Crontab allows you to automatically run scheduled tasks on your server with the possibility of receiving emails showing the results.

How do you go about setting up Crontab

Well, once you are logged onto Plesk, and have clicked onto the domain whose Crontab settings you wish to edit, click on crontab.

Within Crontab, you will notice a list of system users within the preferences section, select the name of the user for whom you wish to manage the crontab settings, and have, should you choose edit the email settings and have the crontab messages sent to the specified email address.

Now click on the schedule task/ add new task icon and enter the specific parameters to set the frequency of the task or enter * (star) to select all;

Minute: 0 to 59
Hour: 0 to 23
Day of the month 1 to 31
Month of the month 1 to 12
Day of the week 0 to 6 (0 being Sunday)

Again, remember the * entry on the parameter selects all the entries (e.g. all the days)

Finally enter the path to the file that will execute Crontab within the command line and click OK.

You have now successfully set up a new crontab, you may always return here to setup a new crontab or modify or delete an existing one.

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You sit, down go online to your site, and nothing happens! You stop for a sec, refresh the site and still nothing happens!  Sweat starts pouring down as you wonder about all those people trying to access your site and can’t place an order. You start think how much money are you losing :-(!

Your hand shoots for the phone receiver and your blood simmers thinking of all those expletives you are going to be telling your web hosting company for committing the cardinal sin of letting your site go down!  You call, politely at first, not quite sure what’s wrong and ask them why is my site down, the support guy at the other end hears the tension in your voice, whilst he is looking into what’s wrong and running through their checklist, you start strumming your fingers on the desk and out of the corner of your eye you notice that your network cable seems unplugged, before you can say anything to the support techie, you get the “everything is fine at our end”, and you tell your good byes and hang up.

Well, it’s probably useful to go over a few things that are worth doing before picking up the phone and calling the support team of your web hosting company.

First things first, it probably easiest to try and visit another website on your browser.  If you can’t get to any other site try closing your browser and reopening it, if you still can’t get through is a good indication that the problem is at your end and not with your web hosting provider.

Secondly, it is always working making sure you are a physically connected onto the internet, check both the physical cables, and the connection/ lights on your router or modem, as well as checking the icon on your computer’s internet connection.

If  you are having problems, your cables are connected but the icon on your computer says you are not connected onto the internet then it is worth checking your cable modem or router and rebooting it.  This is done simply by unplugging and replugging your cable modem, switching it off, and then doing the same to your router.  The re-initialisiation can be seen by the lights flashing, and then stabilising on the on position.  At this stage if your connections seem to be ok, it is worth restarting your PC if things are still not working.

If after all that you are still having problems then it is worth giving your ISP a call, and telling them that you’ve gone through the basic checks, and get them to run some checks at their end.

Now, if everything else checks out, it is worth waiting a little time – a few minutes should be enough – before calling your hosting provider as devices can take a little time whilst rebooting.

If you do need to call your ISP or hosting company, have all your details and account information close to hand, since for your security they may not be able to deal with you.

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Backing up data is possible through the Plesk control panel. You are able to configure the backup settings for all the files you have on your Plesk hosting account.

Backup automated scheduling

Using Plesk you are able to either schedule an automated backup via FTP to an external FTP or backup server, your existing hosting space, or just create and download a manual backup that you simply store on your local PC for simple piece of mind for those unlikely times when you believe you’ve incorrectly configured something or have accidentally deleted your data.

Why should I backup, doesn’t my Web Hosting Provider do that?

Firstly, even though your web hosting provider might backup all your site’s data on a daily basis, it is always a good idea to backup your own data either by automation or manually to ensure your own piece of mind at the very least. Like insurance policies you only know if the backup is effective if it works when you need it!

Not all hosting providers backup

It is important to note that not all hosting providers backup, some hosting providers do not automatically backup your server, charge extra, or simply charge you to restore the backup especially if it is your fault – after all it does take time to find and restore, and as we all know time is money!

