Do You Really Need a Control Panel for Linux Servers?
One of the questions that everyone dealing with web servers asks at some point is if a Linux control panel is essential for managing Linux servers. The answer to this question is quite tricky. It depends on which outweighs the other for a person between the pros and cons of using a Linux control panel to manage a Linux web server.
In this article, you will discover the pros and cons of installing web hosting control panels to manage Linux web servers. Moreover, based on these, you can decide whether it is essential to install a control panel. Further, you will be enlightened on how the Linux control panels like ispmanager can help you overcome the perceived risks associated with control panels.
Who should use a web hosting control panel and why?
Anyone who has a server with a website(s) set up on the internet should use a web hosting control panel. You may ask why using a control panel is necessary for you. It is simple: a control panel is essential because it is a smart tool to manage, configure, and control your web server options.
A Linux web hosting control panel allows you to put the management of the functionalities of your servers in one place that is accessible over the internet. The flexible features of a control panel are also designed to implement and ensure that you get a straightforward change on your dedicated or virtual private servers, shared accounts, and website, regardless of your technical knowledge and skill level.
Using a Linux control panel is also ideal because it’s easier for you to troubleshoot and fix problems and carry out other everyday tasks on your server, whether you are a newbie, an expert hosting user, a web developer, or a professional system administrator. Further, a control panel is what you should go for if you desire automated configuration for tasks like setting up email addresses. However, using a control panel may limit you from doing things your way since they help you do things in a specific manner.
The graphical user interface of Linux control panels and the built-in tools make it faster and more straightforward to manage all hosted services on a server.
The control panel also offers various other features. And are not limited to domain management, email management, DNS management, database management, installing apps to launch web services, file management, and IP address management.
Why You May Think That the Control Panel is Unnecessary?
There are several reasons why people feel control panels are almost unnecessary for administering the operations of a server. Even so, many believe they can successfully manage their servers and avoid external attacks once they are familiar with server functions. However, is this claim valid? Find below why some people feel a web hosting control panel is unnecessary to manage a server, primarily virtual private servers.
Also Read: Best Free VPN For Windows
Lack of Freedom To Customize
Control panels are designed to operate in a specific way, making people feel they are unnecessary. Thus, they prefer to enjoy the customization opportunities that come with not using a control panel.
Further, it becomes easy to prevent changes if you are using a control panel. Not using a control panel also allows server owners, users, and administrators to tweak servers’ processes and functions to meet specific needs.
Cost of a Control Panel
A commercial web hosting control panel isn’t free, so a price is attached, especially for monthly and annual licenses. That being said, there are also free control panels. Still, there is a limit to what they can do and what you can do with them regarding security, quality, technical support, functionality, and reliability. Hence, if you will use a control panel at all, it should be a paid solution.
SSH is a Better Alternative
For large, dedicated servers, using a Linux control panel is inevitable. However, the Secure Socket Shell (SSH) can replace a control panel, especially in virtual private servers and dedicated servers running on a Linux operating system. For instance, system administrators can use SSH to manage systems and applications in a remote network using a text-based terminal interface.
System administrators and hosting users can also use SSH on two computers to communicate and share secure, encrypted data over an unsecured network. Thus, many hosting users and system administrators who have solid system administration skills believe they can successfully manage a server just from SSH and see a control panel as unnecessary.
Nevertheless, people are strongly advised to only play around with specific settings and functions on dedicated servers if they have several years of system administration experience. Using the SSH protocol isn’t a practical alternative if you run a commercial web hosting business because a control panel makes it more efficient and straightforward to complete tasks. Your clients will also thank you for providing a graphical interface to manage their websites.
Security concerns
Several people still see control panels as a source of external attacks and believe these attacks can be difficult to trace. This claim may be valid, especially if you need to gain experience with the particular control panel. For instance, a server can be at risk of Remote Code Execution (RCE) resulting from two critical bugs in the Control Web Panel (CWP). Consequently, these bugs increase the possibility of threat actors attacking a server by exploiting the two critical CWP bugs to gain full root privileges. Nevertheless, you can prevent security challenges with a secure and reliable control panel.
Why Is Ispmanager a More Versatile and Better Alternative?
Ispmanager is a Linux-based commercial web hosting control panel that offers a versatile and reliable solution to web developers, hosting providers, system administrators, website owners, resellers, and end-users. The control panel has everything required for hosting clients regardless of their levels of technical knowledge so that they can manage the hosting of a website both on shared hosting and on virtual servers. Are you interested in knowing more about why the control panel is necessary for you? Read on.
Less load on technical support
It becomes easy to reduce the load on technical support when you use the ispmanager control panel. For instance, the control panel allows web hosting providers to provide each client with the same software and management tools. Further, the visual interface of the control panel replaces command lines and gives users more possibilities to fully manage their websites and services without contacting the provider.
The automation tools on the control panel also help save administration time, and there is detailed documentation to help solve user issues. As a result, technical support teams and system administrators will spend less time studying client service to assist when they run into glitches and hitches. It also becomes easier to attract clients with no administrative experience.
Increased average sale amount
If you host web services, then the ispmanager control panel is perfect for you because it allows you to sell any resources and hosting restrictions, including the number of websites, disk limits, RAM, CPU, mail addresses, anti-virus, and backups.
The panel also offers you paid modules that increase its capabilities. These modules include DDoS-Guard, Antivirus Dr.Web, and Cloudflare. Further, there is an affiliate program and marketing support for resellers and web hosting providers interested in selling ispmanager licenses.
Hosting security
With ispmanager, you need not worry about security issues as the control panel automatically backs up websites, mailboxes, databases, server settings, and even its settings. All you need is just set up storage for backups. A project can always be restored even if a crash occurs or users make unwanted changes. Further, the control panel contains a complete set of tools to protect your website from external threats. For instance, ispmanager has:
- A built-in firewall to manage iptables in a graphical interface, filter network connections by IP address and network port, and help protect the server from access by threat actors or intruders.
- Free SSL certificates installed and renewed automatically for secure data transfer.
Also Read: Fix “DNS Server Not Responding” Error On Windows
So What is Your Decision Now?
All the merits and demerits of control panels are clear now. However, which outweighs the other? A control panel adds functionality to your server, saves time, simplifies web hosting and administration tasks, and makes your server more attractive to clients. In that case, it is worth your investment and increases confidence in your service. Thus, get in touch now if you are interested in a web server control panel that can help you to administer site and databases, VPS/VDS, DNS, and shared hosting.
