DreamHost Cloud Hosting

DreamHost Cloud Hosting (DreamCompute) provides OpenStack-based cloud infrastructure with complete control and flexibility. Built on open-source OpenStack technology, DreamCompute delivers scalable virtual machines with customizable resources, root access, and API automation capabilities—ideal for developers, DevOps teams, and businesses requiring cloud infrastructure without vendor lock-in.

Cloud hosting differs from traditional hosting by providing infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) where you provision and manage virtual machines, storage, and networking. This approach offers maximum flexibility to build custom architectures, deploy containerized applications, and scale resources dynamically based on actual demand.

OpenStack Foundation

DreamCompute runs on OpenStack, the world's leading open-source cloud platform. OpenStack provides enterprise-grade infrastructure used by NASA, CERN, Walmart, and thousands of organizations globally. This open-source foundation prevents vendor lock-in—you can migrate workloads to any OpenStack-compatible provider or deploy on-premises infrastructure using the same technology.

OpenStack's modular architecture includes:

• Nova (Compute) for virtual machine management

• Cinder (Storage) for block storage volumes

• Neutron (Networking) for software-defined networking

• Keystone (Identity) for authentication and access control

• Full API access enables infrastructure-as-code practices

Compute Resources and Flexibility

DreamCompute offers virtual machines (instances) with customizable configurations up to 16 vCPUs and 64GB RAM. Choose instance sizes matching your application requirements rather than being constrained by predefined tiers. This flexibility enables cost optimization by provisioning exactly the resources needed.

NVMe SSD storage delivers exceptional I/O performance for database servers, caching layers, and data-intensive applications. Storage volumes up to 2TB can be attached to instances, with ability to resize or detach volumes dynamically. Block storage persistence ensures data survives instance termination.

Hourly Billing and Cost Control

Hourly billing at €0.0075/hour provides cost transparency and flexibility. Pay only for resources actually consumed—spin up instances for specific tasks, then terminate them when complete. No long-term commitments or upfront fees reduce financial risk. This consumption-based model suits:

• Development and testing environments

• Batch processing and data analytics

• Variable workloads with unpredictable demand

• Temporary infrastructure for specific projects

• Cost-sensitive deployments

Operating System Options

Pre-built images for Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, and Fedora provide immediate deployment options. These images include security updates and optimized configurations for cloud environments. Custom images let you create standardized environments for consistent deployments across development, staging, and production.

Full root access enables installing any software, modifying system configurations, and implementing custom security policies. Unlike managed hosting, you control every aspect of the operating system and applications.

Networking and Connectivity

Software-defined networking provides powerful capabilities:

• Isolated virtual networks for security segmentation

• Security groups act as virtual firewalls controlling traffic per instance

• Floating IPs enable dynamic IP reassignment during failover

• IPv6 support future-proofs networking infrastructure

• 1 Gbps network connectivity for fast data transfer

• Load balancer services (manually configured) for high availability

Storage Architecture

Block storage volumes provide persistent data storage independent of instance lifecycle. Create volumes, attach to instances, format and mount as needed, then detach and reattach to different instances. This flexibility enables data portability and disaster recovery scenarios.

Snapshot functionality captures point-in-time copies of volumes for backup or replication purposes. Snapshots enable quick recovery from configuration errors or data corruption. Volume cloning accelerates provisioning of new environments.

API Access and Automation

Full OpenStack API access enables infrastructure automation through Terraform, Ansible, Puppet, Chef, or custom scripts. RESTful APIs support programmatic management of instances, volumes, networks, and security configurations. This enables infrastructure-as-code practices where environments are defined in version-controlled configuration files.

Integration with CI/CD pipelines allows automated testing in production-like environments. Deploy applications, run tests, then destroy resources automatically—enabling agile development practices.

Developer Tools and Workflows

Container support enables Docker deployments for microservices architectures. While Kubernetes is not managed by DreamHost, you can deploy and operate Kubernetes clusters on DreamCompute instances. This provides container orchestration capabilities for complex applications.

SSH key authentication secures instance access. Multiple SSH keys can be registered for team collaboration. User data injection during instance launch enables automated configuration through cloud-init scripts.

OpenStack Horizon Dashboard

The Horizon web dashboard provides graphical management of cloud resources including instance provisioning, volume management, network configuration, and access control. Real-time resource monitoring displays CPU usage, network traffic, and disk I/O. Usage reports track consumption for cost analysis.

Command-line interface (OpenStack CLI) offers power users complete control through terminal commands. Python SDK enables custom application integration with cloud infrastructure.

Security and Access Control

Security groups define firewall rules at the instance level. Identity management controls user access to cloud resources through role-based access control (RBAC). Key pair authentication prevents unauthorized access. DDoS protection defends against network attacks.

Private networks isolate sensitive workloads from public internet. VPN connectivity enables secure communication between cloud infrastructure and on-premises systems. SSL certificates secure application traffic.

High Availability and Redundancy

While DreamCompute doesn't provide automatic high availability, you can architect redundant systems using multiple instances, load balancers, and database replication. This DIY approach offers flexibility to implement availability strategies matching your specific requirements and budget.

99.9% uptime SLA applies to infrastructure availability. Instance placement across availability zones provides fault isolation. Snapshot backups enable disaster recovery.

Use Cases

DreamCompute excels for specific scenarios:

• Development and testing environments requiring temporary infrastructure

• Batch processing and data analytics with variable compute needs

• Microservices architectures using containers

• Custom applications requiring specific software stacks

• Businesses wanting OpenStack-compatible cloud without vendor lock-in

• Organizations with DevOps expertise

• Compliance requirements mandating specific security configurations

Support and Documentation

24/7 infrastructure support via email and chat assists with platform issues, network problems, and API questions. Support focuses on infrastructure availability rather than application-level troubleshooting—this is unmanaged infrastructure where you're responsible for operating system and application maintenance.

Extensive documentation covers common scenarios including instance provisioning, volume management, networking configuration, and API automation. Community forums provide peer support from other DreamCompute users.

Pricing Transparency

Hourly billing at €0.0075/hour translates to approximately €5.40/month for a continuously running small instance (assuming 720 hours/month). Larger instances cost proportionally more. Storage and bandwidth incur additional charges. This predictable pricing model enables accurate cost forecasting.

Who Should Choose DreamHost Cloud Hosting?

• Developers comfortable with Linux system administration

• Startups with DevOps teams

• Enterprises requiring OpenStack compatibility

• Businesses needing custom infrastructure configurations

• Organizations wanting cloud capabilities without vendor lock-in

• Technically proficient users managing their own infrastructure

• Teams practicing infrastructure-as-code