A control panel is provided by a web host. As suggested by the name, it is the controlling mechanism for the website and helps in managing the website. Control panel is the one place from where a user can do everything that is needed to be done, while hosting a website, this includes tracking statistical information like traffic information, creating FTP accounts, setting up email accounts, adding sub-domains, databases, managing files, among many other things.

The current market has a great number of products to choose from but cPanel is the most popular. Other products include Hostopia, Ensim, VDeck, Sphera, and NextGenCP although there are countless more. Each site has its own individual techniques and style. Each host will have their own preferences with regards to control panel and their decision may be based on which platform they use. The decision about which panel to use is invariably based on price, features and compatibility with certain platforms.

Basic features that you can expect to find in a control panel are as follows:

Mail Manager

Parked Domains

Addon Domains

MIME Types

File Manager

PostgreSQL Database Manager

SSL Manager

Password Protect Directories

Subdomain

Addon Domains

Password Protect Directories

File Manager

MS SQL Manager(Windows only)

Redirects

Web/FTP Stats

Raw Access Logs

SSL Manager

PostgreSQL Database Manager

Raw Log Manager

Redirects

Frontpage Extensions

Web/FTP Stats

Raw Access Logs

Hot Link Protection

Index Manager

IP Deny manager

There are issues that separate control panels, and one is how it easy the panel is to use. A panel like Plesk may offer simple and friendly tools and options whereas cPanel offers many functions. To ensure you make the right choice of control panel, you need to know what is available. You can find out more by studying the following:

cPanel:

cPanel is very commonly used on Linux based systems, it provides support for more than 10 different flavors of Linux, and as of yet, it does not have a Windows or OSX based version. cPanel helps users in managing/controlling everything, from administering MySQL database to creating and deleting email accounts and much more.

cPanel has more features and options than most of the control panels available in the market at present. This is one of the reasons for its popularity, along with the fact that it is quite inexpensive.

Plesk:

One advantage that Plesk has over cPanel is that unlike the latter, it is available for Linux, as well as Windows Web hosting servers. Plesk's interface is also quite similar to Windows XP. It's a good looking control panel and has most of the basic features that are available in cPanel. It also has other applications like the web builder tool. With all its features, comes the price tag, that is, it is more expensive, specially when compared to cPanel

H-Sphere:

H-Sphere is also a popular control panel used by web hosts. Just like Plesk, it is also available for Windows, as well as Linux based web hosting servers. It offers a good range of features ranging from complete automation to key functionalities. However when compared with cPanel and Plesk it has less features.

DirectAdmin

If you want options that many control panels do not offer then DirectAdmin is for you. It has a wider range but it lacks some features that make Plesk or cPanel so popular. It is also purely for a small number of Linux varieties but it is considerably cheaper than cPanel.

Ensim

Ensim is also available for Windows as well as Linux. It has an adequate interface but lacks in features.

Interworx

Interworx is purely for Linux web hosts but it has a simple interface and features like usage snapshot which are impressive.

Hosting Accelarator

Only available on Windows web hosting servers, Hosting Accelerator is not recommended for novices as it has a crowded interface that may be confusing.

Helm

This is another Windows only web host server and this offers the ability to view billing details from within the control panel.

CWIPanel

CQIPanel is available for Windows and has no real exciting features.

InsPanel

This control panel has also been made only for windows based web hosting server. This is an average product with standard features.

Among the above mentioned control panels, cPanel usually ends up as the favored choice due to its range of features, ease of and affordability.

However, there are new control panels emerging all the time and NextGenCP looks very impressive. It may have been developed over a number of years but it appears to be worth the wait.

The most up to date internet technologies have assisted the creation of NextGenCP. It is a speedy and simple product that is perfect for web hosts. The quality of the service is shown by the fact that beginners can get to grips with it very easily. The design of NextGenCP is so strong that all features can be found within three clicks of the mouse. Do not be fooled by this simplicity though as there is a whole range of features available. And if this wasn't enough, Pandela.com has said that if any user can think of any feature that isn't included in the current model, it will be implemented in the next version of NextGenCP.

These are some of the features you could use in NextGenCP:

Domain Control:

Users have full control over their domain as well as sub-domain. They can also register and host their own domain names easily and quickly.

Managing a Database:

NextGenCP makes it very easy to create a database for the website. All it takes is a few clicks! The database management is done by phpMyAdmin and the data is backed up by Database Backup Manager.

Accounts for mail:

It is easy for users to control and access their email accounts. An advanced SPAM filtering system is provided by Pandela.com and this will keep your inbox free of junk and unwanted emails. If this isn't enough, there are also filters for the mail, assistance for accounts and other functions.

Tools for the Site:

NextGenCP has plenty of tools, which make managing a web site very easy. Some of these tools are Script Installer, Hotlink Protection and IP Access Manager.

Find the statistics behind your site:

This information will provide total knowledge of visitors and show how much bandwidth is being used and the usage of email accounts per day.

Support System

All users of NextGenCP have full access to the support system. Whenever a user faces any problem, he/she simply has to post a support ticket, and the issue will be taken up by one of the staff as early as possible. The average response time is not more than 15 minutes.

With so many impressive features, there is no doubt that NextGenCP looks one of the best web host control panels ever created. It is also good to hear that Pandela.com is promising to continually improve the service each and every day.