Plesk Web Hosting
Plesk Web Hosting
Plesk web hosting services can come in the form of either Windows or Linux web hosting packages. Plesk is the most popular control panel used for Windows web hosting services, although it is second best when it comes to Linux web hosting services as it has been beaten to the post by the cPanel web hosting control panel. The Plesk control panel contains many features that allow users to manage the different aspects of their web hosting account, and in the traditional style of a web hosting control panel also allows system administrators to manage different areas of their servers using the web interface that is provided. Up until version 9, Plesk didn’t have any official reseller account support which is one reason why many web hosting providers decided not to use it; however, the latest version comes with many new features including support for resellers as well as an application install that is similar to Fantastico which can be used alongside cPanel. Some are arguing that Plesk’s market share in the Windows web hosting industry is due to be reduced with the release of the cPanel/WHM Server Suite for Windows; however, many web hosting providers will not be wanting to migrate their entire Windows web hosting platform just to accommodate a new control panel. The one thing which makes Plesk popular with many web hosting providers is its ability to work on Windows and Linux web hosting servers; not only can this help save on costs but it also means that you only need to train your staff to be familiar with one web hosting control panel.
What does Plesk do that other control panels can’t?
There are several things that help make Plesk to be different than other web hosting control panels that there are around. Such differences are the main reasons why many web hosting providers have taken to using Plesk since it means that they are able to offer their customers a more reliable web hosting services than was previously possible. Plesk is able to offer web hosting providers the following which can’t be offered by other web hosting control panels:
- Cross platform compatability – Plesk can be used on both Linux and Windows web hosting servers and this benefits web hosting providers in the way that they only need to train their staff to use one control panel, and allows customers to become familar with their hosting environment regardless of the package that they have
- Server management – Plesk offers system administrators an easy to use interface from which they can manage certain settings related to their server as well as the management of websites and accounts that they are hosting off their server
- Windows XP/Vista theme – the default design of the Plesk control panel is based on that of Windows Vista meaning that users will find it much easier to interact with the control panel as the design will be very similar to that of what they are used to with Windows.
Windows and Linux Web Hosting Features
As Plesk can be used on both Linux and Windows web hosting servers, it is able to boast a number of features on both platforms; the kinds of features that are provided on Windows web hosting servers help make the control panel superior to any other Windows web hosting control panels that are readily available for use. Like cPanel, Plesk comes with a script installer that end users can make use of to install mainstream open source scripts into their web space; this is done automatically by the control panel and means that you don’t need to have the knowledge to go fiddling with databases and file permissions as this is all done for you automatically. Plesk also has the ability to be integrated with many different server side applications meaning that you are able to customize the website hosting experience that your users receive for the better. The main advantages that Plesk can offer users in terms of Windows web hosting services include:
- IIS and Apache integration – if you are a server administrator then you may like to have the choice of which web server you use on your web hosting servers – Plesk can be integrated with both IIS and Apache meaning that you can easily use one or the other, but it is suggested that with Windows web hosting you should only make use of IIS and that if you want to use Apache then you should be considering installing Plesk on a Linux server
- Support for ASP.NET – Plesk comes with advance management of ASP.NET which means that your clients can easily manage their website’s ASP.NET configuration through the Plesk control panel without the need to be directly modifying the web.config file that sits at the root of their ASP.NET based website
- Microsoft SQL Server support – Plesk can also be integrated with Microsoft SQL Server, including the latest version, so that your customers can use Plesk to create and manage their Microsoft SQL Server databases – as well as being able to use desktop applications to manage their databases, your clients can also make use of ASP.NET Enterprise Manager which is the web based application that is bundled with Plesk to allow your users to manage their Microsoft SQL Server databases through a web browser.
The fact that Plesk can also be used on Linux web hosting servers means that web hosting providers can buy Plesk licenses in bulk knowing that they will be used accordingly; this means that if you are a VPS or dedicated server hosting customer then your Plesk license won’t cost as much as it might normally do if you bought it directly from Parallels. Plesk is also able to provide users on Linux web hosting services with many advance features, such as:
- Script installer – for cPanel hosting services there is Fantastico, but Plesk comes with its own in-built script installer which you can use to install a large number of open source applications into your web space – Plesk takes full responsibility for the installation meaning that the needed database and file permissions are setup on your behalf, all you need to do is wait for your chosen application to be installed and you should then be able to use it straight away
- Advance scripting support – unlike other web hosting control panels, Plesk has support for more uncommon scripting languages and frameworks that are still used by web developers to create dynamic websites – examples of this will include Adobe Coldfusion, Python and Perl
- Apache support – Plesk comes with native support for Apache as it is the the control panel’s preferred web server – this means that you can easily transfer your websites over from other web hosting packages where you are using Apache safe in the knowledge that your website will still function correctly, especially if you are making use of Apache specific settings in your website’s .htaccess file.
From the above it is evident that Plesk contains many features, regardless of whether you to choose to use it on Linux or Windows web hosting servers. Some people may find that it is not worth investing in Plesk since it is just a waste of time; although this may be the case if you are the only person using your server, if you are hosting others then you will realize just how important it is to be able to provide them with control panel access. However, Plesk does have its shortfalls which we will discuss shortly.
What services is Plesk available for?
Most web hosting providers tend to offer the Plesk web hosting control panel across their entire range of web hosting products, whether you are after a Windows or Linux web hosting service. Many web hosting providers tend to use the Virtuozzo VPS daemon to enable them to offer their VPS hosting services, and because Virtuozzo is made by the same company that produce the Plesk control panel it isn’t unusual to find web hosting providers including Plesk for free with their VPS hosting servers. Most web hosting providers tend to offer Plesk with their shared and reseller web hosting services since it means that they are able to use one control panel for their Linux and Windows hosting packages, but also because it may be their preferred web hosting control panel when compared to others that are available. Plesk is also available for dedicated server hosting, although in most cases you will need to pay extra in order to have the right to use Plesk on youe dedicated server.
In conclusion, Plesk web hosting is a term which covers Windows and Linux web hosting services that are based on shared, reseller, VPS and dedicated server hosting services. As Plesk is by far the most popular Windows web hosting control panel, it needn’t be hard to find a web hosting provider from which you can purchase a web hosting service that comes with access to the Plesk control panel. It is important to note that you may have to pay extra if you wish to have Plesk installed on your VPS or dedicated server.
