[dba-VS] What is Docker

[Jim Lawrence]

Docker is a fabulous new tool allowing easy application deployment on diverse platforms but caution should be taken. Below is one of the best description of Docker Containers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLipr7tTuA4

To allow a container to run on all major platforms a service/server can be first installed (Microsoft is making their own portable service/server):

http://boot2docker.io

Containers are great because of their small image size, ability to be easily copied and their absolutely static code. This is also their greatest weakness. It should be noted that at best the developer should be rolling their own Container images, from scratch and at worse off loading prebuilt images from a very reliable sources. Casual use of Containers could be more dangerous than the use of proprietary code:

http://www.vitavonni.de/blog/201503/2015031201-the-sad-state-of-sysadmin-in-the-age-of-containers.html

In summary Containers are a great technology but they should be crafted and used with care.

Jim