VPS Control Panel is a graphical shell, which includes all the necessary tools to configure and manage the server without administrator skills. The control panel combines the basic components of the software that the user needs to operate the machine’s capabilities.
Is it worth using the control panel for a server, and what is it for?
First, let’s consider a case when there is no control panel. You will need Linux server administration skills because all commands are entered through the console with text commands.
The control panel allows the client to use and configure the VPS server without any experience in working with the console. All actions are displayed using sections, buttons, input lines, and other intuitive elements. This greatly expands the possibilities, allowing you to take a server to manage your business, host your own sites or store personal information. With a simple interface, even a novice can quickly figure out how to configure VPS.
What the control panel is for
Panels are mainly used for hosting, so they provide a relevant set of features. They include a variety of tools that allow you to create, configure and monitor objects.
- Working with webservers. The panel allows you to automatically install and compile the software (webserver) to run sites on the server.
- Configuring DNS records and domains. After registering a domain name, you can add it to the panel and manage it, for example, by changing the DNS records.
- Website management and configuration. The control panel allows you to make basic settings such as enabling and disabling the website, adjusting technical parameters, changing content through the file manager.
- CMS installation. Most panels allow you to install popular CMSs in just a few easy steps and immediately develop your site on the hosting. For example, in ISPmanager, you can choose from Drupal, Prestashop, WordPress, Joomla, phpBB, and Bitrix.
- Creating mailboxes. The server can be used to create a mail domain and email accounts associated with it. This allows you to use corporate mail with a unique address. For example, the VPS-UP provider technical support address looks like this: support@vps-up.online
- Creating user accounts. You can create accounts for your customers and managers and assign individual rights to each account, allowing users access only to certain sections.
- Security settings. You can install antivirus, SSL certificate, and firewall (from the basic ones) or choose additional antiviruses and firewalls from the paid services.
- Creating and managing databases. Databases store and process large blocks of information, mainly to compile pages on dynamic sites written with scripting languages. For example, WordPress has no static HTML pages; they are instantly created upon user request. You can install a DBMS on the server (the most common is MySQL) and create as many databases as you need.
- Automatic task fulfillment via the CRON scheduler. It allows you to configure scripts to run on time. This is very convenient since some actions need to be run periodically. You can set up a frequency of once a day, once an hour, or even once a minute, and CRON will free up the administrator from repeating the same actions over and over again.
- Load monitoring of the server’s computing performance. The control panels include reports, statistics, and visualized graphs that show:
- load on different server systems,
- service usage statistics,
- updates (what and when they were done),
- user actions.
- Installing different versions of PHP. Allows you to install different PHP versions on sites in one click, which is important for CMS installation and use of third-party software.
- Creating backups. This feature allows you to create an automatic copy of the website within a certain period of time, for example, once a day. It is also possible to make a backup before launching important changes and updates. If the server crashed, the site was hacked, new settings conflict with existing ones, you can always return to a previous version.
- Managing FTP users. Using the File Transfer Protocol, you can transfer data remotely, and the control panel allows you to install this tool and configure it.
Read also: “How to choose an OS for a VPS server?”
What control panels do we offer?
Clients can install three control panels on the server (your choice): ISPmanager, Vesta, and Hestia. The option of free installation and initial configuration by specialists is supplied with the VPS rental (only the installation is free, for ISPmanager, you will need to pay a monthly fee). Further, the client can work independently, or order paid technical support services in cases where his own skills are not enough.
The following is a brief description of the features of each panel.
ISPmanager Server Control Panel
ISPmanager is a paid control panel, which costs from 126 to 399 UAH/month. The main difference is the number of domains you can add to the panel (from 10 to infinity).
It is a simple panel with a user-friendly interface that can be easily operated even without any guidance. All the tools you need are placed on the main page.
ISPmanager is developed on Linux, but, unlike most of its products, it has closed source code, so you can’t add your own settings. It is mostly used by those who use the server for their own needs and have no administrator skills.
Vesta Server Control Panel
Vesta Control Panel is also Linux-based, but this control panel is free and has open-source code. It is slightly more complicated to work with, requiring administrator skills.
One of the major drawbacks of the panel is the lack of a file manager and PHP versions. These problems can be solved manually through the console or by using third-party software.
It is also worth noting that Vesta CP has ceased releasing updates. Nevertheless, the panel continues to work steadily, and server users do not reject it due to its simple interface and usability.
Hestia Server Control Panel
Hestia Control Panel is a follow-up to Vesta, which has been refined by the community; the development team has made changes and regularly releases updates. A major benefit is the availability of a file manager and PHP versions.
These two panels have similar tools and interface, so if you’ve worked with Vesta before, you’ll easily cope with its junior version.
Control panels greatly simplify the work with servers, allow you to automate some processes, and perform the administrator functions without any experience. Boost your business and develop websites with your VPS server, and the control panel will become a simple tool for managing a wide range of tasks.
