This document is intended for WEBADMINS to give them a detailed overview of various HIGH LEVEL CHANGES in HC build 09. It states both the scenarios i.e. before and after the modifications along with pros & cons of each.

Moreover, it also compares all the changes with effective screenshots to give a better understanding.

This document contains HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION regarding HC build 09. It is immensely recommended to read the entire document before applying HC build 09, as once installed it cannot be rollback.

Key Sections of the Document

ü The way PLANS & QUOTAS are being handled in HC previously

ü Pros and Cons of previous method

ü Detailed comparison of all the sections being changed (with comprehensive screen shots)

Detailed Description

Before

In build 08, Host sell plans to Reseller. Reseller makes sub plans out of those sold plans and further sells these sub plans to Webadmins. Previously, the entire assigned quota related to all the resources such as mail domains, mailboxes, click & install applications etc. is plan dependent directly/indirectly for Webadmins.

Basically, in HC there are three main resource categories:

Websites
Mail Domains
Virtual Machines

These resources are not dependent on any other resource while many other resources are dependent on these resources.

The resources that depend on Websites are “Databases”, “Mail Domains”, “Bandwidth”, “SSL”, “Stats Domains”, “Scripting Resources (PHP, .Net, Perl, ColdFusion)”, “FrontPage Extension” and many other.

Similarly dependent resources for Mail Domains are “Mailboxes”, “Distribution Lists”, “Active Sync”, and “BlackBerry”. Likewise, Virtual Machines also have some dependent resources.

In build 08, HC creates these resources against some specific plan. Webadmin has to select a plan from the list to consume his quota against that particular plan. After that each of the dependent resources’ quota is calculated against that plan.

In such scenario, if a Webadmin wants to create a domain, he can never create a database for his website if the database quota is not available in the website’s sold plan (the plan he has selected). Therefore, a Webadmin must have quota in the plan under which he wants to create his website. Also, a mailbox cannot be created if he has not enough quotas in the selected plan.

For Example: To create domains, Webadmin has to select the plan (from the sold plans) and then domains are created.

Limitations

Suppose Webadmin wants to create mailboxes, for that he has to select certain plan. There are two plans sold to him i.e. Plan-A & Plan-B. He is allowed to create only 5 mailboxes under Plan-A and 10 mailboxes under Plan-B but as per his business needs, he wants to create 15 mailboxes under Plan-B. Now, he is restricted to create only 10 mailboxes under Plan-B. So it may not feasible for him. Also, the rest of the 5 mailboxes for which he has paid remain unused.

Let’s look at another scenario. For Example: Suppose a Webadmin (John) has purchased two plans. Details of both the plans are as follows:

Plan-A

Plan-B

Domains: 1

Databases: 0

MailDomains: 3

Domains: 1

Databases: 5

John has total of 2 Domains and 5 Databases quota in total. Suppose he creates a Website (myexample.com) against Plan-A Now John has left with his overall remaining quota of 1 Domain and 5 Databases.

What if John also wants to add a database for myexample.com, he cannot do this as he doesn’t have databases quota under Plan-A. Though he has 5 databases quota but still he cannot use it for myexample.com (as it is created under Plan-A).

In build 08, Webadmins cannot use their purchased resources as per their requirements. They were restricted to the sold plans of main resources such as Websites, Mail Domains and Virtual Machines.

To eliminate such confusions for Webadmins, HC has significantly modifies its design and facilitates Webadmins with the ACCUMULATIVE QUOTA.

Accumulative Quota (AQ)

The ACCUMULATIVE QUOTA means now Webadmins are not restricted to select plan before creating domains etc. It is now plan independent as per requirements.

Proceeding with the example above, the ideal scenario is that the Webadmin (John) should be able to use his database quota for MyExample.com as well while he cannot do so in build 08. Here is when ACCUMULATIVE QUOTA is needed. With AQ, John can create his database for MyExample.com independent of the plans.

How Resource Quota is Managed Now

In build 08, Webadmin’s quota for any resource is calculated from the sold plan of the main resource. Now overall Webadmin’s quota is considered and verified for every resource. Like in the previous example now John can create databases for MyExample.com no matter, he make his website under which plan. His accumulative/overall quota is checked and if he has the required remaining quota, he is allowed to proceed.

Interface Modifications

As explained earlier that high level changes have been made to provide more flexibility and comprehensiveness to the control panel. Following section of the document states all such changes in detail.

Global Settings

Resource Properties options (server default/configurable) are removed from Mail (mailboxsize), Database (maxmdfsize, maxldfsize), Sharepoint (maxdatabasesize, maxwarningsize) tabs.

