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Watching as technology nowadays bends over backwards to keep up with rapid shifts in customer requirements, we continue to progress in our own mission to deliver the equally cutting-edge offerings within our platform. It is by following the current industry breakthroughs and actively responding to user demands that EasyDCIM soldifies its position as a reputable DCIM solution provider. In this article, we'll take a deep dive into the key highlights of the all-new 1.9.6 version and how this update contributes to enhanced security, seamless adoption of the latest innovations, and enriched operational potential. So, let's dive right in! PHP 8.1 Support EasyDCIM users who have eagerly awaited this upgrade can now leverage the benefits of PHP 8.1 translating to a safer and more efficient experience. The transition to PHP 8.1 involved a series of intricate changes within the platform, including the development of a new installer and updater specifically designed for the latest PHP version. Not only does this effort result in a significant stride toward enhancing the overall application security, but it also guarantees seamless compatibility with the most up-to-date technological standards. FreeBSD 13.1 System Template While the technical advancements made in EasyDCIM v1.9.6 lay a solid foundation for improved performance, the spotlight should be also put on the updated OS Installation extension. Rumor has it that FreeBSD has performed a prominent role in the development of Apple OS. FreeBSD 13.1 is a significant new addition to EasyDCIM's repertoire of system templates, as it expands the range of supported operating systems beyond the realms of Linux and Windows. With its Unix-based, open source architecture, and reputation for high stability and reliability, FreeBSD presents a robust OS alternative and unleashes new opportunities for diverse infrastructure setups, integrating well with both server and desktop environments. Extended VLAN Management Another extension stepping into the spotlight, Switch Management v1.4.2 carries a particularly noteworthy feature - comprehensive support for Juniper switches running JUNOS 20. With the introduction of a new driver, you are free to benefit from a full toolset responsible e.g. for assigning VLANs to a switch network port or updating the status and speed of network ports. At EasyDCIM, we leave no stone unturned to showcase our dedication to leading the technology race with every new platform release. If you're eager to dive into all the details of the 1.9.6 version, we highly recommend checking out the comprehensive changelog right on our website. View the Changelog!

Having the inquisitive mind of technology explorers and industry trend followers that we are, we focus habitually on what new features can still power up EasyDCIM, but never lose sight of how to constantly improve the range of existing functionality. The all-new 1.9.5 release, arriving with substantially more freedom in terms of OS installation, leaves no room for doubt that if something can be done better, smarter or in a more flexible way, we won’t aim for anything less. Using custom ISO images? No sweat! To fully understand how much of a difference EasyDCIM v1.9.5 really makes, let's first take a look back at how the platform worked so far. Up to now, the OS Installation extension has allowed the main process to be handled by means of predefined installation templates, based mostly on data repositories of distributions like Debian, Ubuntu or CentOS. This solution has proven to work perfectly well... unless the client needs to install some custom operating system based on an ISO image on the server. That is where OS Installation For EasyDCIM 2.0.1 comes into play. With the brand-new option to mount ISO images by end customers via noVNC sessions, they can easily carry out the installation of any preferred ISO-based operating system. As you surely would like, EasyDCIM has got you covered when it comes to all essential steps involved in the process, including setting limits and automatically removing files that are no longer needed. The list of OS templates goes on Another notable point of growth marked in the timeline of OS Installation extension concerns the choice of available system templates which now covers also Fedora 37 Server and CloudLinux 9. The range of performable actions is no different to what you've already grown accustomed to while using other installation templates, but if you need your memory refreshed, here’s a quick run-through: Time zone and language configuration Disk partitioning Creation of user accounts and root password Configuration of network interfaces Installation of additional system packages as well as post-installation and first-boot scripts Next layer of security Now if there's one thing that can catch the attention of administrators, it's the security of their data centers! As a guaranteed protection against any sort of unauthorized access, EasyDCIM now provides the ability to determine the IP addresses allowed into the backend section of the platform. To be precise, the new release empowers admins to specify either individual IP addresses or whole subnets from which the management panel can be entered. Because we can all agree that no amount of security is too much! The official changelog thoroughly details everything you need to know about EasyDCIM v1.9.5, including aspects that didn't make it into this short article - why don’t you start getting more familiar with their wide-ranging benefits straight away? View the Changelog!

