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When the decision’s been made to adopt a hosting solution, as so many leading organizations are doing in today’s competitive business environment, choosing a Control Panel that suits your requirements is a sensible move.
WHM/cPanel and Plesk are both feature rich control panels with similar functionality. They are, however, organized completely differently.
WHM/cPanel and Plesk are both feature rich control panels with similar functionality. They are, however, organized completely differently.
Quick Overview..
cPanel is one of the most popular and widely-used control panels. It’s quite complete and allows a business to manage and maintain nearly all aspects of server operation. The basics, such as email and file hosting, are handled with ease. Web statistics are part of the package. “Site builder” feature, which helps to automate the building of a website and populating it with content, is among the most powerful available. The “Fantastico” package allows one-click installation of popular software packages, such as blogs, forums, and merchandise catalogs. Going a little deeper, domain name server (DNS) management is also available.
A business that wishes to resell VPS services will also find cPanel an excellent solution, as WHM cPanel allows managing multiple virtual servers from a single control panel.
Plesk
Plesk is the “big one” in the control panel world; it’s intended more for those customers who desire the advantages of server hosting but have high-end control needs. To be sure, Plesk does all the fundamentals and does them well. Email management, file hosting, DNS control, site building, and automated application installation all are available. But Plesk goes a step further in the realm of managing multiple virtual servers. Extensive control, right down to the base operating system level, can be exerted. One instance of the Plesk control panel is that it can handle a large number of virtual machines. Plesk also offers a configurable billing module, allowing clients to be automatically billed for their usage.
Also available is the “Plesk Power Pack.” This allows the hosting of Java applications and the administration and sub-allocation of SQL databases in a Windows hosting environment. Clearly, this is a sophisticated product for the more technically adept customer.
Also available is the “Plesk Power Pack.” This allows the hosting of Java applications and the administration and sub-allocation of SQL databases in a Windows hosting environment. Clearly, this is a sophisticated product for the more technically adept customer.
What your Business needs………
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Below are the points that helps you to dig your actual need….
cPanel….
Fast Loading Times – The intuitive design of cPanel allows it to perform fast and efficiently on most servers. This optimal performance is attributed to the fact that unlike some other control panels, it does not require the use of an external database for backend support.
Highly Functional – A web hosting package equipped with cPanel usually offers more features than one utilizing Plesk. cPanel can be integrated with a number of add-on applications such as Fantastico, RV Skins and CSF firewall, thus providing end-users with a wide variety of functionality that cannot be obtained in the Plesk environment.
Superior Reseller Support – Until more recently, Plesk did not have any support for reseller hosting, an area in which cPanel thrives in. Also offering WHM (Web Host Manager), cPanel provides a reseller with control over various aspects of their account, including the ability to create hosting packages, suspend or delete accounts, monitor resource usage and much more.
Platform-Specific – Though a Windows version is said to be in the works, cPanel is currently only available for Linux platforms. This essentially restricts usage from customers who prefer a Windows-based hosting solution.
Tedious Maintenance – Ensuring that a cPanel server is properly configured and protected against malicious attacks can be a full time job. In addition, this control panel requires frequent updates and patches to make sure the necessary fixes are applied.
Plesk….
Plesk….
Cluster Functionality – Plesk is a multi-server solution that allows you to maintain a multitude of servers from a single interface. This means that the administer only has to log in to a single console and still have the power to effectively manage web, database and FTP servers.
Cross-Platform – Unlike cPanel, Plesk supports both Windows and Linux platforms. This enables a web host to diversify their offerings and cater to a broader range of customers. The end-users also benefit as they often have access to both Windows and Linux features.
Tight Windows Service Integration – One of the most unique aspects of Plesk is that integrates seamlessly with various Windows services and technologies such as Microsoft SQL Server.
Lack of Integration – In contrast to cPanel, Plesk does not integrate with many third-party applications outside of Microsoft products for added functionality. For this reason, Plesk is not very popular as a Linux server even though it does support the platform.
