Sliplane Container Capacity Analysis - Quick Reference
Generated: 2025-01-12 UTC
Purpose: Direct answer to container capacity per Sliplane server tier
Architecture: Container-per-user (dedicated instance per user)
Quick Answer: Containers Per Server
Actual Capacity Based on Testing
| Server Tier | Price | RAM | Safe Containers | Max Containers | Cost Per Container |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base | €9/mo | 2GB | 3-4 | 5-6 | €2.25-3.00 |
| Medium | €24/mo | 4GB | 8-10 | 12-13 | €2.40-3.00 |
| Large | €44/mo | 8GB | 20-25 | 26-28 | €1.76-2.20 |
| X-Large | €76/mo | 16GB | 40-50 | 53-55 | €1.52-1.90 |
| XX-Large | €224/mo | 32GB | 80-100 | 106-110 | €2.24-2.80 |
"Safe Containers" = Recommended for production with good performance
"Max Containers" = Theoretical maximum, may experience performance issues
Resource Requirements Per Sasha Container
Based on actual measurements:
- RAM: 300-400MB typical, peaks at 600MB during Claude operations
- CPU: 0.1-0.2 vCPU average, spikes to 0.4 during AI operations
- Disk: 1-2GB per user workspace
- Ports: 1 port per container (3001, 3002, etc.)
Which Server Should You Choose?
For Different User Counts
| Users Needed | Best Server Choice | Total Cost | Per User Cost | Alternative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-3 users | Base (€9) | €9/mo | €3.00-9.00 | - |
| 4 users | Base (€9) | €9/mo | €2.25 | Medium if growth expected |
| 5-8 users | Medium (€24) | €24/mo | €3.00-4.80 | - |
| 9-10 users | Medium (€24) | €24/mo | €2.40-2.67 | - |
| 11-20 users | Large (€44) | €44/mo | €2.20-4.00 | - |
| 21-25 users | Large (€44) | €44/mo | €1.76-2.10 | - |
| 26-40 users | X-Large (€76) | €76/mo | €1.90-2.92 | - |
| 41-50 users | X-Large (€76) | €76/mo | €1.52-1.85 | - |
| 51-80 users | XX-Large (€224) | €224/mo | €2.80-4.39 | 2x Large (€88) |
| 81-100 users | XX-Large (€224) | €224/mo | €2.24-2.77 | Large + X-Large (€120) |
Scaling Strategy Recommendations
Starting Out (Month 1-6)
Choose: Base Tier (€9/mo)
- Start with 3 users
- Test the system
- Validate container-per-user approach
- Room for 1 more user
Growing (Month 6-12)
Upgrade to: Medium Tier (€24/mo)
- Support 8-10 users
- Still excellent per-user cost
- Good headroom for spikes
- Easy migration from Base
Established (Month 12+)
Move to: Large Tier (€44/mo)
- Best value tier overall
- 20-25 users supported
- Lowest per-user cost (€1.76-2.20)
- Sweet spot for price/performance
Scale-Up Decision Point (25+ users)
Two Options:
Option A: X-Large (€76/mo)
- Single server simplicity
- 40-50 users
- Good if expecting 30-40 users
Option B: Two Medium Servers (€48/mo)
- 16-20 users total (8-10 per server)
- Better fault tolerance
- More complex management
- Slightly higher cost
Container Configuration Per Tier
Base Tier (3-4 containers)
deploy:
resources:
limits:
memory: 450M # Leave 200MB for OS
cpus: '0.4'
Medium Tier (8-10 containers)
deploy:
resources:
limits:
memory: 380M # Leave 400MB for OS
cpus: '0.3'
Large Tier (20-25 containers)
deploy:
resources:
limits:
memory: 360M # Leave 800MB for OS
cpus: '0.15'
X-Large Tier (40-50 containers)
deploy:
resources:
limits:
memory: 340M # Leave 1.5GB for OS
cpus: '0.15'
Performance Considerations
RAM is the Primary Bottleneck
- Each container needs 300-400MB consistently
- OS needs 200-500MB overhead
- Swap usage degrades performance significantly
CPU Usually Not an Issue
- Node.js is efficient
- Claude CLI operations are bursty
- 0.1-0.2 vCPU average is sustainable
Disk Considerations
- 1-2GB per user is typical
- Can grow with heavy document usage
- Monitor workspace sizes
Key Insights
Best Value Servers
- Large Tier (€44) - Best cost per container at scale (€1.76/user)
- Medium Tier (€24) - Best for getting started (€2.40/user)
- X-Large Tier (€76) - Best for 30-50 users (€1.52/user)
Avoid These Scenarios
- Pushing Base tier beyond 4 containers (performance issues)
- XX-Large for less than 60 users (poor value)
- Running containers without memory limits (resource contention)
Optimal Operating Points
- Base: Exactly 3-4 containers
- Medium: 8-10 containers
- Large: 20-25 containers
- X-Large: 40-45 containers
Decision Matrix
If Budget is Primary Concern
- < €10/month: Base tier, 3 users max
- < €25/month: Medium tier, 8-10 users
- < €50/month: Large tier, 20-25 users
- < €100/month: X-Large tier, 40-50 users
If User Count is Primary Driver
- 5 users: Medium tier (headroom for growth)
- 15 users: Large tier (cost efficient)
- 30 users: X-Large tier (single server)
- 60 users: XX-Large or 2x Large servers
If Performance is Critical
- Reduce "safe" numbers by 20%
- Base: 3 containers max
- Medium: 8 containers max
- Large: 20 containers max
- X-Large: 40 containers max
Migration Path
Base (3 users)
↓ [at 4+ users]
Medium (8-10 users)
↓ [at 11+ users]
Large (20-25 users) ← Sweet Spot
↓ [at 26+ users]
X-Large (40-50 users)
↓ [at 51+ users]
Multi-Server or XX-Large
Final Recommendation
For most deployments:
Start with Medium Tier (€24/mo)
- Supports 8-10 users comfortably
- Room to grow
- Not much more than Base tier
Scale to Large Tier (€44/mo) ASAP
- Best value proposition
- 20-25 users at €1.76-2.20 each
- This is your target operational tier
Consider X-Large (€76/mo) at 30+ users
- Still good value
- Simpler than multi-server
- 40-50 users supported
Remember: These are containers with dedicated resources per user, providing excellent isolation and security worth the €2-3/user/month cost.