December 2021 Summaries

In 2021, DigitalOcean made significant progress in improving its cloud computing services for developers and businesses. The company became publicly traded, allowing it to invest in new products such as managed MongoDB and serverless computing. It also joined the Pledge 1% movement, committing $50 million to support critical projects like open source virtual classrooms. DigitalOcean expanded its product offerings with enhancements to Droplets, App Platform, Kubernetes, and Marketplace. The company also demonstrated its commitment to community engagement through events like Hacktoberfest and the launch of Hollie's Hub for Good. Looking forward to 2022, DigitalOcean plans to continue enhancing its platform and supporting developers and businesses worldwide.

DigitalOcean's Navigators program supports and rewards developers who create content, code, and community engagements related to the company's products and services. In its first year, the program has had a significant impact on the developer community through various initiatives such as web shows, Hacktoberfest assistance, and eBook creation. The Navigators are leaders in the developer community, contributing tutorials, organizing meetups, and more. They help others learn and build while championing inclusion. DigitalOcean is now accepting applications for its 2022 Navigator Program.

DigitalOcean introduces the latest generation of Intel Xeon Scalable processors (Ice Lake) to enhance performance and provide modern hardware for its customers. These new processors offer up to a 46% improvement compared to their predecessors, enabling users to deliver richer experiences to clients without increasing costs. The latest generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors are currently available for CPU-Optimized Droplets, Memory-Optimized Droplets, and Premium Intel Droplets in the SFO3 data center, with plans to roll out to other Droplet types and data centers over time.

DigitalOcean has been monitoring the Log4j vulnerability (CVE-2021-44228) and testing across all of its products to validate any potential exposure or risks. The company has provided an update on their review by product, stating that Droplets, Kubernetes, App Platform, Spaces, Volumes, Images, Managed Databases, and Networking are not vulnerable to the Log4j security vulnerability. DigitalOcean encourages customers to review all of their projects and visit their Community FAQ for updated vulnerability guidance.

Software as a Service (SaaS) is a popular software delivery model where applications are provided by third-party vendors over the internet. SaaS applications are built in cloud infrastructures and can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. Examples of SaaS products include Google Docs, Slack, Adobe Creative Suite, and Office 365. SaaS is one delivery model for cloud computing, but it's not the only option; other models include Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Functions as a Service (FaaS). SaaS architecture typically uses multi-tenant architecture to set up their infrastructure. This allows developers to easily manage things like updates and security for the entire user base, and it's more cost-effective. Advantages of SaaS include easier access to complicated tech, scalability, detailed analytics, advanced security, and easier updates and maintenance. When deciding if a SaaS application is best for your business and goals, several things are important to consider: regulation, security and data considerations, vendor lock-in, loss of user control and visibility, customer support, and pricing.