The guys at SingleHop sent us a link to a short video that introduces their new server management system called LEAP. Its driven by AJAX and it is pretty unique. LEAP is a “webtop” (a GUI windows-like desktop environment embedded in your browser window) that gives you a nice easy way to manage your server, request support, and manage your account with SingleHop.

When you first open LEAP and log in, you will get a “Message of the Day” that will provide helpful information such as scheduled maintenance (or downtime if that should be required). Your LEAP desktop will have several icons representing the various functions Leap handles for you, including icons for support tickets, Accounts and users, Billing, servers, RDP (remote desktop) and SSH (secure shell). They include with those icons an RSS feed for update information and an icon to view their “Server Store” if you need to upgrade or add more features to your server.

You can see a demo video of the new LEAP server management system by visiting SingleHop’s “Poindexters Lab” or by clicking HERE (at www.singlehop.com/poindexters_lab/leap_demo.php) for a direct link to the video. By the way, when you are in Poindexters Lab you can take a look at other things SingleHop is working on.

SingleHop’s Dan Usher explained that “Our idea right now is to demonstrate our ability to innovate, and that we are always pushing to move forward and show people that hosting isn’t stale and dry as they think it might be. There is room to innovate and change.” That makes SingleHop one of a handful of Web Hosts that think that way. I wish more Web Hosts would consider that direction. It would be great for our industry.

LEAP provides a lot of the same functionality as standard server control panels, but it is seemingly a lot easier and efficient to use, and it certainly has the “wow” factor going for it. It has to be the way control panels will be headed in the future.