxy server) then the control panel can still allow you to log in, modify the files and do the work you need to do on your web site.
Pricing
For the end user (hosting client) control panels tend to be free and part of the service you buy when you get a hosting package. For web hosting businesses the costs vary from a month to month fee, a larger one off payment or in some cases free. One way to look at the costing is the amount of money you will save as a web host being able to have the clients handle most of their own admin work.
Conclusion
It is quite rare to find a host that does not offer a control panel for its clients. If you are a client looking for hosting then make sure you have some way of performing admin functions.
{ 0 comments… add one now }