Hosting Control Panels: A Web Host Comparison
Your web host provider will offer you a control panel and this will enable you to better manage your site. The control panel is where a user can look after their entire site and holds information on statistics, traffic, hosting functions, access to FTP, email account access, domain issues and the ability to manage files, amongst much more.
The current market has a great number of products to choose from but cPanel is the most popular. Other products include Hostopia, Ensim, VDeck, Sphera, and NextGenCP although there are countless more. Each site has its own individual techniques and style. Each host will have their own preferences with regards to control panel and their decision may be based on which platform they use. The decision about which panel to use is invariably based on price, features and compatibility with certain platforms.
These are features you need on a control panel:
Mail Manager
Mail Manager
Addon Domains
MIME Types
Hot Link Protection
Index Manager
FTP Manager
Backup
Subdomain
MySQL Database Manager
PostgreSQL Database Manager
MS SQL Manager(Windows only)
MS SQL Manager(Windows only)
Redirects
Web/FTP Stats
Subdomain
SSL Manager
PostgreSQL Database Manager
MS SQL Manager(Windows only)
Redirects
Frontpage Extensions
Web/FTP Stats
Web/FTP Stats
Network Tools
Hot Link Protection
IP Deny manager
There are issues that separate control panels, and one is how it easy the panel is to use. A panel like Plesk may offer simple and friendly tools and options whereas cPanel offers many functions. To ensure you make the right choice of control panel, you need to know what is available. You can find out more by studying the following:
cPanel:
Linux based systems is where cPanel is mainly found. It can offer assistance for over 10 types of Linux the and at the moment does not cater to Windows or OSX. cPanel is helpful in controlling everything your site needs including MySQL database to email issues and much more beside.
The range of features and functions provided by cPanel is higher than many services available today and this diversity and price are key reasons in why cPanel is so popular.
Plesk:
Plex is available for Linux and Windows web hosting servers where cPanel is not. Many users find it helpful that Plex has an interface similar to Windows XP. The control panel looks good and offers many features available in cPanel. It can enable any user to build their own site with easy to sue tool. It offers many features but it may be viewed as more expensive than other products, especially cPanel.
H-Sphere:
Many users appreciate HSphere. Similar to Plesk, it is compatible with Windows and Linux. Many functions are provided including the ability to have complete automation and many key functionalities but it offers less than Plesk or cPanel.
DirectAdmin
DirectAdmin features a number of options that other control panels do not have. However it comes out lacking, when compared to features available with cPanel or Plesk. Furthermore DirectAdmin does not support Windows based platforms, and only supports a few flavors of Linux. On the plus side, it is cheaper than cPanel.
Ensim
Available for Windows and Linux, Ensim doesn’t have a lot of features but it has an interface that is adequate.
Interworx
Interworx is purely for Linux web hosts but it has a simple interface and features like usage snapshot which are impressive.
Hosting Accelerator
This service is only for Windows and it can feel a bit cluttered which may overwhelm a number of users who are new to this style or technique.
Helm
A key feature of Helm is the ability to view bills within the control panel but it is only available on Windows.
CWIPanel
The CWIPanel aims for Windows server management. It is an average product.
InsPanel
Again, InsPanel is Windows based and has little to stand itself out from the crowd.
There are many control panels but cPanel remains the favorite due to its cost, easy to use functions and wide range of features.
However, there are new control panels emerging all the time and NextGenCP looks very impressive. It may have been developed over a number of years but it appears to be worth the wait.
You can tell that modern internet technology has shaped this product. It is simple to use and has been created specifically for web hosting clients. It has such a great ease of use that even novices can pick it up in next to no time. It is said it takes no more than mouse clicks to perform any function. It may seem simple but there is a lot going on and all of the functions aid web site management. The makers of the service have also issued all users with a challenge and if they can think of something they would like in the next version of the product, they will incorporate it.
These are some of the features you could use in NextGenCP:
Gain control over your domain:
All users have full control of any domain and sub-domain and the registration process is very simple. Users have full control over their domain as well as sub-domain. They can also register and host their own domain names easily and quickly.
Database Management:
This product makes it extremely simple to create and manage your very own database with just a few clicks of the mouse. phpMyAdmin provides the database management and the data is secured by Database Backup Manager.
