Setting Up Environment

Setting Up Environment

The first stage of application hosting is to create an environment containing the required isolated containers. The topology wizard provides a visual way to choose the deployment model, add software layers, configure resources, review estimated usage, and launch the environment.
On this page

Start Environment Creation

1Open the topology wizard

Sign in to the platform dashboard and click New Environment in the upper-left corner.

New Environment button
Open the topology wizard from the dashboard toolbar.

A practical configuration sequence is:

  • Choose a programming language or specialised deployment solution.
  • Build the topology by adding the required software stacks.
  • Configure resource limits and node-specific settings.
  • Review resource estimates, name the environment, and create it.
Configure an environment in the topology wizard
The wizard combines deployment selection, topology, resource configuration, and cost review.

Choose a Deployment Option

For most projects, certified managed containers are the recommended choice. They are maintained by the platform and support features such as version updates, security fixes, scaling, deployment automation, redeployment, and SSL integration.

Programming languages in the topology wizard
Select Java, PHP, Ruby, .NET, Node.js, Python, Go, or another supported stack category.

The Custom tab provides additional deployment models:

Custom Container ImagesDeploy a supported Docker image from Docker Hub or a private registry inside a system container.
Docker EngineRun Docker Engine CE inside a system container and manage application containers with native Docker tools.
Kubernetes ClusterDeploy a preconfigured Kubernetes control plane and worker-node topology.
Custom deployment options
Custom container, Docker Engine, and Kubernetes deployment options.
Custom-image guidance: A third-party image may provide greater software choice, but its compatibility and maintenance depend on the image publisher. Platform-certified base images are preferred when building a custom image.

Select the preferred environment region before continuing when more than one location is available.

Environment region selection
Select a suitable region based on location, infrastructure, and availability.

Configure the Topology

The left side of the wizard acts as a visual environment constructor. Available layer types include:

  • Load balancers
  • Application servers
  • SQL and NoSQL databases
  • Cache nodes
  • Shared storage
  • Elastic VPS nodes
  • Build nodes
  • Extra custom layers
Environment topology builder
Standard layer groups in the topology builder.
The standard block sequence is only a default. Layers can be rearranged and combined to create a custom architecture.
Custom topology order
Example of a custom layer order.

Each section displays common stacks for its default role. Use More to browse stacks assigned to other roles, or use the search field to locate a managed stack directly.

Categorised stacks and search
Browse stack categories or search for a managed template.

SSL can also be configured from the topology area:

  • Built-In SSL protects the default environment domain. It is not used when nodes are accessed directly through public IP addresses.
  • Custom SSL prepares the environment requirements for installing your own certificate.
  • A Let’s Encrypt add-on can be installed after environment creation.
Environment SSL configuration
Built-in and custom SSL options in the wizard.

Configure Node Resources and Specifics

Select each layer in the central wizard area and configure its settings from top to bottom.

Layer switch and alias
Enable or disable a layer and define an optional alias.

Vertical Scaling

Set reserved and dynamic Cloudlets for each node. One Cloudlet equals 128 MiB RAM and 400 MHz CPU. Reserved capacity acts as the baseline, while the scaling limit defines the maximum automatic capacity.

Vertical scaling configuration
Reserved Cloudlets and the automatic scaling limit.
The scaling limit can be set high enough to handle demand spikes, while charges remain based on actual consumption rather than the complete unused limit.

Horizontal Scaling

Set the number of nodes in the layer and choose the available stateful or stateless scaling mode. Stack and engine versions can be selected from searchable drop-down lists.

Horizontal scaling and engine selection
Node count, scaling mode, stack version, and engine selection.

For an existing environment, changing the stack or engine version opens the container redeployment workflow. The gear icon provides additional node-management controls during scaling.

Scaled nodes management
Advanced management controls for individual scaled nodes.

Additional Layer Settings

  • Auto-Clustering: activates supported cluster configurations and may reveal stack-specific options.
  • Disk Limit: reserves disk space for each node.
  • Sequential Restart Delay: defines the pause between restarting nodes; -1 starts a simultaneous restart.
  • High Availability: a deprecated Tomcat/TomEE session-replication option; current Auto-Clustering is preferred.
  • Access via SLB: controls access through the platform shared load balancer.
  • Public IPv4/IPv6: attaches external addresses to each node.
Additional layer settings
Auto-Clustering, disk, restart, SLB, and public-IP settings.

Container configuration controls at the bottom of the section provide access to variables, links, volumes, ports, and command or entry-point settings.

Container configuration controls
Layer-level container configuration tools.

Review and Confirm Environment Creation

After configuring the topology, review the total reserved Cloudlets and the dynamic scaling limit for the environment.

Environment resource usage
Environment-wide reserved capacity and scaling limit.

Resource groups are colour coded in the wizard:

  • Green — load balancers
  • Blue — application servers
  • Orange — databases and cache nodes
  • Grey — other stacks

The estimated-cost widget can display hourly, daily, or monthly values. The FROM value represents the reserved baseline, while the TO value represents the maximum possible charge if every node consumes its full scaling limit for the whole selected period.

Environment estimated cost
Baseline and maximum estimated environment cost.

Hover over the pricing area to see a layer-by-layer calculation and related resource details.

Detailed environment cost estimate
Extended cost breakdown by topology layer.

2Name and create the environment

Enter the environment name and click Create.

Environment name and Create button
Provide the environment name and confirm creation.

After provisioning is complete, the environment appears in the dashboard and is ready for application deployment and further configuration.

Created environment in dashboard
The newly created environment and its nodes.

What’s next?

  • Deploy Application
  • Application Configuration
  • Share Environment