The document discusses the important features and functions of a control panel. It describes some key elements of a control panel including domain and DNS management, file management, mailbox management, logging and monitoring. It also outlines some advanced features like security, automation, custom error pages, and database management. Finally, it emphasizes the importance of the control panel in managing and configuring a computer system.

1. Computer Science
Assignment no 2:
“Control panel”
Semester 3rd
The University of Lahore

2. Control panel:
It is a component of Microsoft windows that provides the ability to view
and change setting of the system. It consists of many random features
related to your computer system. E.g. removing or adding hardware and
software, controlling user accounts, changing accessibility options, and
accessing network setting etc.
Finding & use of a control panel in a system:
For Windows 10
The search box on the taskbar, type control panel, and then select
Control Panel.
For Windows 8.1 / Windows RT 8.1
Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Search (or if you’re using
a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the
mouse pointer down, and then click Search), enter Control Panel in the
search box, and then tap or click Control Panel.
For Windows 7
Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel
When you’re in Control Panel:

3. Use search. To find a setting you’re interested in or a task you want to
perform, type a word or phrase in the search box. For example, type
“sound” to find specific settings for your sound card, system sounds,
and the volume icon on the taskbar
Browse. You can explore Control Panel by selecting different categories
(for example, System and Security, Programs, or Ease of Access), and
viewing common tasks listed under each category. Or, under View by,
click either large icons or Small icons to view a list of all Control Panel
items.
Basic elements of a Control Panel
Domain and DNS Management
You depend on domains to access website resources. Hence, your controlpanel
should have a section that lets you manage everything about the domains you’re
hosting on your server. This includes new add-ons and sub domains, or managing
existing ones.
Sub domains
Sub domains allow you to create a separatewebsite area or an entirely new
website. All while still using your main domain name. So it can be usefulto add a
prefix to your website domain name, such as support.domain.com. Your control
panel needs to allow you to create as many sub domains as you need. The
power’s yours!
Add-On Domains

4. Most controlpanels will give you the option to add a number of domains to the
hosting environment. You’ll find these as “Add-on domains”. Now, you can
chooseto assign an add-on domain to a specific website. Or you can simply park it
if you currently don’twant the domain to point to any website. Note that a
parked domain can point to an existing website. So in this case, every requestfor
that domain is simply redirected to another websiteof your choice.
DNS Management
You can usually host all the DNS data for a domain on your hosting environment
itself. Including the entire rangeof DNS records, like name server and A records,
MX records and TXT records. The right hosting control panel for you will allow you
to fully customizeDNS for each add-on domain you host.
File Manager
Organization is key. How can you keep track of all you’rethe files on your server?
You need an easy way to upload, remove and manage these files. So your control
panel should present a GUI that enables quick and easy file management. The
simple & better option. Becausewhether you use a CMS such as Word Press, or
not, file management is a basic daily task for admins. Solving CMS issues is also
much quicker with a file manager. There is an alternative – enter FTP (File
Transfer Protocol), still supported by mostcontrol panels, to be honest. But FTP
requires using a separate softwareapplication which you’ll need to set up on the
side.
Mailbox Management
You’ll have multiple email accounts (also known as mailboxes) associated with
each domain. Your control panel should come to the rescue here too by letting
you create, remove and otherwisemanage these accounts. It’s common for web
hosting packages to include POP3 or even IMAP email free of charge.

5. Mail forwarding is another important feature you should look out for. Doesn’t
matter whether you are forwarding to an internal email accountor an email
account hosted elsewhere. Another common practice for control panels is
allowing you to configure anti-SPAMsolutions. Handy becauseit lets you monitor
and protect incoming emails against blacklists and open-sourcefiltering
databases.
Logging and Monitoring
Every systemadministrator should stay on top of key usage statistics, such as
visitor counts, memory use and the total use of bandwidth. A control panel will
help you identify websites which use excessiveamounts of server resources. As
well as enable you to avoid high bandwidth charges – before it is too late.
Advanced Control Panel Features
Not every controlpanel offers the samefeatures. Although you should makesure
basic elements are covered, we recommend you consider the following features
too when you evaluate a controlpanel.
Security: TLS/SSL
The ability to manage TLS/SSL is an essential feature of your controlpanel. These
encryption features preventyour confidential data fromgetting intercepted. So
you can protect user credentials and credit card numbers that hackers can
effortlessly steal, via something as common as an unsecured wifi connection.
Further Security Features

