Perforce is one of the most popular version control systems for game development, semiconductor design, and a host of other industries. As Perforce’s popularity has grown, so have the options for hosting it. Today we’re going to look at some of the main choices for Perforce hosting and help you decide which one is right for your business.
Plenty of companies choose to have an on-prem Perforce hosting setup. Administrators like the level of control it allows them and feel more comfortable with self-hosted security protocols.
However, on-prem Perforce server hosting does come with its own challenges. It can take away time and resources from the software engineers that could be spent working on products and services. It can also be an obstacle for teams that are working remotely. Many on-prem setups experience slowdown as they take on large assets, and adding additional storage can be a pain.
Companies have noticed the challenges that on-prem hosting creates, and they have spent years developing cloud servers that solve many of those problems without sacrificing too many of the benefits of an on-prem solution.
One of the biggest benefits of moving to a managed Perforce cloud setup is the time that your developers will save. Depending on the platform, some companies will take care of the setup, migration, and ongoing server maintenance. They may also have their own DevOps teams to make sure that performance remains smooth and consistent.
Security is one of the biggest concerns that developers have when considering moving their Perforce hosting setup into the cloud. Companies keep some of the most valuable and confidential information on their servers, and they don’t want to risk the possibility of placing that data on an insecure server. Many developers also worry about sharing a server with other companies, some of whom may be their competitors.
That’s why some cloud platforms offer private servers that will only be used by a single client. Cloud servers also use security protocols such as AES-256 bit encryption and constant penetration testing to make sure their servers can be trusted.
The files created by many Perforce users have grown significantly in size over the past few years, and they will only get bigger. Game developers and entertainment companies are working with 4K assets, while the designs of semiconductors are becoming far more complex. A cloud Perforce setup can allow for easy flexibility and scalability when it comes to storage needs. Storage options can range from 10 GB to 100 TB or higher, depending on client needs.
Remote and global teams are the new reality for most technology companies, and a Perforce Cloud Server empowers teams to effectively collaborate no matter where they are. Some companies will have servers in geographically diverse locations to ensure responsiveness remains high across multiple continents.
On-prem servers have a tendency to become bogged down as more and larger files are added to their systems. It can be a frustrating experience for developers while costing them valuable time. But most developers see a significant boost in performance when they move to a Perforce cloud server.
Assembla has been hosting Perforce in the cloud longer than any other company—including Perforce. Our team members are highly experienced in Perforce hosting and will ensure that your setup is secure and performing at its best.
Another advantage of choosing Assembla for your Perforce cloud hosting is that we will manage the migration, setup, and maintenance of the servers. This instantly allows your developers to spend more time working on their products and less on their infrastructure.
We have scalable options for both small teams and enterprise companies. Assembla clients can also access our suite of project management tools that empower collaboration, task management, planning, and tickets.
Perforce has several options designed to help teams facilitate Perforce hosting on the platform of their choice. The Perforce Enhanced Studio pack is a bundle that has the tools that developers need to deploy on AWS and Azure.
Perforce also offers Helix Remote Administration, in which Perforce takes care of the setup, management, and maintenance of your code on the cloud platform of your choice, including Microsoft Azure, AWS, and GCP.
Amazon has spent a lot of time courting video game developers and similar industries for their services. AWS is both a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) and an infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) solution. It integrates with several popular software services and enables users to quickly add additional storage and CPUs or tweak their settings.
A popular option for major companies, Microsoft Azure is known for its scalability and flexibility. Companies that are already using Windows often trust Microsoft’s security, and they appreciate that the platform works with multiple different programming tools, languages, and frameworks.
Another PaaS and IaaS platform, GCP is popular with data and analytics companies. Since GCP charges by the second, it is popular with smaller teams that are just starting. It also works well with Google’s Kubernetes service.
An IaaS and cloud computing platform that is popular with developers, Digital Ocean is built to help smaller teams get started quickly by taking a minimalist approach. However, Digital Ocean is made specifically for Linux users and does not support OS and Windows.
A great entry-level option, Perforce Cloud Pro provides an on-demand cloud Perforce Helix Core setup with project management and reporting tools for up to 50 users. It includes up to 1 TB of storage and can integrate with a host of popular software platforms such as Slack, Jira, Unreal Engine, and Unity. We’ll take care of the setup and migration, so your developers can focus on their projects.
Our custom choice for larger companies, Perforce Cloud Enterprise, includes managed cloud Perforce Helix Core and Helix Swarm. Our enterprise clients receive dedicated servers with unlimited storage that allows them to use their existing Helix Core licenses. It allows for custom global deployment, backups, triggers, and authentication.
If you’re ready to take advantage of Perforce hosting in the cloud and free up your engineers to spend more time on your products, reach out to our team.