Every business owner experiences it to some extent – the inflow of so much data, that it can become practically impossible to keep up with the constant development of your enterprise. Well, it doesn’t have to be this way, and certainly not with the latest EasyDCIM v1.9.4 and the spanking new addition of Email Summaries, which will ensure you stay on top of your time-consuming duties better than ever before! Vital insight now at a single click! There must have been many situations with unfavorable circumstances which you found yourself in, not allowing you to conveniently and, more importantly, quickly gain access to information about what’s going on in your system. From now on, you can happily relax and stay up-to-date by having every piece of news handed to you not exactly on a plate, but in the form of personalized Email Summaries. Not every piece of data bares the same importance, so it is entirely up to you which ones should be received, and how often. Daily, weekly, monthly – however you like! With 7 widgets to choose from, you’ll be able to highly customize your email notifications, including exactly what you want to take a closer look at. So, what are the aspects EasyDCIM can let you know about? Location Statistics Presents information on all locations, including statistics on data and power consumption, rack occupancy and server availability. General Statistics Includes data on new orders, devices and parts, as well as completed OS installations, server reboots and updated devices. New Orders Shows the details of each order, including the customer data, order date and its status. Top Servers By Traffic Contains information on servers that consume the highest data transfer amounts. Top Servers By Uptime Indicates the servers that stay active the longest. Top PDUs By Usage Lists information on the PDU devices that consume the most power in Amps. Top Worst Devices By Polling Time Displays a list of devices, for which the data polling process takes an unusually long time. This is nowhere near the end of customization possibilities, as you are also empowered to personally select the administrators that will receive these email messages, perfectly enclosed in a brand new, modern template that ensures clarity and accessibility. The range of opportunities widened Say hello to OS Installation For EasyDCIM 2.0! This eagerly anticipated update integrates well with new versions of our system templates to allow the automatic installation of Vmware ESXi 8.0 and Oracle Linux 9, as well as the freshly added VzLinux 8, an environment that has not been previously supported! Each of them successfully handles the crucial processes, such as time zone and language configuration, disk partitioning, the creation of user accounts and root password, the configuration of network interfaces and the installation of additional system packages, as well as post-installation and first boot scripts.

Owning and operating a web hosting business is about more than just the technology. In fact, one could strongly argue that attributes such as disk space or RAM come second to the most important part: the customers. After all, a web hosting enterprise is not much of a business at all without them. While technology is important and ultimately drives customer success, a number of other, often overlooked factors goes into making a company thrive in this particular industry. In this post, we will outline ten things that web hosting providers can do to keep clients satisfied. While this is far from exhaustive, it does provide a good foundation to best fulfill your customers' expectations and make them happy for the long term. 1. Keep your hardware and software up to date Nothing will drive clients away faster than a security breach of their website or application. One way these happen? Insecure networks or hardware. Whether you are offering bare metal servers or shared hosting accounts, take great care to apply all patches and updates in a timely manner. It’s extremely important to do so, otherwise you might find yourself in a situation where you’ve left your customers open to nothing other than potential security breaches. Not only will this negatively affect their trust, but it could also lead to refunds or even lawsuits if any client was affected by the breach. For this reason, it is crucial to remain extremely careful when applying patches and updates for both networks and hardware. This includes making sure that all of your servers are patched (or replaced) before they can be used again after an attack. 2. Offer round-the-clock customer service One of the best ways to keep clients content and make your company stand out from the competition is to offer 24/7 support and customer service. Many of your customers are likely to work on websites and applications outside of standard business hours. Additionally, if they are located in different parts of the world, then providing support only during specified hours is unlikely to meet their needs. By being in a position to help the clientele at all times you are showing that you care about their success, which is directly related to your own! It is worth noting that providing round-the-clock service and support can be very expensive. One way to lessen the costs is offering only critical support during your typical non-working hours. For example, you could set up a mailbox for less important inquiries that you only check once a day while a separate inbox is connected to the mobile phone of support team members. This way the primary support needs can be monitored at all times while lesser priority inquiries can be addressed at a later, more convenient time. Many web hosting companies even charge an extra fee for 24/7 support, which can be a great way to increase revenue and offset costs. 