Take control of the mail accounts:
It is very simple to add and control email accounts using this system. Pandela.com have provided many SPAM filters which should vastly reduce the amount of junk a user receives. There are also features to organize mail accounts, and look through and filter mail that is not desired.
Site Tools:
NextGenCP offers many tools to improve the site and managing a website has never been simpler. Script Installer, Hotlink protection and IP Access Manager are just some of the tools on offer.
Sites Statistics;
This information will provide total knowledge of visitors and show how much bandwidth is being used and the usage of email accounts per day.
System for Support:
Every user of this product will be granted full support assistance. By sending off a support ticket, the matter will be considered by a staff member very quickly. It is said that the average time for response is 15 minutes.
With so many impressive features, there is no doubt that NextGenCP looks one of the best web host control panels ever created. It is also good to hear that globaldrylands.org web hosting is promising to continually improve the service each and every day.
Most of us live very comfortable lives. We are Far removed from the extreme harsh conditions much of the worlds population has to deal with. What we often forget is that our actions can have an impact (positive or negative) on other parts of the world.
The things we buy and the power used to power our “toys” and “electronic gadgets” requires a tremendous amount of energy (electricity). Electrical production is the number 1 source of the production of “green house gasses” and carbon dioxide. The more things we can do to reduce the usage of electricity helps to improve the environment.
Here are some facts and figures about Global Drylands:
The following are selected texts from the publication, reformatted for reading online.
* Where are the world’s drylands?. Approximately 40 percent of the global land area (excluding Greenland and Antarctica) is considered dryland. Commonly recognized drylands include the African Sahel, Australian Outback, South American Patagonia, and North American Great Plains.
* Unappreciated Gifts: Recognizing the value of Drylands. What do you think when you hear the term DRYLANDS? Most people think of dry and useless areas where nobody lives. A new WRI report shows the benefits provided by DRYLANDS could be valuable to companies.
* Who lives in the world’s drylands?. Drylands are inhabited by over two billion people worldwide. As lands that sometimes are poorly understood and thought of as unproductive and barren, they support nearly 40 percent of the world’s population.
* Drylands, forage and livestock. From cattle, sheep, and goat herds, to horses and camels, drylands support large numbers of domestic animals, which become the source of meat, milk, wool, and leather products for humans.
* Measuring soil condition. Scientifically credible global assessments of soil degradation.
* Drylands and food production. Low total rainfall and high variability in rainfall patterns present difficult challenges for growing crops.
* Drylands and biodiversity. Dryland species must adapt to an environment known for its variation in climate, both in terms of temperature and water availability.
* Drylands and carbon storage. Drylands, as an ecosystem with extensive surface area across the globe, have been suggested as a potential candidate for major carbon storage efforts.
* Drylands and tourism and recreation. Drylands can be popular tourist destinations.
Green Web Hosting
With Renewable Energy Certificates, 1&1 will help save 30,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year!
- Reducing energy.We want clean energy, and we also want to consume as little energy as possible. Since the start of our first data center nearly 20 years ago, we have been using highly efficient power supplies with less than 20% heat loss, as well as omitting any unnecessary components within our servers.Our data centers around the world are among the most energy efficient data centers in existence. Our combined global initiatives allow us to prevent 30,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year.
- Paperless billing.All billing statements sent to customers via e-mail. We’ve also replaced our welcome packages with information that is available in electronic form. With the thousands of customers that join 1&1 each month, this saves a significant amount of paper each year.
- Responsible office practices.In our corporate offices we participate in the community recycling program, and have chosen reusable kitchen items, as opposed to using paper or plastic cups and utensils.
- Going green globally.Our employees in our global headquarters in Germany share the green passions of their US counterparts. 1&1 employees in Germany benefit from environmentally friendly radiant heating and cooling in office buildings, and mostly bike, walk or use public transportation for commuting.
“1&1 is proud that our worldwide customers are now part of our 1&1 green coalition, with all hosted websites contributing to offsetting carbon emissions through the support of renewable energy.”
-Oliver Mauss, 1&1 Internet CEO
100% Green WordPress Hosting – Why iPage?
We make it affordable and easy to manage your website and email — and our team cares about your success. Here are a few reasons why iPage is right for you:
We make it easy!
