DigitalOcean Managed Caching
Valkey-backed DO Databases — Overview Connection Details, trusted sources, TLS-required high port.
DigitalOcean's managed Redis offering moved to Valkey (Managed Caching) after Aiven
stepped back from Redis. Wire protocol unchanged — drivers.store.kv stays redis.
The one rule
Databases → cluster → Overview → Connection Details. Copy the rediss:// URI (public or
private). Add the client to Trusted Sources or you get connection refused.
Find credentials (current control panel)
- cloud.digitalocean.com/databases → click the Valkey / Caching cluster.
- Overview → Connection Details:
- Toggle Public network vs Private network (VPC)
- Copy host, port, user, password, or the assembled connection string
- Password is hidden until you reveal/copy it in that panel.
- Network Access / trusted sources: add app Droplet, App Platform app, or VPC CIDR (from Overview VPC Network) before connecting.
REDIS_URL=rediss://default:PASSWORD@db-valkey-nyc1-….db.ondigitalocean.com:25061Port is a random high port from Connection Details — not 6379. TLS is required;
there is no plaintext option.
Production guidance
| Topic | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Engine | Valkey on new clusters; older “Managed Redis” capped / unsupported past Redis 7.2 |
| TLS | Always — use rediss:// |
| Trusted sources | Hard firewall — missing entry ⇒ refused even with correct password |
| VPC | Prefer private connection string + VPC CIDR as a single trusted source |
Standalone Upstash-on-DigitalOcean marketplace listings are a different, deprecated product — not this Databases service.
Real gotcha — trusted sources
Correct REDIS_URL from a laptop not in Trusted Sources fails with connection refused.
Add your IP (or use a Droplet already allowed / VPC CIDR) under Network Access.
Troubleshooting
Wrong port, or client IP not in trusted sources. Re-copy port from Connection Details; add the client under Network Access → Trusted Sources.
Private URL used from outside the VPC. Switch to Public network details (and allow your IP), or run the app on a Droplet in the same VPC with the private URI.
Learn more
- Valkey (image) — self-hosted peer
- Store · KV
- Dragonfly Cloud — alternative managed KV