Getting Started
Deploying your first app with Cloud 66
You can have your first application up and running on Cloud 66 in under 5 mins. Follow the steps below to see how easy it is to get your app configured, built, and deployed.
What you’ll need
Before you start, please check you have the following:
- A Cloud 66 Account — If you don’t already have one, sign up for a Cloud 66 account. Your first server is free, no credit card required.
- Application code and/or pre-built images — Application code should be hosted in a (secure) publicly accessible git repository and pre-built images should be hosted in image publicly accessible repositories.
- An account with a supported cloud provider or your own servers set up — Cloud 66 supports a range of cloud providers. Select your preferred provider from the dropdown under Step 4 below.
Once you're ready, click the green New Application button to start the process.
Rails version support
We support every version of Rails from 2.6.3 and upwards, including versions 6.x.x The version installed during deployment is based on the requirements of your application. Versions earlier than 2.6.3 may work but will have some compatibility issues with Ubuntu 18.04 and 20.04.
Step 1: Choose a source
The first thing we need is access to your code, so that we can build and deploy it for you. Click the tab below which best suits your needs:
The easiest option is to give us (read-only) access to a Github repo. To do this:
- Click Get Started
- On the next page click Link with Github
- We’ll send you to our app on Github (you’ll need to sign in)
- Once you’re signed in, click Configure & then select the Github account you wish to link to Cloud 66
- Install and authorize our Github app (you can restrict our access to specific repos if needed)
- You will be redirected back to your Cloud 66 dashboard and you can move on to Step 2.
Step 2: Define your application
Now that we have access to your git host, you can tell us which repo you want to deploy:
- Choose the repo you want to deploy and set the branch
- Choose an environment for your application
- Give your application a name (this will be used to label your application throughout the Cloud 66 dashboard, and will not be visible to public users.)
- Click Analyze - we will now scan your repo and suggest the optimal settings
Step 3: Configure and build
Once the analysis is complete you'll see a yellow Information Box that you can use to verify the analysis is correct.
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If there are any problems you can make changes and click Reanalyze my code. If necessary, you can also add environment variables.
In App Configuration you can make changes to application configuration parameters.
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- Ruby Version — That your app is using.
- Framework Info — This allows you alter information about asset pipeline precompilation and whether you want to run
rake db:schema:load
.
Add and confirm environment variables Optional
During initial analysis we automatically generate environment variables based on the framework and components used by your app, but you can also add your own by clicking the Add environment variables link above the main panel.
Additionally, if we detect environment variables used directly in your code, we will present you with a list of the detected variables. Here you can either supply values for the variables, check the Allow empty value box (we will save the variable with a blank value) or, delete them (in which case we will then ignore them).
Once your app is completely configured, click the Next → button.
Step 4: Add a cloud provider
A. Configure access to your cloud provider
We need access to your cloud account in order to provision and manage servers on your behalf. How you configure that access differs from provider to provider. Select your cloud provider from the dropdown for more help.
First you need to configure your AWS account to allow Cloud 66 to access it:
- Log into the web interface for your AWS account
- Click on the name of your account in the top right corner of your AWS account, and select My Security Credentials.
On the next screen, some users will be asked to choose between Security Credentials and IAM users. We support both methods but we recommend that experienced users select IAM (Identity and Access Management) for better security because allows you to set permissions for specific users. Click on your chosen option below for more instructions.
Cloud 66 supports both VPC and (for AWS accounts created before 2014) EC2-Classic. We also support reserved instances. To use a VPC, your account must conform with the default VPC guidelines.
Help with advanced AWS features:
Server deletion
If you delete your application from Cloud 66, your servers will not be deleted on your cloud provider unless the physical server deletion setting is turned on.
B. Add your cloud provider as a deployment target
To add your cloud credentials click the Add a Deployment Target button. This will open a panel that will enable you to grant Cloud 66 access to your provider.
Click the green Add Deployment Target button once complete.
C. Specify servers
Next you need to specify where your servers will be situated, how large they should be, and where your data will be stored:
- Choose a Server Region
- We will suggest a size for your application server - you can change it as needed
- Specify whether your datastore will share the app server (not recommended for Production), or have its own server. You can also use an existing external database server if you prefer.
Our customization section has more details on the available options.
Step 5: Deploy your app
When you’re satisfied with your configuration, click the Start Deployment button. During the build and deployment process you can view the log to see what’s happening behind the scenes.
You can also close the window and come back later. We will email you once the application is deployed (or if it fails).
Initial build may take some time
The full build and deployment process may take 15 minutes or more because Cloud 66 needs to provision components and resources from the ground up. You can close the window and we will send you an email when the deployment is complete.
Server build states
In order to allow you to start working with your new app as soon as possible, there are two build states (or stages) for application servers:
- Ready - server is available to use, with the minimum required configuration
- Optimized - all the latest packages are installed & optimized
Customizing your app
If your application relies on specific components or non-standard settings or package versions then you can easily customize your configuration to match your requirements.
The method you use to configure a component depends on the nature of the customization. The table below will help you find the right tool:
Customization required | Configuration tool |
---|---|
Specific versions of a framework or package | Manifest file |
Cloud-provider-specific settings for servers (e.g. security groups, subnets) | Manifest file |
Component configuration (e.g. database engine config files) | CustomConfig |
Environment Variables | Dashboard or Toolbelt |
Non-standard Linux packages or libraries | Deploy hooks |
Running multiple database types or versions (groups) | Manifest file or Dashboard |