Blog

New logo, new look

Same logo for eight years. At some point you notice it doesn't fit anymore. The old design with the blue and green tiles was fine, but it looked like 2018 because it was from 2018.

Becker Connect Platform – Launch in Q2 2026

We are excited to announce the launch of our new Becker Connect Platform in the second quarter of 2026. In this article, we provide an exclusive preview of the current development stage and showcase work-in-progress images of our integrations.

Global Shopify Outage on December 5, 2025: Error 500 Due to Cloudflare Disruption

Since December 5, 2025, at 08:42 UTC, there has been a worldwide Shopify outage. Numerous users report encountering a 500 Internal Server Error when accessing online shops as well as internal Shopify services, often accompanied by a Cloudflare error message. This Shopify error is not the user's fault but lies on Shopify's side or their proxy infrastructure over Cloudflare. Current information indicates that the Shopify status page, support, customer shops, and the main website are inaccessible, suggesting a complete disruption of Shopify.

Introducing Becker Connect: Your Central Platform for Accounting Integration

Introducing Becker Connect: Your Central Platform for Accounting Integration

421 Misdirected Request after Apache Update on Plesk Server: Causes and Quick Solution

Many administrators and website owners using Plesk for Linux have faced the following error after a recent Apache update:

WHMCS Email Templates in German Now Available for Free

Post Mortem: Brief Outage on April 27, 2025 Due to Host Overload (Out of Memory)

On April 27, 2025, there was a brief outage within our infrastructure between 11:12 PM and 11:17 PM. The cause was a memory overload on one of our hosts, which became unresponsive. Our monitoring system triggered an alarm within a minute of the outage and notified the responsible on-call staff member.

Top Open-Source Web Servers as Apache Replacements

Apache, also known as Apache2, is essentially the standard in the PHP world. It is often installed automatically with many packages, making it nearly ubiquitous. Although it is widely used, and some IT veterans still swear by Apache, I have always found it somewhat cumbersome. The XML-structured approach for configuration seems a bit outdated to me now. Consequently, I've spent years exploring alternatives. In this article, I would like to introduce you to the web servers I've used during this time that represent a better choice than Apache for me.

Proxmox Backup Server (PBS): The Ultimate Guide for Secure and Efficient Backups in Proxmox VE Environments

Why Security Questions and Forced Password Resets Are Risky—And Why We Prefer Modern Alternatives

Password authentication has been a part of the web landscape for decades. On our platform, we continue to offer the traditional password login. At the same time, we are increasingly embracing modern passwordless methods like passkeys, OAuth2 login, or one-time codes via email.

No Backup, No Pity – A Bitter Truth from Experience

"No Backup, No Pity" – that was one of the first sentences my IT teacher drilled into me in vocational school. Back then, I thought it was a bit exaggerated. Until the day this statement turned out to be absolutely true.

VitalPBX – Affordable, Powerful Self-Hosted Telephone System Based on Asterisk

In many companies, the classic telephone system has long been replaced by flexible, software-based systems. Those who want to rely on a reliable and inexpensive telephone system sooner or later come across Asterisk — the world's most widely used open-source telephony platform.

Managed Plesk for Agencies: Professional Reseller Hosting for Modern Web Service Providers

For agencies, web designers, and IT service providers, professional hosting is a crucial component of their offerings. With the new reseller hosting based on Managed Plesk by Becker Software, you receive a powerful platform specifically developed for this: centrally manageable, flexibly scalable, and technically supported by experienced Linux administrators.

Network Outage on April 21, 2025 – Incident Report

On April 21, 2025, at 9:32 PM, it was observed that external access to the network infrastructure was restricted. This limitation was triggered by an alert from our external monitoring system. An on-call employee was immediately notified through our external monitoring.

Long-term Test of Accounting Software: Our Alternatives to sevDesk & Co.

As an IT service provider with high standards for automation and quality, it was important for me to find accounting software that not only meets legal requirements but also seamlessly integrates into our workflows. Over the past few years, we've tested various solutions in real-life operations – each for at least one year. Here's our experience report.

The Most Important FreeScout Add-ons

FreeScout can be tailored precisely to individual needs through many practical extensions. Currently, we use over 30 add-ons—some are essential for our daily work, while others are purely for comfort. In this article, I'll showcase a selection of the add-ons we actively utilize and why we recommend them.