3. Stay current with ever-changing technology New technical solutions get released on a regular basis when it comes to servers, storage, and connectivity. The EasyDCIM control panel also frequently introduces new features that benefit not just web hosting providers, but their customers as well. Sometimes these technologies introduce better security, other times they make servers, applications, or websites easier to use. What all providers need is to stay updated on what is new in order to offer their clientele exactly what they are searching for. From a business perspective, your offerings should be up to date so you can remain in line with or even ahead of competitors. On the other hand, you want to offer as much value as possible to those that choose to do business with you. Keeping abreast of new technology allows your company to achieve both of these goals. 4. Allow customers to restart servers on their own Many web hosting companies do not realize how absolutely crucial it is for their clients to be able to restart their servers independently. They may not sell dedicated servers, or simply do not receive that many restart tickets and, as a result, overlook this. But customers that utilize dedicated servers absolutely do not want to have to wait for a support specialist to open a ticket, log their information, and THEN restart a server when they could do it themselves if only they were granted permission. Servers can require restarts for a number of reasons. From new software updates requiring a restart to purging old files, some activities can only get carried out via a restart, which is all the more reason to give clients the ability to restart servers on their own, just like EasyDCIM does. 5. Offer flexible payment options... The majority of web hosting providers offer two types of payment options: monthly or annual. Annual payments often carry a discount in the form of a "free" month or two. And while these options tend to work for most customers, what about payment options themselves? Some hosts accept credit card payments, others ACH or wire. However, physical checks still tend to be the preferred method of payment in many countries. As a web hosting provider though, you should definitely consider new forms of payment, such as Bitcoin. Additionally, offering multi-year payment terms can be a great way to not just lock in customers for longer terms, but also serve those that have complex procurement processes. Pay-for-use or pay-for-consumption models have been popular for years with public cloud providers. Traditional hosts should consider offering similar pricing models when possible, as more and more businesses in many sectors are looking to maximize their return on investment by paying only for what they use. These various payment terms are not right for each individual web hosting provider, of course. However, knowing what works best for your customers is always a worthwhile business strategy and payment terms are no different. 6. ...And reasonable prices Nobody likes overpriced products, but picking out something that is not expensive can become quite a difficult task. Web hosting providers need to make sure that their prices are reasonable in order to give customers what they need without breaking their budgets. It is important to note that "reasonable" pricing does not necessarily mean "lower" pricing. As more and more web hosting services become commoditized, thus driving prices down, it is imperative that the providers work to deliver value that matches the prices they do charge. Better performance and support are great ways to add customers and increase revenue. Even better, a reasonable price for excellent web hosting service is much higher than a price for sub-par, lower-quality one. 7. Make it easy to upgrade Customers are not always fully certain of what they need when it comes time to upgrade their hosting, but that does not mean that they should be forced into a package in order to save money. All providers need to make sure their clients can easily upgrade and downgrade in order to get the features that they want without having to pay for anything extra. Today's traffic patterns for websites and applications can change in the blink of an eye. A big announcement or a viral blog post can bring in colossal scores of traffic. Seasonal businesses might be super busy for weeks at a time, just before their doors close completely for months. What you should do, is to always keep your offer scalable and allow your customers to upgrade (and downgrade) effortlessly, based on their needs. No one wants to feel stuck in the wrong solution because their web hosting provider does not have a clear path to easily change their plan. 8. Check-in from time to time Web hosting providers often fail to stay in touch with their customers. One way to reduce churn and benefit from the upsell and cross-sell opportunities is to regularly reach out to individual clients. For your highest value clientele, a simple phone call or video meeting once a quarter or a couple of times each year can go a long way. Firstly, clients will be glad to know you care about their business and their goals. Secondly, and more importantly, these conversations or meetings can help uncover areas of opportunity for you both to expand your relationship. Make it a point to review support tickets prior to the meeting and address any concerns or comments. Customers will be amazed by your involvement and will start to see your business as a partner instead of as a vendor. 