Divio’s All-in-One Cloud Platform Brings Simplicity to Docker-Based App Development

TL; DR: The cloud isn’t just about hosting anymore. With containerization and automation working side by side, platforms like Divio are helping revolutionize how developers deploy, host and manage their web applications to speed up time to market. We talked with Joel Burch, Divio’s COO, who talked about empowering developers by bringing their ideas to life in the most seamless way possible. Because, let’s be honest: As businesses scramble to keep up with the relentless pace of digital transformation, jumping on the latest tech solutions isn’t just a smart move — it’s a survival tactic.

When most people hear cloud hosting, they probably think about the typical form of web hosting. That is, getting a website or application online without any physical hardware. But there’s so much more to it, especially as cloud platforms continue to evolve.

If you’re a developer or run a tech-driven business, you’ve likely crossed paths with containerization. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s something that you may not even realize is part of your everyday life.

Containerization is a method of packaging software so it can run smoothly on any platform even if there are compatibility differences. Think of it as playing a Windows game on your MacBook. With containerization, you can use the same game on different operating systems or devices, and it will work perfectly without any configuration needed.

Of course, this concept isn’t just for gamers. It’s also a game changer for the B2B world. Chances are you’re already using containerization without even knowing it. For example, if you use Microsoft Teams for work, you’re interacting with software that relies on containerization to maintain expected performance.

That’s where Divio’s managed cloud hosting comes in.

Divio is a cloud management platform designed to simplify the deployment and management of applications through Docker containerization. Divio does all the heavy lifting for you so you can focus on creating and developing software rather than juggling the nitty-gritty details of complex infrastructure.

As Joel Burch, Divio’s COO, puts it: “Our customers choose Divio when they are looking for an easy-to-use platform that helps them reliably and securely develop, deploy, and maintain their web applications.”

And with an offering like that, who can blame them?

Containerization has been around since the 1970s, but it has become widely popular in the past decade thanks to Docker, a platform that lets developers easily create, deploy, and run applications in containers.

But even with something as intuitive as Docker, the learning curve is still a bit steep for some. In my opinion, this really comes as no surprise; new tech is exciting, but it’s not always as intuitive as we’d really like it to be.

In fact, a Deloitte study shows that 40% of surveyed businesses see new technologies as a “significant barrier to digital transformation.” The problem is, in today’s fast-paced world, businesses must either adapt — or they risk being left behind.

That’s why Divio focuses on supporting businesses and developers that have the requirement to host business-critical web applications that use the containerization framework Docker.

But Divio didn’t just become the B2B powerhouse it is today overnight.

Divio began in 2006 as a Zurich-based digital agency that developed complex web applications for enterprises using Django, a Python based web framework behind major apps, including Instagram, Spotify, and YouTube. Divio also used to be the company behind django CMS, a popular open-source Content Management System.

It’s through this work that Joel said the Divio team saw firsthand a lot of the problems developers had in launching and maintaining their applications.

“It’s why we decided to build our own PaaS,” Joel explained. “Our goal was to create a tool that would help deliver and maintain web applications more efficiently and automate repetitive tasks.”

This led to what Divio is today, a new platform-as-a-service (PaaS) solution for cloud management with containerization.

Fast forward to the present, and Divio manages more than 7,000 applications, 300 million monthly requests, and generates $2.5 million in yearly recurring revenue since the shift to cloud management.

Not too shabby.

I am late to the party in the sense that I just discovered the beauty of Shortcuts, a neat feature that allows iOS users to automate workflows and perform specific tasks.

I have several shortcuts set up: One activates Low Power Mode when my battery drops below 40%. Another automatically mutes the volume when I open social media apps. I even programmed my phone to recite a line from “The Office” when I plug it in to charge.

In a similar way, Divio automates tasks and workflows for developers and businesses, allowing them to focus on creating rather than getting bogged down by routine tasks…but obviously on a bigger scale.