At iPage, we have a team of folks who think about nothing but the customer experience and our user interfaces. Every month, we launch something to make it easier for you to use our services. And, we do loads of user testing and surveys to identify and address our customers’ “pain points.”
We don’t stop at web hosting.
Of course, your iPage control panel gives you access to tools for creating and enhancing your website; but you’ll also get free advertising credits on top search engines, search-engine optimization tools, PC backup, malware scanning, security applications and more.
You can do what YOU want.
We build and select tools that give customers incredible flexibility and are robust enough for experts, while intuitive enough for beginners. Plus, we offer a choice of site builders, shopping carts, blogging tools, photo galleries and more.
Our team wants to help.
When you contact us, you’ll almost always be in touch with one of our agents in less than two minutes. You’ll also be dealing with someone who has passed a variety of tests and meets our quality standards. Plus, you’ll receive a survey that helps us assess whether or not you had a great experience.
Your website and email will be reliable.
We serve websites off a pool of servers, which means that the first and fastest machine available will be the one to serve your website. Pools provide more redundancy, faster load times and fewer service interruptions.
We’ve got friends in high places.
We have partnerships with leaders in online services, so you’ll receive great deals and free offerings from Google, VeriSign, ShopSite, Yahoo! and more.
We deliver quality — at an affordable price.
This is one of the few times that “you get what you pay for” doesn’t actually apply. Thanks to a lot of ingenuity on the part of our engineers, we’re able to deliver extremely reliable service, a ton of tools, and a great user experience — for less than most of our competitors.
Your website will be green.
iPage is a wind-energy leader. We offset the carbon emissions of our data centers and offices by purchasing renewable energy credits, which are then used to generate wind energy. Our commitment prevents the release of 2,660 metric tons of carbon fuel each year and provides you with a green website.
100% Sustainable Energy Hosting
FatCow webhosting is an amazing web hosting company (With a great sense of humor) great customer service, and great packages at great prices.
All of the features you want in a hosting service, you will find it here.
FatCow Web Hosting Includes:
- Unlimited Disk Space
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- FREE Domain Name
- Simple-to-use site builders
- Easy online store tools
- Blogs, photo galleries
- Legendairy Support
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Webhosting – 130% Powered By Wind Energy
When choosing a web hosting company, how would you feel if you new the company you were working with had a concern for the environment. A company that felt strongly enough about reducing emissions and greenhouse gasses to actually replace 130% of it’s energy usage by purchasing the equivalent REC’s (Renewal Energy Certificates) for the electricity used to power and cool their servers.
One such company is Hostgator. Hosgator is a large website hosting company that requires a tremendous amount of energy to run, yet they have made a commitment to purchase 130% REC’s. That means they are putting 130% renewable energy back into the power grid. They are not only replacing all of the power they use with eco friendly power, they are replacing 30% more! Amazing! All of Hostgator’s REC’s are purchased from wind farms in the state of Texas. If you are concerned about the environment, Hostgator should be your web host of choice.
Hostgator purchases their REC’s from 3Degrees. 3Degrees is a large renewable energy broker. Hostgator has chosen to purchase it’s REC’s entirely from Wind Farms located in the state of Texas.
With the purchase of these REC’s, Hostgator is able to prevent over 3,500 TONS of Carbon Dioxide from entering the atmosphere every year. To give you an idea of how much Carbon Dioxide this equals, this is equal to burning 18 Railroad Cars worth of coal, or the amount of CO2 produced by 650 automobiles for a whole year.
The production of electricity is the number 1 leading causes of gas emissions that contribute to global climate change.
By purchasing 130% of the electricity used, Hostgator is reversing, not simply neutralizing, its environmental impact. By utilizing these methods Hostgator actually lowers pollution, reduces climate change, and encourages the development of our national renewable energy resources.
Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Web Hosting Services
If you are like most people, protecting the environment is a priority for you. All of us have a vested interest in keeping the environment clean from pollution. As the population of the world increases and the demand for goods, products and services increase, so does the likelihood that the production of those items will lead to polluting our environment.
When we are talking about being “Environmentally Friendly” we are most often talking about lowering our carbon foot print, and reducing emissions (pollution) to the environment that result in what are known as “Greenhouse Gasses”. These emissions can lead to acid rain, damage the ozone, and have long term negative effects to the environment. These are typically created when producing electricity through conventional methods.
