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What do you want in a VPS control panel?
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What do you want in a VPS control panel?

DamianDamian Member
edited January 2012 in General

So, we're using Virtualizor. It's tolerable when it works, which is most of the time.

When it doesn't work, it gives you absolutely no indication why. The error messages are extremely useless, such as: "The following errors were found: There was Some error suspending the VPS", etc. There are other issues with it, such as IP address pools are assigned to a specific server only, and you're unable to move containers between nodes. The bandwidth graphing is COMPLETELY broken. There is no serial console available. It contains a lot of useless features too, like a browser-based file system manager.

We've tried contacting Softaculous, directly and on their forums, for feature requests and bug fixes. All of which get ignored. Or lumped into "eventually". Not a warm feeling when you're paying $126 a month for licensing. To be honest, the "caged in" feeling of Virtualizor is stifling our growth. This venture was started to eventually replace our day jobs, so this isn't going to work out for us.

SolusVM is, by far, the most popular VPS control panel, yet, it has issues too. Support is nonexistant, and did that bandwidth limiting issue ever get resolved?

So I'm embarking on a journey to create a new VPS panel: a panel for the people, by the people.

The question for everyone (providers and users) is: What do you look for in your VPS panels?

Here's what we've come up with so far. This is mostly from a provider perspective:

-minimum password strength requirements
-bandwidth control (total transferred per month and/or transfer speed)
-native multi-language support
-WHMCS integration
-viable error messages (“There was some error...” will not be an acceptable error message)
-parent/child hardware node control
-proactive monitoring (bandwidth, transfer, etc)
-TUN enable-able by user
-listing of VPS’s that’s searchable and sortable
-java or flash based serial console
-action logging by user (ability to see what the user has done in their panel)
-ability to move VPS containers between hardware nodes
-container RAM and bandwidth usage graphing
-IP pools shared across multiple hardware nodes

Thanked by 1Mon5t3r
«13

Comments

  • yeah, especially when they release the 2.0.2 version. :P

    from my own panel shortlist (still under development) :

    • start/stop, restart, shutdown, power off (pull the plug power).
    • IP x mac address (OVH/Hetzner)
    • login/access and error log
    • ticket support (maybe integrated with whmcs)
    • IPv4 and IPv6 rDNS (if you own your subnet, because i'm not :P )
    • NIC selector.
    • standard/virtio selector
    • uptime monitor (send an email/sms to client)
    • etc (i forgot the rest, but i'll update it later :D )
    Thanked by 1Damian
  • utkunutkun Member
    edited January 2012
    • one click gameserver installations
  • We reported a IPv6 issue to them when we tested virtualizor for our KVM line and they just asked for root details and never got back in touch so we just left it at that. SolusVM is no better, the past three installs we have completed have been riddled with problems from installing the wrong architecture of kernel to not even been able to install php. We should all chip in and have our own built haha from the providers for the providers.

    Thanked by 1Damian
  • @Mon5t3r: Thank you, I will get in touch with you for more info on some of those points

    @utkun: cPanel has CPGS for that, or you could set it up as an OS template.

    @vmport said: We should all chip in and have our own built haha from the providers for the providers.

    Exactly :)

  • Some time ago I've used OpenVZ Web Panel, it was pretty nice and it's open source plus it has the most important features.

  • @DotVPS it was fixed earlier this year in the stable version: http://wiki.solusvm.com/index.php/Versions#1.9.00

  • @Damian4IPXcore said: -java or flash based serial console

    Java/Flash is soo 2005, using Javascript SSH Consoles now is so much win since the majority of us use browsers that follow standards (not IE)

  • We use SolusVM and find it to be a great panel, it seems they implemented most of the features that HyperVM use to use, one thing that I use to find useful for clients is a file manager, when the VPS was shutdown it would mount the / of that VPS and then users have a filemanger where they can modify files etc, this is often useful if a client changes something they shouldn't have and it won't boot, they can quickly go to the file manager make the change and boot the VPS. We haven't used Virtualizor, but that doesn't sound too good for what you have said, SolusVM support is fairly good and there are updates every so often.

  • @GBServersLtd on openvz hypervm would let you modify files without shutting down the VPS, which was quite useful when apache/php decides to eat all your ram because you could put a .htaccess file in / to disable all sites on the server instead of rebooting.

  • @dmmcintyre3 I was aware that OpenVZ let you edit it live, I was just referring to Xen as that's what the majority of our VPS's run, either way it was a handy feature that aren't available in a lot of panels now.

  • We are having no issues using SolusVM on OpenVZ Nodes, Bandwidth throttling is working perfectly. We are using the BETA and have not experienced any kernel issues or bugs.

    Average support time from SolusVM is below a hour normally 10 - 20 Minutes. Certainly better then virtualizor.

    We have had a good experience and Phill is very helpful from SolusVM so your information regarding SolusVM's support and issues is incorrect from what I have experienced.

