Docker in production

General
1

Hi all,
in my company we are planning to start using Docker, both for development and for the production.
I did a little internet research but I am not clear how to manage docker in production. We have our
own datacenter with different blade operated by VMware, how should I begin? Simply install a vhost
with docker? Create a cluster with some vhost with docker swarm?
I’d like to discuss that with someone who has already passed.

Thanks all.

2

I’d suggest installing Docker engine on several hosts and bootstrap a cluster using Docker swarm mode, then learn about how docker service (especially docker stack deploy with Compose files) works to do container orchestration!

3

I’d agree. Keep your Docker swarm outside of VMware/vCenter. Easier to troubleshoot and will keep negative impact out of VMware virtual environment. If you can afford the extra hardware for your Docker hosts.

4

Thanks for the tips. What software can I use to manage docker swarm clusters or to manage containers?

5

if you need a tool to manage your containers, with swarm support try rancher

6

My advise would be to look at Docker DataCenter. It runs on Swarm and makes it really easy to create and monitor your resources, networks, services, and containers.
It’s also a Docker native product. Personally I like it very much, because it allows you to have a good separation in responsibility between devs, application management en infra ops.

https://www.docker.com/products/docker-datacenter

You can rund Docker directly on your hardware (on top of Linux), or you can create VMs. If you don’t yet have the workload to utilise a blade fully, then dividing your hardware by creating VMs works very well. You can always later on scale up by running Docker directly on physical servers.

Hope this helps! Let me know.

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