The good news is, many providers of goods and services are now offering options to us that are “eco friendly” and not harmful to the environment. And, they are doing so at no additional cost to you, in fact, many times these same companies are able to do it even less expensively than their competitors.
One of the challenges for companies today is the fact that running a company, especially a technology company requires a lot of energy to run. With all of the electronic equipment needed to run a company today, the energy requirements are enormous.
Companies that do demand a large amount of energy can purchase what are known as REC’s. According to the EPA (Environmental Protection agency) A REC is a “RENEWABLE ENERGY CREDIT“. 1 REC = 1 Mega Watt Hour (MWh) of electricity generated via a renewable generation method and delivered to the power grid. This energy can then be used like any other electricity, but instead of being generated in a method harmful to the environment, it is friendly to the environment, and sustainable.
These certificates are typically purchased from Wind Farms.
Using this method a company can determine their energy usage, and purchase the equivalent amount of REC’s to meet that demand. In some cases, companies will actually purchase more credits than their actual usage.
One such company is Hostgator. Hosgator is a large website hosting company that requires a tremendous amount of energy to run, yet they have made a commitment to purchase 130% REC’s. That means they are putting 130% renewable energy back into the power grid. They are not only replacing all of the power they use with eco friendly power, they are replacing 30% more! Amazing! All of Hostgator’s REC’s are purchased from wind farms in the state of Texas. If you are concerned about the environment, Hostgator should be your web host of choice.
You might be wondering what do “Global Dry Lands” have to do with Webhosting ?
Well, believe it or not a lot! See, in today’s society our demand for energy is enormous. All of the technology we use (like computers and web hosting) require electricity – power. Electricity production is the largest contributor of Green House gasses, which cause tremendous damage to the environment. This is especially damaging to the most sensitive areas. Areas where crop production is already pushed to the limits. In addition, the fallout from these emissions get into the food supply and eventually into the bodies of children and all of us. Here is some additional information on Global Drylands.
Global drylands comprise over 40 percent (41%) of the earth’s surface and support the livelihoods of over 2.5 billion people, including many of the world’s poorest. It is essential to their survival, and the survival of their families to eek out even the most meager amount of food, for themselves, or their livestock. With these areas covering so much of our planet, and effecting so many people, the average person is not aware of the drylands and it’s unique rol
As the population continues to grow, Rural and urban inhabitants in drylands face growing challenges from climate change, resource privatization, and other forms of structural change. Concerns about vulnerability, adaptation, and resilience of dryland livelihoods are producing many claims and counter-claims about the nature of human-environment interactions, thus increasing the need for critical research into social and ecological dynamics of drylands. While variability and uncertainty have long been embraced as defining characteristics of drylands, much remains unknown about how dryland inhabitants are adapting to these conditions as well as unforeseen changes occurring in the 21 Century. This panel, therefore, welcomes papers that utilize a variety of methodological and theoretical avenues to critically explore contemporary livelihoods, resource access, and environmental change in drylands. Topics include, but are not limited to:
• Ecological variability
• Climate change
• Resource degradation
• Spatial mobility
• Resource rights and tenure
• Water and land conflict
• Dryland development schemes
• Land use change
As citizens of this planet, it is important to understand how our actions – what we buy, what we use, what it is packaged in, the emissions and green house gasses we contribute and how it might be negatively impacting our planet. There are things we can do to be more “eco friendly” and minimize our carbon footprint. If we all work together and do what we can we can make a difference. We can have an impact.
This website contains information and articles on things you can do now and in the future. Things that will not require you to change your habits, but will make you aware of how your choices may have a consequence you might not have previously been aware of. As our lives become more complex and we require more “stuff”, the likelihood that our actions might be having a negative impact on the environment increase. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Through education, we can lead incredible lifestyles, do what we want to do, when we want to do it, and leave as small a carbon footprint as possible. Also, please share this information with others. We do not live in a vacume, so it is important that we all work together for everyone’s benefit.
So, having said that wouldn’t you prefer to do business with companies that are “eco friendly”. Companies that only use sustainable energy to run ? Well, that’s what we are all about. We only recommend companies that are “eco friendly”, so you can feel good about doing business with them.








