Helm, Web Hosting Control Panel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Helm is a Web Hosting Control Panel developed by WebHost Automation Limited (WHAL), a UK-based company.
Helm is a Windows-based multi-server management and control system for Windows Server 2000 and Windows Server 2003.
Allowing users to administer and control websites through an eye-catching and user-friendly interface, Helm has quickly grown to become the most popular Windows-only control panel on the market.
Coming in several variations, Helm offers full unlimited-domain licences, domain-limited licences (100- and 20-domain versions), and a monthly licence. There are also dedicated server and VPS server programs, for companies who wish to bundle a control panel with their Windows server.
Helm 4, was released in November 2006. Completely re-written in .NET 2, Helm 4 will be looking to completely revitalise the hosting industry with powerful new server and website administration services, and confirm its dominance of the Windows hosting control panel market.
Contents |
[edit] Features
Helm supports a wide range of Windows Server applications and server extensions, which can be directly managed through the Helm interface. Integration of supported 3rd applications into Helm is fully documented on the WHAL site. A list of some of the supported software is below:
Web Servers
- Microsoft IIS version 5 and 6
Mail Servers
- hMailServer
- Icewarp Merak Mail
- Ipswitch IMAIL
- SmarterMail
DNS Servers
- Simple DNS Plus
FTP Servers
- Gene 6 FTP
- Microsoft FTP
- RhinoSoft ServU-FTP
Database Servers
Statistics Servers
- LiveStats
- SmarterStats
Server Extensions
- ASP.NET version 1 and 2
- Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions
[edit] Application Packs
In early 2006, WebHost Automation Limited released several Application Packs for Helm. These were bundled free applications that could be distributed from the Helm control panel, and installed on any website managed by Helm. Hugely popular and easy to use, they provided even more flexibility and options for Windows webhosts. Many more Application Packs are in development.
[edit] Billing System
As of July 2006, Helm is the only major Windows-only control panel that comes with a built-in billing system. As well as allowing you to charge your hosting customers for services that you provide, the billing system also allows you to invoice, send payment reminders, send payment receipts, specify currencies, and much more. It also integrates with a huge number of payment gateways, both form-based and automated. Helm can store encrypted credit card details which allows the automated collection of payment from outstanding accounts, with no intervention by the Helm administrator.
[edit] Community
Part of Helm's success can be attributed to its immensely popular internet forum, which has a large number of active users in a tight-knit and growing community. There are many regular users who provide both help and support to new customers, and to each other. Unusually for a community forum, staff members are also active and have encouraged feedback and suggestions from their customers since the company started. Customers appreciate the freedom they have to express their feelings about Helm and the company's progress in general, and whilst negative comments are inevitable (particularly over the delay of Helm 4), they add to the general feeling of openness that can be found on the forum, almost to the point of self-moderation by its users. The popular "Garble" thread provides light relief for forum members looking for a break from hosting.