For example, Divio can automate:

• Easy app deployment
• Managing environments (like testing and production)
• Automatic backups
• No downtime during updates
• Performance tracking and logs
• Scheduled tasks (Cron jobs)
• Distributing traffic evenly (load balancing)
• Version control (Git)
• Automated testing and updates (CI/CD integration)
• Tracking performance and usage
• Managing your website’s domain
• Connecting with other services
• Keeping track of activity
• Managing subscriptions
• Updates and changes mirroring
• And much more

“Those are the kinds of things that are usually done manually, or they need a script the developer writes themselves,” Joel explained. “With Divio, it’s all built into an optimized, best-practice workflow. This kind of automation lets developers focus more on building applications instead of managing infrastructure.”

So instead of having developers manually manage tasks, like load balancing, backups, and deployments, Divio automates them. This saves valuable time — something every developer will tell you they need — and helps businesses bring their products to market faster.

With this in mind, Divio offers two main products:

• Open Cloud: This is Divio’s fully managed cloud hosting solution that’s perfect for developers who want flexibility without the hassle of managing infrastructure. You choose where to host your app and pay only for the resources you use. It’s integrated with major cloud providers, including AWS, Exoscale, and Azure, to give you flexibility without any of the heavy lifting.
• Enterprise Cloud: For larger businesses that need more control and security, Divio’s Enterprise Cloud provides a dedicated cloud setup. Joel describes it as a “cloud management service where we manage the entire cloud infrastructure dedicated and isolated to one customer or tenant only.” You can either use an existing cloud setup or have Divio host and manage it for you.

With both, Divio’s automation does the heavy lifting so your businesses can focus on growth instead of constantly tweaking the infrastructure.

Divio’s plans range from $25 to $210 per month, depending on the services you need. For Enterprise Cloud solutions, pricing is custom, so you’ll need to contact Divio directly for a quote.

But regardless of what plan you need, all of them come with:

• Free 30-day trial
• Managed cloud hosting
• Use Divio’s Git or connect your own (like GitHub, GitLab, or BitBucket)
• Unlimited team collaboration
• Local development on your computer
• Separate test and live environments with custom versions
• Secure, encrypted backups
• Automatic domain security (TLS)
• App logs and performance metrics
• One-click cloud app deployment
• Easy migration between cloud vendors with CloudShift
• Expert support available
• Built-in best practices for app development and deployment

Additionally, for premium subscription plans, Divio offers Cloudflare Enterprise services as part of its commitment to robust application security and performance.

Now I want to point you to a case study because I think they’re the best way to see a product in action.

Social Schools is an app that helps teachers, parents, and students communicate securely. Teachers can post updates to their classes, share news with parents, log student absences, and send direct messages easily. So when Social Schools struggled to keep up with user demands for its growing application, Divio knew exactly what to do.

The result:

• 2,892 domains managed
• 681 websites running on a single codebase
• 92% less time and effort needed to create a new customer website
• 99.9999% uptime for average monthly cloud infrastructure

With Divio, Social Schools successfully migrated to a custom cloud setup that had plenty of room to grow. Through Divio’s Mirror feature, it’s easy to effortlessly manage multiple websites from a single codebase and deploy hundreds of sites with just a click. It’s hard to argue with results like that, isn’t it?

(But just in case you want to see more, here are some other Divio case studies.)

Divio’s past expertise is constantly shaping its present and future. With its pivot into cloud management about a decade ago also came a shift in its customer base.

Since then, Divio’s commitment to cloud hosting, infrastructure management, and containerization has helped it build a loyal clientele, including multinational corporations like Fidelity International.

Credit the shift if you feel so inclined, but Joel also firmly believes one of the keys to Divio’s success is the company’s focus on customer support: He said that 92% of Divio’s customer support tickets are rated with four to five stars, and it’s “very common for Divio customers to stay with the company for five-plus years.”

With that in mind, there’s some good stuff on the horizon — including improvements in user experience, faster deployment speeds, and the launch of a new Generative AI (GenAI) product.

“With the GenAI product, we are basically talking to developers and development teams who are looking to build AI applications without the complexity and overhead of managing cloud infrastructure, ML models, or integrations,” Joel explained.

While Joel couldn’t get into the specifics (it’s high-level stuff, after all), it’s nice to hear that the company is constantly thinking of new ways to incorporate automation and faster deployment.

Whether you’re a solo developer or a large enterprise, Divio takes the stress out of cloud management and lets you focus on what really matters: building great apps.

So, if you thought the cloud was just about hosting, it may be time to think again. Check out Divio for yourself.