9. Proactively communicate with customers In the same vein, a regular newsletter or release note about feature introductions or improvements will regularly bring customers up to speed. For example, we have recently emailed our clients about implementing the "Mass Edit" toolkit as part of the EasyDCIM platform. This way, they immediately got to know new tools and functionalities which not only strengthen our relationship with them, but more importantly, helps them grow their businesses. 10. Keep an eye on the competition Barring a bad support experience or outage, many clients of web hosting companies are disinclined to switch to a new provider. A great deal of churn with hosts, particularly for those providing VPS and dedicated servers to business clients, comes when a project ends or a resource is no longer needed as opposed to canceling the service with the intention to move it elsewhere. However, one area of vulnerability may well be all it takes to make web hosting providers lose their clientele to competitors - not keeping up with features and functions offered elsewhere on the market. One such example is automatic backups. As recently as a decade ago automatic backups were not available from many (most?) web hosting providers. They have become so popular during this time though, that it would be a great disappointment if one’s offer did not include them. A great way to keep customers satisfied with their choice of provider is to make sure your offerings match or exceed the market standard. To sum up: Focus on the customer! Web hosting providers should strive to create a customer-centric business model. This includes web hosting that is fast and reliable, as well as effortless upgrades and downgrades when needed. While the best way to keep clients happy may vary from one person or company to another, you should definitely know what your target audience needs so you can provide them with those solutions. This way you will ensure their cooperation now and in the future. Take care of your customers and they will take care of you. Do you have questions about how EasyDCIM can help your web hosting business deliver on the promise of greater customer happiness? Get in touch!

Starting now, you can happily bid farewell to devoting more and more of your precious time in order to take care of monotonous tasks which lead to another deadline missed. Thanks to the release of EasyDCIM v1.9.3, you’ll be able to complete actions that used to take you hours in a matter of seconds using the new tool for bulk editing. Let’s find out precisely what we managed to come up with this time! Bulk editing no longer just a wish! Let’s face the truth: on more than one occasion you wanted to make some changes to all of your 8 servers or edit just one detail, but in 10 CPUs. We bet that the first thought that crossed your mind was "Oh, how I wish I could just modify items in bulk and not each one individually!" You don’t have to wish anymore, as it’s at this very moment that we present a brand new feature that will get rid of the repetitiveness: "Mass Edit" option! Similarly to what the "Mass Add" tool of the 1.8.3 release is capable of, you’ll be able to quickly edit as many devices or items of the same type as you need! This new option can be accessed from multiple tables such as "Search Inventory", "Servers" or "Network", providing you with a really quick access to bulk editing. Would you like to take a look at all changes you performed? Simply view the Mass Edit Summary and you’ll have them all on display! User traffic consumption outlined "Total Traffic" is a spanking new option of the 1.9.3 release that will shed light on the bandwidth consumption of all given user’s devices. This tool will enable you to view information in graphs on: Devices, putting in the picture the traffic of those assigned to a given customer, Servers, giving insight into the traffic of all of client’s assigned servers, Orders, summarizing the traffic of all colocations and servers ordered by the customer. It’s never been that effortless to lay hands on all crucial bits of information you were looking for! What's new with EasyDCIM extensions? The 1.9.9 update of OS Installation supports SystemRescueCd 9.0.4, a new installation template for managing or repairing your system and data. This popular toolkit isn’t the only addition of the latest upgrade – Detect Hardware is a new version of a template that, as the name perfectly sums up, is responsible for detecting the hardware installed on a dedicated server. Last but not least, we are proud to unveil PDU Management 1.2.3, where the new type of graphs gather details about power consumed by single outlets on specific APC and Raritan devices. It’s our top priority to ensure that you can fully benefit from the full potential of everything you have just read about, and for this very reason we want to remind you once again of the crucial migration to Debian 11. You are welcome to use our detailed instructions, or even leave it completely to our team – how does that sound? We in no way want to take away the pleasure of discovering each detail the new EasyDCIM v1.9.3 has to offer, so let us cordially invite you to explore it yourself! View the Changelog!

