Announcing Docker Cloud: One big failure.

Recently Docker acquired Tutum a container orchestration platform based around the Docker eco-system. Prior to the takeover Tutum was undertaking a beta phase through pre-release to selected developers. During this time the service was free of charge as it was not fit for production. Those teams were contributing to what was shaping up to be an amazing tool.

A SYSTEMIC FAILURE

During the beta Tutum was giving little information on the pricing structure to those involved. Who knows what was going on behind closed doors at this time? Retrospectively we can assume that a takeover by Docker had been on the cards for some time. Okay, great! That is good news. Docker taking over and integrating the service into its ecosystem offers many advantages. Although in my opinion this should have been communicated to anyone involved in the Beta far FAR clearer then was the case. Respect those contributing to and investing in a product you will later profit from. That is fair, no?

THEN AND NOW

Fast forward to the present situation: public release under Docker Cloud. Our team assumed that upon public release of the platform by Docker it would be production ready. To that end we spent considerable time, resources and finance integrating it into the workflow of a large project we are undertaking. During that time I’m sorry to say we have only experienced the following:

• Multiple, severe and frequent service disruptions since release
• Upon failure, we needed to google “docker support” to locate and submit tickets
• Documentation is sparse, inconsistent and confusing… If it exists at all
• Numerous bugs within the web interface (cloud.docker.com)
• Service status that reports as Green when in actuality the service is down
• Uptime status page that is very much not reflecting historical down time (https://status.docker.com/)
• Little to no communication from the team on issues, roadmaps and timelines
• Confusingly Tutum itself remains available and in BETA until March 31st…

Clearly this is a beta product. To charge for such a service with a full public release is a very bad idea. Costing teams valuable time and resources while loosing their faith in the platform.

PRICING

On the topic of pricing there has been considerable frustration from the community. Mainly in relation to the model of pricing that Docker has chosen, not the actual costings involved. (see more at https://forums.docker.com/t/docker-cloud-pricing/6145).

I believe charging for the underlying infrastructure (nodes) at an hourly rate is absurd. Docker does not control and incur costs from those nodes. Such a model will dictate how many smaller teams will actually organise their applications to simply save costs. Frankly $0.02/node/hour amounting to $15 per node is expensive. Often that will exceed the actual costs from the provider on a per node basis e.g. Digital Ocean’s first two tiers ($5/$10).

However did Docker reached this conclusion, if as they stated, “careful study and consideration” was undertaken? Measuring the reaction of the community it is pretty clear little-to-no consultation took place.

“The thing is, infrastructure has become a commodity” … “the service Docker Cloud offers” … “shouldn’t be viewed as a commodity; it is a service built on top of a commodity” — Borja Burgos (Docker).

Okay, therefore don’t price it as a commodity, price it as a service. Simple. Docker you do not own the infrastructure.

CASE EXAMPLE

Our Project Infrastructure:

• 15 x $10 Digital Ocean Droplets == $150
• 2 x t2.small AWS (Sydney region) == $58.56
• Total == 208.56 per month

Docker Cloud:

• 17 x $15 per node
• Total == 255.00 per month

You read that right, Docker Cloud is more costly then the sum total of our infrastructure cost.

We are a small non-profit organisation with the goal of connecting highly skilled workers to NGOs, non-profits and environmentally minded organisations. Currently we work with organisations such as Red Cross, Green Peace, United Nations, Amnesty International, Sea Shepard and others.

We understand that Docker needs to be profitable, although think on this: You were once small as we are. Your service enables small organisations to play with the big guys on a level playing field, just not priced as such.