Slower Load Times – The mere structure of Plesk makes it susceptible to slow and sluggish performance, particularly in the Linux environment. This is not always the case, but Plesk has been known to lag on even some of the most powerful servers.
Money Matters!!!!!!
For most customers, CPanel is going to be cheaper than Plesk. For an unlimited bundle, which is the only option CPanel has, CPanel is $425 per year, which breaks down to $35 per month. Plesk, for a similar plan, is $70 per month. However, Plesk also offers smaller plans, including one that allows for 100 domains, for $40 per month.
Both also offer solutions targeted at VPS users. Plesk’s option, called “Small Business Panel” is also $70 per month for an unlimited account but has 1 and 5 user packs for $40 and $55 respectively. CPanel’s VPS solution, simply called “VPS Optimized2″ is currently offered at an introductory price of $200 per year or about $17 per month.
However, since Plesk or CPanel licenses are usually bought by the host for use by the customers, how this cost is passed along, if it is at all, will vary and determine the final actual price.
and WHM/cPanel use very different security models. This is probably the biggest difference between WHM/cPanel and Plesk.
For most customers, CPanel is going to be cheaper than Plesk. For an unlimited bundle, which is the only option CPanel has, CPanel is $425 per year, which breaks down to $35 per month. Plesk, for a similar plan, is $70 per month. However, Plesk also offers smaller plans, including one that allows for 100 domains, for $40 per month.
Both also offer solutions targeted at VPS users. Plesk’s option, called “Small Business Panel” is also $70 per month for an unlimited account but has 1 and 5 user packs for $40 and $55 respectively. CPanel’s VPS solution, simply called “VPS Optimized2″ is currently offered at an introductory price of $200 per year or about $17 per month.
However, since Plesk or CPanel licenses are usually bought by the host for use by the customers, how this cost is passed along, if it is at all, will vary and determine the final actual price.
and WHM/cPanel use very different security models. This is probably the biggest difference between WHM/cPanel and Plesk.
Account Setup & Security Model [Comparison]
| WHM | Plesk 10 |
|---|---|
| (No equivalent in WHM/cPanel. Instead, there is one login for the entire cPanel Account, created at the same time you create the account.) | User Accounts You can create individual user accounts with their own login credentials. What a user can access depends on what User Roles and what Subscriptions have been assigned to that U |
| Feature Manager You can enable and disable functionality & icons within a cPanel by using Feature Lists. The Feature Lists are attached to Packages, which then are attached to cPanel Accounts. |
User Roles You can enable and disable functionality & icons for individual Users. These settings apply to the User and not to the Subscription (Account), so it is possible to give different levels of access to different users, for the same Subscription (Account). |
| Packages This is how you assign resources and services to an Account. Packages are attached to Accounts in WHM. |
Service Plans This is how you assign resources and services to a Subscription. Service Plans are attached to Subscriptions in Plesk. |
| Cpanel | Plesk 10 |
| FTP Accounts Individual FTP accounts can be created, and access can be limited to specific folders. |
FTP Access Individual FTP accounts can be created, and access can be limited to specific folders. |
| MySQL Databases In cPanel, you create a database, then create a database user. Then you add the database user to the database and give him permissions. |
Databases In Plesk, you create a database (MySQL or MS SQL) and create a database user for that database. |
| Remote MySQL By default, only scripts on the server can access MySQL databases. Individual IP addresses would have to be white listed to have access. |
SQL Whitelist or Firewall Rules By default, only scripts on the server can access the MySQL or MS SQL databases. Individual IP addresses would have to be white listed to have access. On Windows dedicated, this can be accomplished by added a firewall rule allowing remote access to specific IPs. |
In closing, cPanel and Plesk are excellent control panels but neither are perfect. cPanel is ideal for those who prefer Linux while Plesk tends to be the preferred option for Windows hosting. Both control panel systems allow you to configure your website, view statistics, configure e-mail accounts, view the files you uploaded to the server, etc. They key difference is how it is organized. Depending on your preference, both should suit your needs just fine.
Originally posted on September 28, 2013 @ 3:19 pm