You may have thought that in order to start experiencing the full potential of our ultramodern and feature-rich control panel for bare metal server provisioning, you would have to spare a lot of your precious time to go through an arduous process of configuration. This, however, could not be any further from the truth with Quick Configuration Wizard, which crowns the list of innovations delivered in the brand-new release of EasyDCIM 1.9.2! Easy, for a reason! Quick Configuration Wizard is meant to be initiated right after the installation with the purpose of taking you through the basics in just six simple steps. Each of the following actions is designed to take as much weight off your shoulders as possible, empowering you to kick off your EasyDCIM journey quicker and with less effort than ever! 1. General Configuration Providing the company name, email address and password of the administrator. 2. Location Defining the first location and subnet configuration for the DHCP server. 3. Remote Agent Installing a remote agent in a location different than this of the main EasyDCIM server. 4. Switch Configuration Detecting the first switch via SNMP protocol during the Auto-Discovering process. 5. Server Configuration Adding the first server with network configuration and IPMI access data. 6. Finishing Up And finally, validating the completed steps. After rapid set up by means of the Quick Configuration Wizard, you will be granted the possibility to instantly try out the essential features of EasyDCIM, such as installing operating systems, rebooting the server remotely, or gathering data via polling! What's more, even after your journey with Quick Configuration Wizard has come to an end, you'll still be fully taken care of, as you can use a helping hand in setting up other EasyDCIM features at any moment later on. Just one click at the "Show Next Steps" button placed conveniently on your Dashboard, and you know exactly what else to pay attention to! The more, the merrier Stretching the choice of supported system templates with each new version of EasyDCIM is slowly becoming our trademark. The 1.9.2 update could not be any different! The OS Installation extension returns in the 1.9.8 version, ready to deal with the installation of Rocky Linux 9 and Ubuntu 22.04 LTS in a fully automated manner! And to leave zero room for wondering: all crucial processes, from the time zone and language configuration to the execution of first-boot scripts, are handled flawlessly via EasyDCIM, just as in all previously delivered additions. With such a wide variety of templates at hand, do you already know which one you’ll go for? New drivers on radar IPMI Integration For EasyDCIM will bring you even more levels of automation, with the updated 1.4.4 version, which introduces new drivers for the JAVA KVM console: the first dedicated to Huawei iBMC 5, and the second to Inspur devices! Migration already ticked off? We wouldn’t be asking whether you've migrated to Debian 11 yet if our top priority wasn’t making sure you can fully benefit from Quick Configuration Wizard as well as the remaining features of EasyDCIM v1.9.2. After all, only with "bullseye" installed can you gain access to all kinds of advantages this and future updates have to offer! Worry not, as you won’t get left confused not knowing how to go through this process – we offer step-by-step guidelines, as well as a completely free possibility of our team upgrading your current EasyDCIM server for you! With excitement at its peak, fueled by an overwhelming sense of adventure, make your next stop at our website and see the full changelog of EasyDCIM v1.9.2, for a brief, straight to the point description of the spanking-new Quick Configuration Wizard and the summary of other no less impactful changes. View the Changelog!

