Advantages Of CPanel Web Hosting

Introduction

The problem with web hosting requirements is that most companies/individuals are not very familiar with the process involved, the terminology, or even sometimes, where to start. This is a grave problem sometimes, as amateur web hosting companies or individual contractors take advantage of this and offer shoddy services at a discounted rate.

Only when the customer contacts a web hosting company that he gets a comprehensive service package, along with guidelines. Keeping track of files or data on his/her assigned domain becomes easy with the help of a control panel.

What is a cPanel?

Control panels come in various types, interfaces, and from different companies. cPanel is one such Linux-based panel, popular with home users as well as bloggers. Some of the advantages of cPanel are:

• It allows you to prefix the database name, to distinguish it from other databases
• It allows you to collect detailed information about the visitors of your website
• You can check the number of visitors, how long your website was viewed, and the country of the visitor (through a program called Awstats)

cPanel enables users to be practically independent of technical support, as the control panel provides everything. It is divided into two parts:

• Web Host Manager (WHM): enables user to control individual hosting accounts and reseller accounts, and maintain the accounts through a secure interface
• cPanel for end-users: lets users control accounts (adding/removing e-mail accounts, administering MySQL databases, creating FTP accounts, etc.)

History

cPanel was founded in 1997, with headquarters in the Kirby district, Houston, Texas. It provides an easy-to-use interface; enabling website owners to manage their websites efficiently. WHM automates server management tasks for server administrators. They work by simplifying complex tasks and allowing customers to manage their own accounts. Competition was scarce in the control panel market, the main choices being Alabanza and VDI. cPanel 3 was released in 1999.cPanel 3 introduced the Web Host Manager (WHM), and an automatic upgrade.

Key Advantages of a cPanel:

• Security: Password-protected directories; selective blocking of IP ranges
• Free scripts: cPanel has the FantasticoDelux, which permits installation of more than 52 free scripts instantaneously
• Sidebar: Gives a detailed view of hosting accounts that list the domain name, bandwidth, disk space, e-mail accounts, etc.
• Switchable interface: Allows the user to modify the control panel according to individual needs

Note: There is a Microsoft Windows version of cPanel called Enkompass, which is available for free since 2011.