Free Helpdesk with FreeScout: Why We Switched from WHMCS

In everyday customer interactions, a reliable helpdesk system is essential. However, great helpdesk software doesn't need to be expensive — quite the opposite: Since the beginning of 2024, we have been using FreeScout, a free helpdesk that is professional, flexible, and completely open-source.

Plesk Licenses - Affordable Options Available Here

As of November 28, 2024, Plesk has once again increased prices for all base licenses—a move that hasn't completely surprised many, but is certainly noticeable. Those dealing with license costs will have noticed: Not only have prices risen, but the availability has also changed.

When Bad Bots Rattle Your Website

The internet is loud, crowded, and most importantly: constantly under surveillance.

Gross or Net? Choosing the Right Tax Declaration for Clients in Hosting and IT Services

As a hosting provider or IT service provider, the issue of correct invoicing and tax declaration is unavoidable. Particularly, the question of when and how to declare value-added tax (VAT) regularly raises uncertainties—both when calculating offers and issuing invoices.

Setting Up a Custom Domain Email Address – Here's How

When I see a company car, neatly branded with a logo, phone number, and website—only to find "[email protected]" plastered on the back—I cringe on behalf of the owner.

Invoicing with WHMCS in Germany

My name is Martin Becker, owner of Becker Software – and if you're like me, a B2B hosting provider, you're all too familiar with the chaos of invoices, reminders, formatting issues, tax consultants, and frustration. Often, invoicing is the most vexing part of daily operations in the hosting business.

What is WHMCS? - The Complete Solution for Web Hosting Automation

If you run a web hosting company or plan to start one, you will sooner or later come across the term WHMCS. But what exactly is WHMCS – and why do over 45,000 companies worldwide rely on this software?

WHMCS Invoices at the Start of the Month – Our Solution

Review Platforms Compared: Which Ones Truly Matter

When searching for a service provider online—be it for web hosting, software solutions, or just the best local baker—you'll almost always find yourself on a review platform. This reflects how crucial these platforms have become. Over recent years, we've clearly noticed: if you want to be visible online, you need reviews. Period.

Understanding the Digital Services Act (DSA) – A Guide for Digital Service Providers

On May 14, 2024, a new law came into effect in Germany, particularly relevant for operators of websites, platforms, and digital services: the Digital Services Act (DSA). Sounds dry? Perhaps. But it's important – and impacts nearly everyone offering digital content. Therefore, it's reason enough to take a calm and clear look at the DSA.

The E-Invoice is Coming, (WHMCS) Hosts Beware!

Starting January 1, 2025, a significant change will take effect: All companies in Germany must be able to receive electronic invoices (E-Invoices) – regardless of whether they're sole proprietorships, partnerships, GmbHs, or AGs. Even small entrepreneurs are not exempt.

Cookie Banner? No Thanks! Why We Have Completely Ditched Cookies on Our Website

Nowadays, it's almost impossible to browse a website without encountering cookie banners. The moment you open a new page, another consent window pops up – sometimes subtly, sometimes not. Usually, these are not even about ensuring the functionality of the site; they are for tracking, marketing, and transmitting data to third countries. It's as if the web has become nothing more than a data collection machine. For us, the decision was clear: we didn't want that.

Cancellation Buttons for Hosting Providers – Requirements, Penalties, and Our Implementation

As a hosting provider, you find yourself in constant competition—beyond just technology and service, but also in fulfilling legal requirements. Since July 2022, companies must offer their clients a clearly structured and easily accessible cancellation button, allowing long-term contracts—from web hosting to domain services and additional offerings—to be terminated online effortlessly. In this article, I will explain who is affected by this regulation, what penalties are at stake, and how we at Becker Software implemented our solution. (see also Our Cancellation Form).

Between Veeam and More – Proxmox Backup

As an IT service provider, I face the daily challenge of finding the right software for various application scenarios. While in many enterprise environments, solutions like Veeam have their merits and are well-tailored for specific use cases, I have always favored open-source software. This not only offers the flexibility I appreciate as a developer but also provides greater control over the solutions in use.

WHMCS-Alternatives on the German market (2025)

Utilizing WHMCS in Germany: Overcoming Barriers and Finding Solutions

WHMCS is a widely-used software for managing web hosting and other online services. Although it is utilized globally, there are some challenges in Germany that make it difficult to use WHMCS with the standard tools. In this article, we will discuss these challenges and introduce solutions that allow German users to use WHMCS effectively.