Hosting Concerns: CPanel Vs. Plesk And The Pros And Cons Of Each

The larger your web presence is and the more you expect from it are going to be the determining factors in choosing web options that are powerful enough it do what you need to do, but easy enough to allow people within your company to make the necessary changes. This involves tasks both visible to the public, and behind the scenes tasks such as generating new emails, updating databases and other back end maintenance.

Performing these tasks is where the control panel comes in. The two largest and most capable, cPanel and Plesk dominate the market place, and each have their specific uses and strengths,

Both of these control panels are feature rich and allow you to manipulate your system; each has some advantages and either can get the job done. The question is, which system will be easier for you to use while offering the capability you need. That is the whole point of making control panel programs more accessible to non-programmers. It allows manipulation of your systems and web presence without the need for an IT or programmer to get involved every time you need to make a new email address or upload files.

*cPanel Advantages - Ease of Use

Hosting with cPanel has the biggest advantage in that it is very easy and intuitive to use. It does run on a Linux platform which also gives it advantages through the CloudLinux OS. The ease of use of cPanel, and its ability to easily set up and run virtual servers within your server framework makes this a perfect program for someone who runs multiple websites, or an organization that needs the control that you can only get from a dedicated control panel. cPanel does this without overloading the user with too much information.

*Easy Add On's and No External Database Needed

Another advantage of cPanel is the fact that it does not need an external database; this control panel system also usually features more options than Plesk, and there are many plug in features that are available with cPanel which make adding functionalities extremely easy.

*Plesk - Linux and Windows Capable

Plesk does have its advantages. It can run on both Linux and Windows Operating Systems while cPanel is limited to Linux systems, but it does not have the ability to work with 3rd party plug-ins to the extent that the cPanel system offers.

*Plesk offers greater control at the Operating System level

Plesk does have greater capabilities in some areas (such as exerting a greater level of control at the OS level), but most of these are not functionalities that any but a dedicated web hosting supplier will probably need. For most people seeking a more extensive control panel system the downsides of Plesk will not be worth the extra power; not only is the Plesk control panel more expensive but it can also be much slower, especially when it is running on a Linux system. It also takes a higher level of expertise to operate the Plesk program.

*Choosing the right Program for you

For organizations who are looking for increased security and stability with an easy interface Control Panel and the ability to quickly and easily manipulate and upload files, FTP accounts, mail accounts, manage and maintain databases and much more but do not need the extensive control which is possible with Plesk, cPanel is a good choice.