Parallels Updates Plesk Panel with Microsoft WebMatrix Support
Parallels has updated its popular Plesk Panel hosting system for service providers to version 10.4, adding a handful of goodies including support for Microsoft WebMatrix, language support for Brazilian Portugese, better server management from tablets and smartphones and more.
Here’s the breakdown of new features, as per Parallels’ press release:
- Microsoft’s WebMatrix support – Allows designers and developers to more deeply integrate with existing Microsoft tools like Visual Web Developer, Expression Studio, SQL Server, and ASP.net on their PCs
- New language support for Brazilian Portuguese – to meet the growing needs of service providers in Brazil.
- Changes in Plesk Panel Power Pack – delivers more value to base Plesk Panel users, including: new Mobile Server Management capabilities via Smart Phones and Tablets, with support for Apple iOS (iPhone, iPad), Blackberry and Android devices; plus support for Kaspersky Antivirus and Unity Mobile Websites
- Automated upgrades with new version tree – allows root hosters to choose how frequently they wish to upgrade their customers
- Consolidated Small Business Panel – Mirroring the exact functionality in Small Business Panel, “Simple Mode” becomes the official upgrade path for that product and simplifies the testing and deployment processes
- Four product modes, including Simple View – Users can choose different views based on their needs and levels of IT expertise. A new ‘Simple View’ mode is now available for less-skilled end-users.
- Easier customization of core components – Assigning PHP settings on a per website basis and deploying custom Apache mods to survive upgrades allows users to provide the exact server environment needed for their system
Most of that seems pretty straightforward. But something that couldn’t help but draw my attention is Parallels’ notion that the service provider market is booming in Brazil. That’s something I haven’t heard much about, but I’d love to hear some substantiation, so feel free to leave a comment if you have any perspectives.
As a refresher, Parallels Plesk Panel is a widely used platform for service providers to offer SaaS solutions such as webmail or web hosting. Together with sister product Parallels Automation, it forms the cornerstone of many hosted services businesses — and it plays a major role in Microsoft’s own cloud strategy.
We’ll be watching Parallels closely for more updates, so stay tuned to TalkinCloud for more.
