Windows Hosting Features Overview
{{COMPANY_NAME}} Windows hosting provides a full Microsoft technology stack managed through the Plesk control panel. This guide covers the key features available on your Windows hosting account.
IIS Web Server
Your hosting runs on Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS), the industry-standard web server for Windows:
- High Performance — Kernel-mode caching and output caching for fast response times
- URL Rewrite — Create clean, SEO-friendly URLs with the IIS URL Rewrite module
- Request Filtering — Block malicious requests at the server level
- Compression — Automatic gzip/deflate compression for faster page loads
- Custom Error Pages — Design branded 404, 403, and 500 error pages
ASP.NET Support
Full support for Microsoft's web application framework:
- .NET Framework 4.x — For legacy ASP.NET Web Forms and MVC applications
- .NET 6, 7, and 8 — Modern cross-platform .NET for high-performance web apps
- ASP.NET Core — Build REST APIs and web apps with the latest .NET technology
- ASP Classic — Run legacy ASP scripts with full COM object support
- Dedicated Application Pools — On Business and Enterprise plans, your app runs in its own isolated pool
- Web Deploy — Deploy directly from Visual Studio using Web Deploy (MSDeploy)
Tip: For best performance, use .NET 8 with ASP.NET Core. It offers significant speed improvements over .NET Framework 4.x.
Microsoft SQL Server (MSSQL)
Enterprise-grade relational database management:
- SQL Server — Full MSSQL support for your applications
- Management Studio Access — Connect remotely using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
- Scheduled Backups — Automated database backup and restore
- Connection String — Provided in Plesk for easy integration
- Multiple Databases — Run separate databases for different applications
You can also use MySQL databases if your application supports them.
Plesk Control Panel
Plesk provides a powerful, user-friendly interface for managing your Windows hosting:
- One-Click Installs — Deploy WordPress, Joomla, and other apps instantly
- File Manager — Upload and manage files from your browser
- DNS Management — Edit DNS records for your domains
- SSL Management — Install free Let's Encrypt or custom SSL certificates
- Email Management — Create and manage email accounts
- Statistics — View bandwidth, disk, and traffic reports
- Scheduled Tasks — Windows Task Scheduler integration
SSL Certificates
Secure all your domains with free SSL:
- Let's Encrypt — Free, automatically renewed SSL certificates
- Custom Certificates — Install OV/EV certificates from any CA
- Auto-Redirect — Force HTTPS for all visitors
- Per-Domain SSL — Each domain gets its own certificate
Email Hosting
Professional email powered by the Windows mail system:
- Email Accounts — Create addresses on your domains
- Webmail — Access email from any browser
- Anti-Spam — Built-in spam filtering
- Forwarders — Redirect email to external addresses
- Autoresponders — Set up automatic replies
- Mailing Lists — Group email distribution
Application Pool Management
On Business and Enterprise plans, you get a dedicated IIS application pool:
- Process Isolation — Your application runs in its own worker process
- Recycling — Configure automatic recycling schedules
- .NET CLR Version — Set the correct .NET runtime per pool
- Memory Limits — Private memory and virtual memory caps for stability
Security Features
- Windows Firewall — Server-level firewall protection
- SSL/TLS — Encrypted connections for all services
- IP Restrictions — Block or allow specific IP addresses
- Password-Protected Directories — HTTP authentication for sensitive areas
- Antivirus — Server-level virus scanning
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