Reseller/ Shared Accounts

Some hosting providers may not even allow you to restore off of their backup tapes for shared and reseller hosting accounts as it might affect other domains or accounts hosted on the same server.

So why backup yourself?

At the end of the day the reasons for backup are many and varied it could be as simple as you doing something wrong, and you wish to correct it or as malicious as hackers targeting your site, getting through and deleting/ modifying your data. At the end of the data, it doesn’t take that long, and it is a worthwhile tool for ease of mind!

So backup, backup often, automate your backup protocols using Plesk’s FTP backup if you have access to an external backup/ FTP server over FTP. If you don’t then remember to regularly — whenever you have a major change to your site — access your site and backup the data onto your PC.

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Firstly File Transfer Protocol (FTP), is a network protocol that allows you to exchange or transfer data from one machine (computer, server, etc.) to another through a network such as the internet.

What are FTP accounts

FTP accounts are the accounts setup to allow users to gain access to your webspace(s) using the FTP protocol in he event that anonymous FTP has been disabled either by yourself or your web hosting provider.

How does Plesk allow you to create FTP accounts?

Plesk provides you the ability to add, delete, or edit the details of FTP accounts that you have already created within your shared hosting space (naturally assuming you have are using a Plesk control panel ;-)).

Well I have my own IP address, what else can I do?

If you have a dedicated IP address assigned to your website/ web space you are also able to enable or disable FTP anonymous FTP access to your web space

But, this is highly discouraged.  This creates a massive security risk for you, and for those that share your server.

Why is it useful to setup an FTP account?

The file transfer protocol is a useful way for accessing the content of your webspace.  It allows you to mass upload/ download of files, and be used to setup permissions on certain files or folders if the need arises – without the correct permissions some files cannot function correctly within your web hosting space.

Finally by setting up an FTP account you are able to automate site/ account backups on a pre-scheduled or regular basis, as well as backing up your site/ account data manually to, for example, your own PC.

What can you do with a FTP account?

Using your FTP account you are given the option to specify a certain directory that the account is able to access, so that only that account and those directories below that can be accessed by the specific FTP account you are setting up.  If you need to you are even able to specify whether that FTP account is able to see, save or edit the files within the directories that it has access to.  Finally you can also limit the size directories for each individual FTP account thereby ensuring that any FTP account you setup will end up using all the disk space that you have assigned to your shared Plesk website hosting account.

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Well, just to recap, a VPS or virtual private server work by partitioning a single physical real blade or server.  Essentially there is one root operating system or OS that creates the Hardware Node. Using software such as Parallel’s Virtuozzo or VMWare the same operating system can then be installed over the top of the Hardware Nodes creating multiple Virtual Nodes.  These Virtual Nodes use the same registry and system files to maximize efficiency and minimise both memory and hard disk usage.  This all allows for independent execution of the virtual servers without interference from the other virtual servers connected to the same physical server or Hardware Node! Got that? If not click here for a little bit more information

Ok, got that, so what are the main disadvantages of VPS hosting?

Hardware Limitations: Well first things first, there are limitations, at the end of the day you are sharing a server and services with other people, and therefore you may at least in theory be competing for resources with other users and thus your users may receive a slower server response time during peak periods, or even God forbid a ‘Website not responding’ type message as they browse your pages.

So, although for most of us and for most of the time this would not be a problem, you should be aware that you may not always have access certain resources such as the processor (CPU) or RAM at any given moment due to a data log jam, again to reiterate this is not common . But, it is important to note that you may not always have access to all the RAM you need at a given moment due to a data log jam.

Although it is unlikely to happen, it is something that can happen and if this is a risk you cannot afford to take for your online business then you are better off getting your own private dedicated server, where all the server’s resources and costs belong to you and you alone.

Greater Responsibility: If you are upgrading from a shared hosting, and are thinking that the limitations are less than you had on a shared platform, that’s all well and good, but don’t forget that extra control comes with a little responsibility.  Under shared VPS solutions you will still not be responsible for the updates and patches for the operating system but you will be responsible for your own, albeit ‘virtual’ server.  All software installations, site maintenance, site security, software patches, security updates and many more would be your responsibility, meaning that you have to solve the headache of software incompatibility and technological headaches just as it would be if you were using a physical dedicated server.

