Have to commend VestaCP for at least making the creating of a DBase almost effortless. Much easier than in cPanel. By the time of course when I got to creating a database for my WordPress site, I’d already grasped the VestaCP hide and seek navigation, so was able to find the link for creating the database much easier. 
What was great is that I didn’t need to create a separate user, and I was able to get the DBase details to be sent to my e-mail.
Well done Vesta!
Once I had finally found the VestaCP function to create an FTP account, I thought I was set, just to find that the FileZilla Host Name didn’t want to resolve. The Host Name was the sub-domain that was given to me. This was fairly easy to sort out though as all I needed was to Google the problem and then found a suggestion to use the IP address instead of the Sub-Domain. That worked! I was finally able to upload my files.
Plan was to create this WordPress blog, which usually is effortless with cPanel and WEBUZO Softaculous. Not a big deal though as I’m quite experienced with WordPress so downloaded an up to date version of WordPress, extracted the files and was able to upload these without any problem to my hosting account. This was the first time when I discovered how very fast and efficient my hosting account was. Speed of transfer was unbelievably fast. Was totally blown away.
VestaPanel of course doesn’t come with its own File Manager, which to me as a cPanel user was a big challenge. So more than ever I’d need essential FTP info to upload files with FileZilla. The e-mail with my login and password didn’t include FTP info. So I reckoned that it had to be somewhere in the NAVIGATION BAR, but I couldn’t find a link whatsoever. Nothing in the Navigation Bar. Next I thought it had to be in the USER Panel. Also no FTP link or info in the User Panel.
Finally after plenty of searching and nearly giving up I found the FTP Account function hidden right at the bottom of the Domain Editing Window. One has to click on WEB in the NAVIGATION BAR first, then on the domain, then hover the mouse over the right top corner of the bottom section, and click on the EDIT link for the domain. If one then scrolls to the bottom of the EDIT Window, VOILA there is an option to create an FTP account. Felt an enormous relief when I finally found the option! And was totally impressed that I could send the info to my e-mail account. Great stuff!
My new hosting account with VestaCP comes with compliments of Afreecloud.com. I was sent an e-mail with a login and password, and that was all. No documentation, no step by step guide. This ties in with the Terms and Conditions of Service which stipulates the user to find his/her own way in working with VestaPanel. The challenge begins!
A first look at VestaCP was quite confusing. It looked like an index of a kind and was not sure where all of the functions were.
Took a while and lots of fumbling for me to finally figure out that the top part was a NAVIGATION PANEL. If one clicks on any of the links it opens with its corresponding Window directly below the navigation bar. I then also found if I hovered my mouse near the top right hand corner of the bottom corresponding Window that it shows some action links. Took a while to figure out that both add on and sub-domains are created in the USER panel. For the free hosting account only one domain/sub-domain is included of course.
I’m a member of freevps.us, an awesome post for VPS host. Not only in terms of VPS hosting, but providing a community of experts who are generous in sharing their resources with others. There is a section in the Forum for posting free related services, and someone recommended Afreecloud.com for free hosting. It immediately grabbed my attention when I learned that AFreeCloud was a project of Joe Dougherty, co-founder of Secure Dragon LLC. and previous administrator of FreeWebHostingTalk.com. It had to be good. Then when I checked the hosting plans on offer, the clincher for me was that the free hosting comes with VestaPanel. This would be a great opportunity for me to finally get to grips with VestaPanel on the user end of things.
Roll back almost two years ago when I had tried to install VestaCP on a VPS of mine, I had so much difficulty with setting up the DNS that I finally threw in the towel and went with WEBUZO instead. I knew that VestaCP was the better of the two, but there was very little documentation and lack of support at that time. I still would like another chance to install VestaCP, however am sure that working with VestaCP as a user in my Blog will provide an important stepping stone to get there.
Signing up with Afreecloud.com was a breeze. I first read the FAQs and learned one was not allowed to use a proxy. Thankfully my IP must have been OK as I was immediately able to access an account and apply for a hosting account. The Website is unbelievably fast and the application process seamless and almost instant. The FAQs said to expect the hosting account to be opened from 1-3 days. Mine was up and running within hours of opening the account. Good beginnings indeed. While I was waiting I signed up for the Forum as well. It’s a bare bones Forum consisting mostly of Server Announcements by the staff and reports of problems by members. Forum is well maintained as everything else on the Website with no spam whatsoever.