What Is DigitalOcean?
DigitalOcean is a cloud hosting provider that offers cloud computing services and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Known for pricing and scalability, teams can deploy on DigitalOcean in seconds with plans start at just $5 a month. This structure can help anyone get up and running quickly in the cloud.
Back to topWhat Is DigitalOcean Used For?
DigitalOcean is built for developers. It is used to manage and monitor droplets.
What is a Droplet in DigitalOcean?
Droplets are Linux-based virtual machines (VMs) that run on DigitalOcean hardware. Each virtual machine is a droplet. Teams can deploy one to get started and scale as needed.
DigitalOcean can also be used manage Kubernetes, set up databases, store objects, and build apps.
Back to topVersion Control & DigitalOcean
DigitalOcean supports Helix Core version control. Try Helix Core free today.
Why Customers Love DigitalOcean
Founded in 2011, DigitalOcean removes the complexities of deploying infrastructure. For startups and indie studios, it offers a simple platform that is still feature-rich (without added cost). And teams can easily adjust as projects grow.
Minimalist Approach
If you have tried deploying in the cloud, you know that it can be overwhelming. There are a lot of options to choose from and new terminology to understand. DigitalOcean takes a new approach with a simpler setup. Although there are fewer options to select, DigitalOcean does not lack features. There are enough options available for teams to deploy and manage scale.
Simple API and Command-line
To automate and integrate with 3rd party tools, DigitalOcean exposes a simple API. Developers can use standard tools to invoke the API and customize their environment. They also have a command-line interface for developers who want to get hands on.
Robust Features
Too often simple applications lack performance. But not with DigitalOcean. On their website, they claim to provision at a lightning speed of just 55 seconds. With a global footprint including 14 distributed data centers, DigitalOcean can support production level environments for game development and beyond.
Comprehensive Documentation
DigitalOcean documentation is there to guide new users to the cloud. They have an extensive how-to-guides that can walk anyone through complex setups. Whether you are deploying version control or starting up a Kubernetes cluster, DigitalOcean can help.
The key behind DigitalOcean’s success is their approach of promoting users to add content. Using their community, DigitalOcean invites subject matter experts to contribute with compensation ranges based on content depth.
Affordable Pricing Model
Moving to the cloud can be very cost effective for many users. Instead of needing to invest in costly hardware, teams can scale instantly to match their needs. DigitalOcean beats other cloud providers by having an easier to understand pricing model. At just $5 a month to start — for 512 MB of RAM with 1 CPU and 20 GB of SSD — it is clearly the most affordable. This price also includes a bucket of network transfer, eliminating what is a “hidden” cost for other providers.
There are several droplet sizes available. And don’t worry. There is no need to use complex calculators to figure out final costs. DigitalOcean uses hourly and monthly pricing to make it more predictable for uses.
Robust Community
DigitalOcean has been embraced by the open-source community. It is clear why. They value their users! From documentation to functionality, DigitalOcean embraces feedback, and it has been a key factor in their success.
Back to topDigitalOcean Cons
Because DigitalOcean caters to developers, they emphasize Linux deployments with no support for OS or Windows. Also, if you want to run SAP or Microsoft SQL, DigitalOcean would not be the right solution for you. This could make it difficult for enterprises to embrace DigitalOcean. But with support continuously growing, it could happen soon.
Back to topIs DigitalOcean Free?
Want to get $100 to try DigitalOcean? Plus, try out all their feature for free. You can! Sign up for their free trial to access to the credit and check out all their services at no additional cost.
DigitalOcean vs. Other Cloud Providers
DigitalOcean is much younger and smaller than other cloud providers. But, with flexible pricing models and a simple user interface, DigitalOcean support is quickly growing. Compare DigitalOcean to other providers.
DigitalOcean vs. AWS
AWS is everywhere. It provides additional functionality — like Platform as a Service (Paas) and Software as a Service (SaaS) — over DigitalOcean. Because of the expansive services available through AWS, it is more suitable for large, scalable applications. AWS can support different types of instances, whereas DigitalOcean offers more predefined models. This makes DigitalOcean ideal for developers and smaller apps.
DigitalOcean vs. Azure
One of the biggest differences between DigitalOcean and Azure is the ability to deploy on Windows. Also, if you need to spin up a more complex environment that could include:
- 20+ node environment.
- Load balancers.
- Mix of volumes.
- MySQL database.
- Elasticsearch cluster.
- Cold archive storage.
- And more….
You may want to look more into Azure (or AWS for that matter). If you want more than Linux, you will want to look at other cloud hosting options.
Back to topWhy DigitalOcean Server + Perforce
If you are new studio with no pre-existing infrastructure (on-premises or in the cloud) DigitalOcean is the lowest barrier to entry for getting up and running.
But to scale in the cloud means that you need tools that can also scale. Because you don’t want to run into issues with scalability down the road. From industry leaders to indie studios, the choice is Perforce Helix Core version control.
Version control is the foundation of your development pipeline. And Helix Core can help deliver the speed your teams need, while supporting both coders and creatives. Deploying Helix Core on DigitalOcean gives you:
- Lightning-fast deployment.
- Fewer configuration options.
- Options — ever run into service limits that are too low, which could happen with Azure and AWS.
- Daily performance helps your teams accelerate.
DigitalOcean is the least expensive cloud option and most predictable when it comes to pricing. Deploy Helix Core (free for small teams) and you have everything you need to get started.
Scalable Deployments
Not only does Helix Core scale to meet your needs, but it is also easy to set up on any cloud. Looking at AWS or Azure? Check out the Enhanced Studio Pack. It allows you to a suite of Perforce tools in a preconfigured environment.
Ease of Use
Helix Core seamlessly integrates with developer and designer tools to maximize efficiency. You can automate and enforce workflows with Perforce Streams — the branching mechanism in Helix Core. Plus, Helix Core can support your teams as they work on more complex projects. It is built to manage:
- 10s of thousands of users.
- 10s of millions of daily transactions
- 100s of terabytes of data.
- 10,000+ concurrent commits.
Get Started with DigitalOcean
Ready to get started? You can deploy Helix Core (for up to 5 users) on DigitalOcean for free.
Are you already signed up? Check out our instructions to optimize your deployment.