Before

1. For Mail Server (Windows/Linux) there was an option for:

a. ‘Mailbox Size’ under Mailbox Properties

2. For Exchange Server there were options for:

a. ‘BlackBerry Service’ under BlackBerry Enterprise Server

b. ‘Mailbox Size’, ‘Incoming Message Size’, ‘Outgoing Message Size’, ‘IMAP’, ‘POP’, ‘OWA/HTTP’ and ‘MAPI’ under Mailbox Properties.

c. ‘Incoming Message Size’ under Distribution List Properties

3. For Database Server there was an option for:

a. ‘Maximum Log File (LDF) Size’ and ‘Maximum Data File (MDF) Size’ under SQL Server Properties.

4. For Sharepoint Server there was an option for:

a. ‘Database Maximum Size’ and ‘Database Warning Size’ under SharePoint Properties.

After

1. For Mail Server (Windows/Linux) now there is no option for:

a. ‘Mailbox Size’ under Mailbox Properties

2. For Exchange Server now there are options for only:

a. ‘BlackBerry Service’ under BlackBerry Enterprise Server

b. ‘Incoming Message Size’ and ‘Outgoing Message Size’ under Mailbox Properties.

c. ‘Incoming Message Size’ under Distribution List Properties

3. For Database Server now there is no option for:

a. ‘Maximum Log File (LDF) Size’ and ‘Maximum Data File (MDF) Size’ under SQL Server Properties.

4. For Sharepoint Server now there is no option for

a. ‘Database Maximum Size’ and ‘Database Warning Size’ under SharePoint Properties.

All these options that are removed from here are now moved under HOSTING PLANS section as resources.

Moreover, the value that appears in the dropdown list as ‘Configurable in Plan’ is changed to ‘Configurable’ because it is no more available in plan now. Now these values are set from HOST for his RESELLER(S) and from RESELLER(S) for his WEBADMIN(S).

Hosting Plans (Also Referred as Plan Manager)

Modifications done for this section are as follows:

Before

In Hosting Plans >> Sold Plans section, the column named as ‘Total Websites’ and button named as ‘Disabled’ was there at reseller level.

On Resource Properties page, there was an option for:

‘Mailboxes per Mail Domain Properties’ that asks for ‘Mailbox Size’

On Resource Properties page, there was an option for:

‘SharePoint Sites Properties’

While adding a plan, there was an option for:

a. ‘Mailboxes per Mail Domain’ under Mail Domains section. If a plan is set as 10 Mail Domains it means it is 10 Mailboxes per Mail Domain.

After

In Hosting Plans >> Sold Plans section, the column named as ‘Total Websites’ and button named as ‘Disabled’ are removed at reseller level. Now any Sold Plan can be deleted if it doesn’t violate its users’ quota after deletion. Resource (user, website) dependency is removed now.

On resource properties page, now there are options for:

‘Mailboxes Properties’ and it doesn’t ask for ‘Mailbox Size’ as it has been moved to PLANS section now.

On resource properties page, there is no option for:

‘SharePoint Sites Properties’

Now Resource Properties are added at Reseller level, same as they are at Host level. These are removed from plan and some Resource Properties are changed to Resources as stated earlier.

While adding a plan, now there are options for:

‘Mailboxes’ under Mail Domains section. If a plan is set as 10 Mail Domains and this property is set as 10 then it means total 10 Mailboxes are allowed to create for all the Mail Domains. Now 10 Mailboxes can be created on 1 Mail Domain or 1 for each as required.

In HC build 09, total number of sizes for ‘Mailboxes’ and ‘Databases’ are dependent on the total allocated ‘Disk Space’.

It is to be noted that total mailbox size and database size should not exceed the disk space.

‘Mailbox Size (MB)’ under Mail Domains. It is actually the total allowed mailbox size. The total size of all the created mailboxes should not exceed the total disk space.

5. For Exchange Server, now there are options for:

a. ‘IMAP’, ‘POP’, ‘OWA/HTTP’ and ‘MAPI’ under Mail Domains. It is the total number of IMAP, POP, OWA/HTTP and MAPI that are allowed to be enabled.

6. For Database Server, now there is an option for:

a. ‘Maximum Log File (LDF) Size’ and ‘Maximum Data File (MDF) Size’ under Databases for ‘SQL Server Databases’.

7. For Sharepoint Server, now there is an option for:

a. ‘Database Maximum Size’ and ‘Database Warning Size’ under SharePoint Sites.

Domain Manager

Modifications done for this section are as follows:

Before

In Domains >> My Websites section the column named as ‘Plan Name’ was there at Reseller level.

In Domains >> Add Website section at Reseller level, in first step (Add Website) there were no options for:

Website Settings
DNS Settings

In Domains >> Add Website section at Reseller level, in second step (Plan Information) there were options for Plan.

In Domains >> My Websites >> Website Properties section at Reseller level, there was an option for ‘Hosting Plan’.

After

In Domains >> My Websites section the column named as ‘Plan Name’ is not there now at Reseller level.

In Domains >> Add Website section at Reseller level, in first step (Add Website), a new section is added as ‘Website Settings’. All the available website resources are displayed under this section and they can be turned ON/OFF as required.

