What do you think about Docker?

[raindog308]

My normally rather staid employer is suddenly going nuts about Docker.  Or at least the developers are.

To me it seems like a slickified OpenVZ with one template to rule them all.

In fact, I'm having a hard time seeing what it does that other container technologies don't do, except that everything is standardized, there's one common repo for images, etc.

Am I missing something?  I admit I haven't looked too hard yet.

 

[MannDude]

I've never used it, though I don't quite see how it'd be beneficial to me, personally. I'm slow at adopting new trends though, so ask me in a few years.

 

[HalfEatenPie]

Well Docker I believe is a fork of LXC (some people state LXC is a derivation of OpenVZ for the main kernel), or much simply it's just LXC with more features.  I believe within it's design parameter it's focused on more application deployment, scalability, and user friendliness.  

When I say application deployment I mean very similar to OpenVZ Templates (or those turnkey solutions) but executed in what several other people claim "a much better and easier fashion".  This also brings in Scalability because... come on... you can setup more deployments of your software whenever needed, and by user friendliness they mean easy to setup (without needing a different kernel) and tools to help someone manage it much easier.  Obviously OpenVZ and Docker really share similar "features", but I believe Docker was built with the focus on these features.  

From the LET discussion, someone linked to the IBM Research paper focused on the performance difference between each virtualization technology: http://domino.research.ibm.com/library/cyberdig.nsf/papers/0929052195DD819C85257D2300681E7B/$File/rc25482.pdf

Also refer to this stackexchange that talks about the difference between LXC and Docker: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/17989306/what-does-docker-add-to-just-plain-lxc

So my opinion is I think it's be really cool to use and I should definitely look into it.  Unfortunately, others state Docker is mostly designed for self-use (as in not really secure enough for "selling").  Now I haven't seen actual proof of this (mostly because I spent about 10 minutes to research all this above), but better safe than sorry.  Sometime in the future, I'd like to use Docker.  

So... tldr: Docker is like the third generation spawn of software virtualization that focuses on deployment, scalability, and user friendliness.  I think I'd like Docker.  

 

[wlanboy]

Docker is different to OpenVZ - it is not about OS but on service virtualization.

And Docker is based on LXC - a GO based addon.

So the main addons are:

• Portable deployment across machines: you can use Docker to create a single object containing all your bundled applications. This object can then be transferred and quickly installed onto any other Docker-enabled Linux host.
  
• Versioning: Docker includes git capabilities for tracking versions of a container. You can generate diffs between versions, committing new versions and rolling back every single step.
• Component reuse: Docker allows building or stacking of already created packages. So you are able to create base images that are based on other images. A team can split the responsibility for different stacks. E.g. one for the database layer, one for the application layer, etc. After that you can tell Docker to create a VM with the Debian base image and the packages: Ruby + JBoss + MySQL + xyz.

 

[DomainBop]

My normally rather staid employer is suddenly going nuts about Docker.

Staid employers/employees tend to be the ones who go nuts about the latest buzz word.  "Don't know what it is, but if everyone is talking about it we have to use it!"

If anyone wants a free (for 1-month) Docker testbed, SailAbove (the Docker unit of OVH's RunAbove has one waiting for you (the service is in alpha so expect a few bugs).  https://labs.runabove.com/docker/

edited to add: if you're using SailAbove you can download a client here https://pypi.python.org/pypi/sail

 

[bigcat]

• Portable deployment across machines: you can use Docker to create a single object containing all your bundled applications. This object can then be transferred and quickly installed onto any other Docker-enabled Linux host.
  

I think this is the main selling point for most people. Plus they no longer have to worry about server config and management which evidently, not casual programmer strongest domain.

 

[OpticServers]

I've never used it, though I don't quite see how it'd be beneficial to me, personally. I'm slow at adopting new trends though, so ask me in a few years.

Yea.. i am quite the same in that way, i would rather stick with something i know and as long as it works why change? but it looks quite cool taken a quick look around the website.

 

[DomainBop]

Last week a couple of Docker vulnerabilities were published that affect all versions except the current one (v1.32, released on November 24) so if you haven't upgraded yet...upgrade.  Debian Jessie still has v1.31 in its repos.

The Docker engine, up to and including version 1.3.1, was vulnerable
to extracting files to arbitrary paths on the host during "docker
pull" and "docker load" operations. This was caused by symlink and
hardlink traversals present in Docker's image extraction. This
vulnerability could be leveraged to perform remote code execution and
privilege escalation.

Docker versions 1.3.0 through 1.3.1 allowed security options to be
applied to images, allowing images to modify the default run profile
of containers executing these images. This vulnerability could allow a
malicious image creator to loosen the restrictions applied to a
container's processes, potentially facilitating a break-out.

http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/534082

 

[EnveraHost]

Seems as though a lot of large companies are utilizing it such as Spotify etc. This actually the first time I've heard of it but it looks like it could blow up.

 

[DomainBop]

fork announced last week...CoreOS Rocket

http://www.informationweek.com/cloud/infrastructure-as-a-service/rocket-challenges-docker-on-cloud-containers/d/d-id/1317842

 

[Jasson.Pass]

fork announced last week...CoreOS Rocket

http://www.informationweek.com/cloud/infrastructure-as-a-service/rocket-challenges-docker-on-cloud-containers/d/d-id/1317842

<3 Forks. This should be cool.