Although this might not be a problem for you as a tech savvy individual used to hosting their own Linux and Windows servers, but if that is not you, and you don’t know much about server side administration but still need the added power and control of a Virtual Private Server then this might be something you may wish to outsource to an expert to manage for you.

Possible Risks: Your web hosting provider may not issue you with your own IP address, if you are used to using shared hosting space this a risk you are familiar with, but if you are looking for a more cost effective option over a physical dedicated hosting machine then you should at the very least be aware that you may be sharing your IP address with other less scrupulous tenants.  Since hosted sites on the same IP addresses are sometimes grouped together this may result in your site being banned from search engines that are actively seeking to remove such sites. So at the very least it would be worth looking into getting your own IP Address.

Reduced Control: Under some VPS platforms users share software components. Although unlikely this sharing may result in an inability to configure individual settings independently of other clients that are hosting on the same virtual server.

Disk I/O: If you are running programs that are heavy user of disk I/O i.e. requires a heavy transfer of data to and from your physical disk space that you may be better served on physical dedicated server over a VPS one.

OK, so is VPS for me?

So, as you can see a VPS solution is not for every site owner.  They are a step up in price and benefits from a shared platform, although to be honest the difference in price between a good shared hosting plan and a good VPS is inconsequential, but still have drawbacks if you are used to the luxury of your own dedicated machine.

If your are currently using a shared hosting plan, have an increase in traffic and aren’t happy with your site’s performance then you are probably about ready to move up to a VPS hosted solution but make sure your read up on moving your hosting provider.

Who else might benefit?

Well, if you are looking for software flexibility, are used to specific checkout or other software, or simply looking for increased flexibility provided by the increased security, ability to host an unlimited number of websites, or just the pleasure of server-side management, then VPS Hosting might just be for you.

We feel, that although VPS Hosting is not for everyone, and that some people might just be better of either with their own dedicated machine, or even a shared hosting platform.  We feel that simply from the cost benefit advantage, VPS hosting solutions provide an excellent solution for a large number of hosted sites.

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So, With most VPS solutions as a minimum you have;
Root access to the server
Complete control over your file system and environment
Your own IP address
Dedicated and guaranteed memory, CPU and disk space

Virtual Private Servers, or VPS cover most of the functional equivalent of a dedicated server. A VPS, occasionally referred to as a Virtual Dedicated Servers or VDS empower you for non I/O heavy applications with the flexibility and benefits of a dedicated server at a fraction of the price.

So, With most VPS solutions as a minimum you have;
Root access to the server
Complete control over your file system and environment
Your own IP address
Dedicated and guaranteed memory, CPU and disk space

Oh OK, what other benefits does a Virtual Private Server (VPS) offer?
Virtual Private Server (VPS) Benefits
The abiility to host multiple (unlimited) domains
Run your server under a choice of a UNIX/ Linux or Windows OS
The choice of root access or control panel licenses for easy management (Plesk VPS)
Your own dedicated IP address
The ability to install custom software and applications
Full Root/ administrator access
The use of Apache/ IIS6, SMTP, BIND, FTP, databases, etc., etc.
To connect directly using remote desktop, SSH or terminal services
Windows 2003 server with ASP.NET, .NET and MS SQL 2003 and MS SQL 2005 (Windows VPS)
The ability to install or uninstall programmes or services, including executable files
The ability to customise your server software
Database (MySQL and MS SQL) support
Choice of multiple UNIX/ Linux Distros (Linux VPS)
Functions of a Linux Virtual Private Server (VPS)

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So why use a VPS hosting solution?

Well, first things first;

1. You can get a Virtual Private Server setup in minutes
2. No operating system maintenance headache
3. Rapid disaster recovery migrations in the event of hardware failure
4. Minimise software license and support requirements
5. OS upgrade and maintenance carried out by the hosting company
6. Reduced cost due to lower licensing and shared hardware
7. Greener hosting, due to more efficent use of physical hardware (servers or blades).