6. Here at Plesk, we expect all controlpanels to offer moreadvanced security
features in this day and age. For example, you can get protection against
HotLinking. What’s HotLinking? Well, it’s when an unscrupulous websiteowner
links videos or images on your website. And then they display these media assets
as their own content.
There are two problems with this. First, the website is stealing your content.
Secondly, it’s stealing your bandwidth. Hotlink protection can restrict the access
other servers haveto image files on your server.
Also, consider that you need to be able to block access to a web server directory
in all cases. Unless there’s a file that the web server can load, such as index.html .
Leaving directory access unrestricted can lead to security threats taking hold.
ModSecurity:
Have you thought about unauthorized users? Included in somecontrol panels,
ModSecurity is an application firewall that’s operated on an open-sourcebasis.
And it helps you monitor applications, while also logging activity and
implementing access limits where necessary. Oneway of blocking access is by
blocking IP addresses. ModSecurity willhelp you do this.
Italso helps to have SSH access, which gives you encrypted file transfers and
logins.
Automation
There’s only so much time in a day, right? And you don’t wantto be working
round the clock. Automating server maintenance is usefulfor system
administrators becauseit frees up time they can usefor other tasks.

7. Many control panels allow you to use Cron as a scheduler, which runs scripts at
specific times on specific days. Greatfor automating server tasks like database
view updates, performing backups and checking your site for broken links.
Custom Error Pages
Standard rule of Systemadministration – Glitches will happen. And you don’t
want to servean unprofessionalerror messageto customers, revealing who your
hosting provider is. This is where the customerror messagecomes in.
You can customizea range of messages in a worthy control panel, including the
typical “404 – not found” message. Your messages can, of course, be more
descriptiveand contain elements including your company logo and instructions
on finding help.
Managing Databases
The bigger the website, the more users and the more content involved. Larger
websites will managecontent by means of a database. Any CMS, such as Word
Press, willinstall a databaseon your web server.
In turn, many hosting services supply MySQL as an open-sourceDBMS (Database
Management System). Your control panel will let you add, configure and remove
databases as you need.
Control panel and its importance
Control panel is the importantand most used part of the systemwhich helps to
manage the system.
You can set the systemaccording to your requirementand way to managethe
system. There are so many options in control panel to set the different settings of

8. the systemsuch as default programs, network settings, changeand uninstall
programs or applications, Windows update, firewall, folder options etc. On this
web page you will get the moreoption used in control panel to make the system
flexible and easy to use.
Some of the items of control panel are mostly used by every user such as user
Account, InternetOption, Troubleshooting, Windows Update, Programs and
Features, Folder options, Date and Time, Network and Sharing Center, Device
Manager, Taskbar and Navigation etc.
Use of Programs and Features:
If you have installed a softwareor programwhich is not a genuine softwareor
reinstall because the softwareis not working properly then you haveto usethe
option “Programs and Features”. When you will select this option you will get the
list of the installed programs of the systemso select the softwareyou haveto
uninstall then right click then select uninstall.
InternetOption
Itis one of the mostused and popular option of control panel because it has the
functions of internet settings. As we know that in this modern era it is becoming
the demand and crazeof internet so it is necessary to know this option and its
settings to connect the systemwith internet.
Troubleshooting
As its name suggestit solve or troubleshootthe systemproblems such as internet
is not working, systemgiving an error, programnot running successfully etc.
When you will run this option it will try to fix the problemautomatically.
Windows Update
Windows updatewill help to download or install the latest features and
technologies of Windows to make it better, secured and easy to use. Windows

9. has so many developers to make it easy and well featured so when user update
windows it helps to extract these features.