    **Posted from phone.

  • edited January 2012

    For me, a new feature would just be more skins? :P

    btw if you're not with ipxcore yet, i advise u sign up, they have been nothing but nice people to me and my website forums, i love them

    if only more hosting companys took care of there customers like ipxcore this place would be alot better imo

  • @EaseVPS same here, I think SolusVM is a solid product so far (otherwise we wouldn't be offering it).

  • @utkun said: one click gameserver installations

    I'd rather not unless you keep it up to date. That's my main issue with these auto installers as they always seem to be behind what's current.

    Thanked by 1yomero
  • What about HyperVM?

  • @Jeffrey said: What about HyperVM?

    What about it? Does it provide a feature you'd like to see?

  • @utkun said: one click gameserver installations

    There are control panels for gameservers that already have that functions but like @drmike said the packages are usually outdated and the links to download things broken ( eg: gamecp )

  • why pay for that, when there is something free
    http://code.google.com/p/ovz-web-panel/

  • @seeder said: why pay for that, when there is something free

    The first word of the title of that will give you a good hint :)

  • @Damian said: So, we're using Virtualizor. It's tolerable when it works, which is most of the time.

    When it doesn't work, it gives you absolutely no indication why. The error messages are extremely useless, such as: "The following errors were found: There was Some error suspending the VPS", etc. There are other issues with it, such as IP address pools are assigned to a specific server only, and you're unable to move containers between nodes. The bandwidth graphing is COMPLETELY broken. There is no serial console available. It contains a lot of useless features too, like a browser-based file system manager.

    We've tried contacting Softaculous, directly and on their forums, for feature requests and bug fixes. All of which get ignored. Or lumped into "eventually". Not a warm feeling when you're paying $126 a month for licensing. To be honest, the "caged in" feeling of Virtualizor is stifling our growth. This venture was started to eventually replace our day jobs, so this isn't going to work out for us.

    SolusVM is, by far, the most popular VPS control panel, yet, it has issues too. Support is nonexistant, and did that bandwidth limiting issue ever get resolved?

    So I'm embarking on a journey to create a new VPS panel: a panel for the people, by the people.

    The question for everyone (providers and users) is: What do you look for in your VPS panels?

    Here's what we've come up with so far. This is mostly from a provider perspective:

    -minimum password strength requirements

    -bandwidth control (total transferred per month and/or transfer speed)
    -native multi-language support
    -WHMCS integration
    -viable error messages (“There was some error...” will not be an acceptable error message)
    -parent/child hardware node control
    -proactive monitoring (bandwidth, transfer, etc)
    -TUN enable-able by user
    -listing of VPS’s that’s searchable and sortable
    -java or flash based serial console
    -action logging by user (ability to see what the user has done in their panel)
    -ability to move VPS containers between hardware nodes
    -container RAM and bandwidth usage graphing
    -IP pools shared across multiple hardware nodes

    Thanks for the heads up, I was looking at virtualizor and noticed it didn't have a serial console that I could see so I searched that up in google and found this very informative review and I'm decided NOT to go with them now.

  • shovenoseshovenose Member, Host Rep

    I like solusvm but would be cool to have bootstrap admin and client UI

  • @shovenose said: I like solusvm but would be cool to have bootstrap admin and client UI

    Make your own then, not that hard for front-end with the smarty templates. Might be a pain to keep up to date if there is ever any major changes though.

  • jarjar Patron Provider, Top Host, Veteran

    @Zen said: Hey guy..this is 12 months old.

    Still tastes fresh :D

  • shovenoseshovenose Member, Host Rep

    I was giving a suggestion just like everyone else :)

  • letboxletbox Member, Patron Provider

    @Damian said: -ability to move VPS containers between hardware nodes

    Ok, Our control panel have this Feature Moved vps to different node without ssh or root acess all via VPS Control Panel, But it still need much much more work and much much Features is coming but due our coder very busy at different projectes it will be some delay on this.

  • @Zen said: Hey guy..this is 12 months old.

    Like I said I found this on google when I was searching about the serial console on virtualizor and decided to comment on it. It would be interesting to know what direction @damian has gone with this.

  • He's still on Solus, so nowhere, I assume.

  • what i liked in ther panel its the panel install with click (like cpanel kloxo etc)

  • Naked lady pictures, free chili dogs and Unicorn DNA. Any worthwhile control panel is going to include those things.

  • @Corey said: It would be interesting to know what direction @damian has gone with this.

    @Wintereise said: He's still on Solus, so nowhere, I assume.

    This. We're having a hard enough time keeping up with demand as it is, that I don't really have the time/effort/energy to keep working on the panel. The basic framework is there, but that's about it.

    I'm donating to @joepie91's CVM, as that looks like the most viable replacement. Unless jackasses on IRC bait him into getting banned again, and he gives up on the project because of it.

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