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I'm new to this, what should I know?

I’m new to this, what should I know?


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Bobby Iliev
Site Moderator
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December 26, 2023
Accepted Answer

Hey there,

Welcome to the DigitalOcean community! It’s great to have you onboard. Diving into the world of cloud computing can be thrilling, and there’s a lot to explore. Here are some key points to get you started on the right foot:

1. Understanding DigitalOcean’s Offerings:

  • Droplets: These are the bread and butter of DigitalOcean, essentially virtual private servers that you can use for hosting websites, applications, databases, and more.
  • Managed Databases: If you’re working with databases, DigitalOcean offers managed services like PostgreSQL, MySQL, and Redis. They handle maintenance tasks like updates, backups, and scalability.
  • Kubernetes: For orchestration and managing containerized applications, DigitalOcean Kubernetes (DOKS) is a managed service that simplifies deployment and scaling.

2. Basic Cloud Concepts:

  • Virtual Machines (VMs): Understanding how VMs work is crucial as they form the core of cloud services.
  • Storage: Learn about block storage and object storage, and when to use each.
  • Networking: Concepts like VPCs, load balancers, and firewalls are important for ensuring your applications are secure and accessible.

3. Security First:

  • Always prioritize security. Use SSH keys for Droplets, set up firewalls, and regularly update your systems.
  • Familiarize yourself with DigitalOcean’s security practices and recommendations.

4. Backup and Disaster Recovery:

  • Regular backups are a lifesaver. DigitalOcean offers easy solutions for backing up your Droplets and volumes.

5. Monitoring and Optimization:

  • Keep an eye on your resources with monitoring tools. DigitalOcean provides monitoring services that help you track performance and optimize costs.

6. Learning Resources:

  • DigitalOcean has a vast library of tutorials and documentation – make the most of these to learn and troubleshoot.
  • Join the community! Participate in forums, Q&A sessions, and webinars.

7. Cost Management:

8. Experiment and Explore:

  • Don’t hesitate to experiment. DigitalOcean’s flexible platform is great for testing new ideas and projects.

Best of luck on your cloud journey,

Bobby

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