Later we will move onto what you get from a VPS platform as well as the percieved advantages and disadvantages.

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1. Sign up to your new web hosting package before you cancel your previous hosting provider
2. Make sure that you choose a package that is offering the same set of features as your previous hosting provider
3. Download the content of your entire website using a free FTP program such as FileZilla. If your struggling with FTP programs you can backup using Cpanel, or Plesk
4. Export/ download the database from your site.  Remember to maintain naming conventions otherwise you might create some problems
5. Upload the files onto your new account making sure that you import the database and use the same naming convention as before
6. Make sure that you re-chmod your folders if you are running scripts and need to do so
7. At this stage, see that your site is fully functional, if you are using Plesk, utilize the preview website function to fully test out the site, making sure you test out all links
8. Once you are happy go to the control panel of the site where you registered your domain name and change your domain names name server by repointing the A records of your domain
9. Within 24 to 72 hours your site should propagate to its new IP address, check your site using nominet, or whois to see your current name server
10. Cancel your old web hosting account.

It is best at all times to have a backup of your site, just in case something happens to your site, it is a good habit to get into and provides great peace of mind!

If at any stage you are stuck, it is always worth asking your new hosting provider for some help, after all they are about to get your business, so they should have no problem in helping you!

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Java and ASP.NET
The hosting of Java or ASP.NET applications are also greatly simplified through Plesk as it provides users with interfaces to simplify the setup of both application without you needing help from your web hosting provider.

Now, again, isn’t this an exceedingly useful feature? Imagine that you’ve just started developing your website wouldn’t you find this useful and helpful in allowing you to setup and install all applications that may be needed for the site whilst it is still in the development stage?  Would this cut down on the amount of work you’d require prior to the launching of your site? Wouldn’t it then free up your precious time just prior to the site launch when you’d historically have been bogged down in making everything gel together and work?

What would you pay to take the hassle out of setting up your site and freeing more time for marketing and promoting it?

No need for detailed technical knowledge
Using Plesk’s application feature you will find that most of the ‘grunt’ work so to speak is done for you by the Plesk application vault negating the need for complicated technical knowledge — remember the configuration of databases that are needed and the setting up of file permissions that are required to install the more complex applications will be done for you by Plesk.

Growing your site
Through the web application feature of Plesk you can install more complex applications for your site adding useful features such as a blog, or provide your users with forums, install a CMS/ content management system or even setup an ecommerce module for your site through the creation and setting up of a shopping cart for your site.

By using Plesk’s inbuilt repository of applications, you are able to transfer your site and may even be able to start selling products or services through your site thus making a return on your investment and offset the costs of your web hosting package.

As you can see, you are now able to take your site to a whole new level, making it more interactive and sticky, and converting more of those visitors into users and financiers of your site thereby financing the cost of your site, and making a reasonable return on your investment.

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Frontpage extensions are used to allow people who have built their site in frontpage (a now obsolete Microsoft WYSIWYG site builder and editor) to run correctly if frontpage specific functions have been used during the development of the site.

These provide website site builders features and addable functions that can be inserted to the website and may be very useful to your site visitors.  These include addable functions ranging from the classic website visitor counter, to the more sophisticated features such as a guestbook, regional weather gauge or even the ability of your site visitors to comment on your site.

Managing Frontpage extensions using Plesk

Plesk’s inbuilt frontpage extension manager allows you to configure certain preferences such as the sending of emails from web pages which have been designed and configured in Microsoft Frontpage.  This thus allows Frontpage web pages to have the same dynamics as their server side counterparts without the need either for the use of a database or the mess of setting up permissions to ensure that they are functioning correctly.

Plesk also provides you with access to the Frontpage web admin allowing you to manage and configure other features that may play a part in the running of the web pages that you have created in Frontpage and are able to then upload to your web hosting space.  Furthermore you are also able to setup Frontpage management accounts with an array of configurable preferences such as the amount of disk space that can be used by the account holder.

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