Rockhopper is designed to provide “as close as possible to” 24x7 availability through the use of reliable software components, and high performance for a reasonable price: hence the choice of Linux as the underlying operating system, and the choice of the MySQL database.

It is deliberately designed to run in a zero-administration environment, without the need to have on-site support staff.

It is a “second-generation” product, building on the authors’ experience with the "Carry" system, but eliminates all of the restrictions and awkward aspects of that system’s 1980’s-based design.