Like most businesses, regardless of their sector, web hosting companies are always looking to increase their operational efficiency and reduce costs. This is where automation comes in, as it can help with both of those goals. Automation speeds up processes while reducing the possibility of an error occurring. This frees up employees to focus on core tasks instead of necessary but low-intellect work. While there are many tools on the market for automating dedicated servers, not all of them are well suited to your needs. Some are likely to be too expensive. Other ones are technical in nature and require an expertise too comprehensive for most individuals. There are also ones that still will not include the automation functionality crucial for your web hosting business to continue growing and reaching its goals. In this blog post, we will talk about four different automation systems available to web hosting providers offering dedicated servers: WHMCS, WISECP, Blesta and HostBill. While this list admittedly does not cover all available ones on the market, it does represent the options that we find to be the best fit for small and mid-sized companies looking to add automation without high costs or complexity. We'll cover what these four tools do and how they compare so you can find the perfect server automation software for your company! Recommended Automation Tools for Web Hosting Providers WHMCS To start, let's talk about the best-known and most widely used management platform in the web hosting industry: WHMCS. The acronym stands for Web Host Manager Complete Solution and it is considered one of the most popular options available to you as a business owner. WHMCS has an integrated billing system that can help with your day-to-day tasks such as invoicing and accepting payments from users in addition to a suite of tools for managing your dedicated servers. WHMCS includes an industry-standard billing platform with many powerful features, but it's also known for being slightly more complex to implement into your business workflow. WHMCS can require a lot of customization and configuration for some users. This means you'll be spending more time on the backend to make sure everything is working properly. However, once WHMCS is operating correctly for your web hosting company, it is undeniable that it provides the functionality necessary to successfully automate a number of key activities. One aspect should be kept in mind: WHMCS charges an annual license fee for each user that accesses it, so if your business has a large number of customers this can add up quickly. WHMCS standard features: Integrated billing system Automated server provisioning system Dedicated server management tools Invoicing and accepting payments, including support for recurring payments WISECP WISECP is an automated billing system that works best for smaller web hosting companies. It includes a suite of tools for managing dedicated servers and can be installed on any operating system. WISECP also has an API so you can integrate it with all sorts of software products without having to worry about compatibility issues, or hiring programmers to write custom code, just because they're not using the same platform as you are. This allows businesses to use multiple systems simultaneously while still being able to sync data between them seamlessly. The API even lets developers export data from WISECP into other applications if they want to. WISECP is a one-stop-shop for managing everything that running your business involves. It's a good choice not just for web hosting providers but also security firms and other types of business that need to automate the management of their dedicated servers. WISECP offers comprehensive solutions for billing, customer service automation, CRM integration, chatbots, and more. WISECP standard features: File manager Domain manager Device configuration tool Account creation Rebuild, restart, start, and shutdown functionality   Blesta Blesta is an automated billing platform that includes an integrated customer log-in with their own portal. It also provides a software to help you manage your dedicated servers including file manager, domain manager, and server configuration. Another stand-out feature is that it can be installed on any operating system. Blesta is another powerful system that service providers and hosts use to simplify their workflows. It has everything WISECP does plus a few more tools like billing automation, recurring invoices, and automated provisioning. It also integrates with WHMCS so you can get an even more powerful single sign-on experience where users only need to log into one system and they're automatically signed in on all other areas of your business too. Blesta includes a complete billing suite that helps user companies run efficiently and save both time and money. Blesta standard features: Integrated customer login with their own portal Suite of tools for managing machines File manager Domain manager Support platform for managing customer inquiries HostBill HostBill is a full-featured billing and CRM solution that gives you everything you need to run your web hosting company. You can easily manage customers, invoices, recurring bills, warranties and more, all in one system with no extra add-ons required. HostBill also integrates seamlessly with WHMCS so if you're already using it you can get the same benefits that WiseCP and Blesta offer. Perhaps the best thing about HostBill is how affordable it is to start up. HostBill also has an API that enables developers to integrate multiple systems simultaneously without having compatibility issues or hiring programmers to write custom code just because they're not using the same platform as you are. HostBill standard features: Automated billing Device and domain automation Client support and management Client self-service portal The Right Automation Tool for Your Web Hosting Business So how do you choose what's right for your business? As with any other software consideration it is important to understand your existing technology stack as well as the goals you are trying to reach. Automation for automation's sake is unlikely to succeed. Have a plan for what challenges you are trying to address and how new automation will impact, and hopefully improve, not just your business but your customers' experience as well. Automation greatly reduces costs, by removing manual tasks from employees' daily routines and allowing them to focus on more productive activities instead, which is its most important benefit. In addition, automation makes it easier for companies to streamline their business processes, which is another way of saying that it helps them save money. If you are looking to add automation to your web hosting company, the four above mentioned options are worth considering. While each has its strengths and drawbacks, all four can help save time and streamline processes in your business. Our team at EasyDCIM is proud to work with WHMCS through EasyDCIM Dedicated Servers For WHMCS and EasyDCIM Colocation For WHMCS modules officially maintained by ModulesGarden. Simultaneously, the platform supports a number of other systems designed to help growing web hosting companies. Interested in leveling up your workflows with the extra potential of integration between EasyDCIM and such esteemed automation tools as HostBill, Blesta, WISECP or any other suitable alternative? Get in contact with us!