@Gary W.
This statement
In that single week, I earned $10,000 if you think about not having to spend another $500 per year for the next 20 years.
is rather lopsided - why not take 10 years ......... or 50 years?
It might be true that you save some money, but taking a
random and long period is just incorrect and some might argue that it is "exaggeration".
The simple fact is that,
if and only if one does a full cost-benefit analysis in
full detail, one will get a fairly accurate
estimation of savings!
To be honest, I define your statement as lopsided due to the simple fact that one can save much more in 1 to 5 years when not using Plesk.
That fact will only materialize after doing some investment in (custom) automation - which automation requires server-side scripting.
That fact is always present - a good bit of server-side scripting can save thousands to millions per year (in personnel costs alone).
That fact is always applying - it is not limited to Plesk (or any other control panel).
That fact is not limited to a predefined timespan - savings due to automation will always occur in each and every year.
And there we have it, "automation" that is already present in Plesk - I will return to that later.
This statement
installed CloudPanel, Fail2Ban, learned how to configure email with another provider (since CloudPanel doesn’t support email natively), and took care of all the server’s security blocking SSH access for root, restricting database connections to localhost, etc.
is rather optimistic.
In essence, there is no such thing as "free" and CloudPanel.io (or MGT.io) is earning money on you .... do not be suprised if the unexpected will happen.
One of major costs that you pay - without noticing it - is the loss of privacy, your own privacy and that of your customers.
Another potential cost that you might pay is that your customers will go ahead and convert to MGT paid-for solutions.
So, I am not sure how the potential losses associated with "free" hosting control panels are calculated in your cost-benefit analysis?
This statement
And more importantly, I’m using a system over which I have full control.
is incorrect.
You do not have full control!
In fact, you only have control over what you are allowed to control with the hosting panel.
The intricate part of hosting setup and security is completely lost and fully uncontrollable!
And that is a very high price that you do not want to pay.
If you do not notice anything unusual, then that is not a signal that it is not happening - it is, you simply do not see it.
That is the problem here - "free" hosting panels are an accident going to happen : it is a question of "when" and "how" and "can I control enough to solve it".
The last question of "can I solve it" can be answered with a definitive no.
Nevertheless, I do emphasize that you should only do what feels good to you.
This statement
Plesk was viable five years ago, but it no longer makes sense for anyone with even a little desire to learn.
is quite interesting.
In my humble opinion, anyone actually wanting to learn should start with the question : what can I learn?
The question "what can I learn?" cannot be answered by answers provided by other parties that have a (financial) interest to provide you with
their answers.
You should answer that question yourself (and stay away from AI).
Only if one actually has learned something from Plesk, then two lessons would have been actually learned :
1 - Plesk has automation out-of-the-box that is sufficient in many use-case scenario's that apply now and in the future, (and)
2 - each sysadmin can do the same as Plesk and
potentially at a lower cost.
Stated differently, if one did actually learn something from Plesk, then it would be that one does not necessarily need Plesk.
However, when learning things, one should also give rise to the question : can I do it better?
The latter question is - often - answered with a definitive no.
So, yes, it makes no sense to use Plesk if one is able to do the same and better than Plesk.
Also, no, it makes sense to keep using Plesk if one is not able to do the same as a company with a full and knowledgable staff.
In my humble opinion,
Plesk remains viable for each and every hosting provider with a small staff that needs to rely on out-of-the-box automation.
This statement
I did the migration in one night and spent a week figuring out what to do and how to do it.
should be part of a proper cost-benefit analysis.
You - apparently - have spent 7 days to move from Plesk to another solution.
In a normal world and/or if you would have outsourced this task, then the costs of personnel would be approx. 4000 USD for one week.
Your savings are - at least, according to you - 500 USD per year.
The simple fact is that your break-even point would be after 8 years.
That simple fact is only valid under the assumption that maintenance is identical, no new migrations are required and no new work has to be done.
Well, I can hear you think : I do not spend 4000 USD on personnel, rubbish!
Sure, but that is a reasonable cost of personnel per week - if you do not pay yourself and "think" that you work for free, then that is wrong.
If you do not earn that kind of money per week - in that case, your business might not be viable and you should start working for another company.
However, if you do earn 4000 USD per week with your hosting business, then you will - very soon ! - see that CloudPanel will limit you in terms of growth, profitability and security ......... and after some growth, you will probably have to migrate back to Plesk again.
Sure, all of the above is just an illustration, so one can change numbers and discuss about validity of assumptions and so on.
Nevertheless, it does not matter - the
simple fact is that one at least has to divide the cost of the Plesk license per year by the average cost of personnel per hour, in order to determine whether Plesk is viable.
Plesk is viable if you can
save more hours than
Plesk license per year / average personnel cost per hour
by using Plesk and the out-of-the-box automation that Plesk provides and that generates savings in terms of (less) hours.
Plesk is even more viable if you can
save money by increasing
cost effectiveness, for instance by reducing costs of resources (like servers).
The question whether Plesk is viable or not
should not depend on personal preferences or prices.
The question whether Plesk is viable or not
should not depend on alternatives and certainly not on "free" alternatives.
It is only a matter of facts.
If the fact can be established that Plesk is viable, then that is a
first fact.
If the fact can be established that an alternative to Plesk is viable, then that is
second fact.
These two facts have no correlation at all -
the facts can co-exist without any issue.
If two hosting panels, being Plesk and an alternative, are
factually viable, then there is only the question : which one is more cost effective or to be preferred?
In a world of business, the latter question boils down to : which of the two panels is more cost effective.
Stated differently, which panel allows me to keep prices low enough to be competitive and still earn a profit!
In most use-case scenario's, a proper cost-benefit analysis of all hosting panels will still point out that Plesk is a clear winner.
Sure, I have to admit that the winner is appointed as a result of the lack of viable alternatives.
And yes, as a result of the lack of viable alternatives, the pain of increasing Plesk licenses is more prominent.
However, as long as Plesk allows us to make a profit, then it
should be fine - at least, in theory.
Kind regards....
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