In case Reseller wants to create new user (Website Owner i.e. Webadmin):

In case of existing user (Website Owner i.e. Webadmin):

Since, everything is accumulative so no plan is associated with the website. If quota is available then action can be performed.

In Domains >> Add Website section at Reseller level, in second step (Plan Information) now there is no option for Plan.

In case of new user (Website Owner i.e. Webadmin):

In case of existing user (Website Owner i.e. Webadmin):

In case of quota violation of the existing user (Website Owner i.e. Webadmin):

In Domains >> My Websites >> Website Properties section at Reseller level, now there is no option for ‘Hosting Plan’.

Mail Manager

Modifications done for this section are as follows:

Before

In Tools >> Mail Manager >> Add Mail Domain section at Reseller level there was no option for:

Mail Server Information

In Tools >> Mail Manager >> Mail Domains >> Mailboxes >> Add Mailbox section there was no option for ‘Mailbox Size’.

In Tools >> Mail Manager >> Mail Domains >> Mailboxes >> Edit Mailbox section there was no option for ‘Mailbox Size’.

After

In Tools >> Mail Manager >> Add Mail Domain section at Reseller level now there is an option for:

Mail Server Information

In Tools >> Mail Manager >> Mail Domains >> Mailboxes >> Add Mailbox section, now there is a mandatory option for ‘Mailbox Size’.

Reason for making ‘Mailbox Size’ a compulsory field is that it is a resource now. In case user doesn’t have enough quota for ‘Mailbox Size’, he couldn’t add a mailbox.

In Tools >> Mail Manager >> Mail Domains >> Mailboxes >> Edit Mailbox section there is an option for ‘Mailbox Size’.

If user has used his one IMAP quota then he is not allowed to enable IMAP on any other mailbox.

Reports

Modifications done for this section are as follows:

Before

In Reports >> Bandwidth Usage >> Usage Report section the structure of report was:

In Reports >> Disk Usage >> Usage Report section the structure of report was:

In Reports >> Hosting Quota >> Quota Report section the structure of report was:

After

In Reports >> Bandwidth Usage >> Usage Report section now the structure of report is:

In Reports >> Disk Usage >> Usage Report section now the structure of report is:

In Reports >> Hosting Quota >> Quota Report section now the structure of report is:

The only modification done in the structure of the report is, now mail domains resources quota is shown separately for each purchased Mail Server type and SharePoint Server type. It is because now Mail Resources are dependent on the Mail Server type in the plan and SharePoint Resources are dependent on the SharePoint Server types. The quota for one Mail/ SharePoint Server type cannot be used for other and vice versa.

Let’s suppose Webadmin (Smith) has two plans:

Plan-A

Exchange Plan:

Mail Server Type: Exchange2007

Mail Domain: 1

Mailboxes: 1

And

Plan-B

Unlimited Windows

Mail Server Type: MailEnable

Mail Domain: 10

Mailboxes: 10

Now Smith has total of 11 Mail Domains quota and 11 Mailboxes quota but he is not allowed to create more than 1 Mail Domain on Exchange2007 and more the 10 Mail Domains on MailEnable.

Same is the case for the SharePoint sites. Quota against one SharePoint Server can’t be used for other but resource quantity for same Mail Servers and SharePoint Servers are summed up.

Database Manager

Modifications done for this section are as follows:

Before

In Tools >> Database Manager >> Add MSSQL Database section the options such as ‘Maximum Data File (MDF) Size’ and ‘Maximum Log File (MLF) Size’ were resource properties.

After

In Tools >> Database Manager >> Add MSSQL Database section now the options such as ‘Maximum Data File (MDF) Size’ and ‘Maximum Log File (MLF) Size’ are resources.

SharePoint Manager

Modifications done for this section are as follows:

Before

In Tools >> SharePoint Manager >> Add SharePoint Site section there was no option for ‘Server Type Information’. Also the options such as ‘Database Maximum Size’ and ‘Database Warning Size’ were resource properties.

After

In Tools >> SharePoint Manager >> Add SharePoint Site section now there is an option for ‘Server Type Information’. Also the options such as ‘Database Maximum Size’ and ‘Database Warning Size’ are now resources.

User cannot add SharePoint Site if there is not enough quota for the selected Domain Owner against the selected SharePoint Server.

Migration

Modifications done for this section are as follows:

Before

In Migration >> Import Existing Websites section there were options for ‘Hosting Plan Information’.

In Migration >> Transfer Websites >> Transfer section there was an option for ‘Sold Plans’.

After

In Migration >> Import Existing Websites section now there are no options for ‘Hosting Plan Information’.

In Migration >> Transfer Websites >> Transfer section now there is no option for ‘Sold Plan’.

Contact Us

In case of any ambiguity/query regarding HC build 09, please feel free to contact us at support@hostingcontroller.com