container.training/slides/containers/Windows_Containers.md

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Windows Containers

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Objectives

At the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Understand Windows Container vs. Linux Container.

• Features of Docker for Windows for choosing architecture.

• Run other container architectures via QEMU emulation.

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Are Containers just for Linux?

Remember that a container must run on the kernel of the OS it's on

• This is both a benefit and a limitation.

• Since 2013 Docker launch, many OS's have added support for the Docker runtime.

• We can now run more than "amd64/linux": including Windows, ARM, i386, IBM mainframes, and more, but no macOS or iOS yet :/

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• Docker Desktop (macOS/Win) has a emulator too for ARM/PPC and others

• Later, try running a Raspberry Pi (ARM) or PPC container

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History of Windows Containers

• Early 2016, Windows 10 gained support for running Windows binaries in containers.

  • These are known as "Windows Containers"

  • Win 10 expects Docker for Windows to be installed for full features

  • These must run in Hyper-V mini-VM's with a Windows Server x64 kernel

  • No "scrach" containers, so use "Core" and "Nano" Server OS base layers

  • Since Hyper-V is required, Windows 10 Home won't work (yet...)

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• Late 2016, Windows Server 2016 ships with native Docker support

  • Installed via PowerShell, doesn't need Docker for Windows

  • Can run native (without VM), or with Hyper-V Isolation

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Windows Containers Cont.

Windows is largely playing catch up with Linux but moving fast!

You can now do things on Windows you can't do on Linux:

LCOW: "Linux Containers on Windows"

• Came with the (Fall 2017 Creators Update)

• Run Linux and Windows containers side-by-side on Win 10

• No longer required to switch to "Linux Containers"

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Docker for Windows Users, Start Your Engines:

  docker pull microsoft/nanoserver:1803

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Doh! We need to switch to Windows Containers mode (do that now)

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Run Both Windows and Linux containers

• Run a Nano Windows Server (minimal cli-only server)

  docker run --rm -it microsoft/nanoserver:1803 powershell
  Get-Process
  exit
  

• Run a Busybox Linux in LCOW

  docker run --rm --platform linux busybox echo hello
  

(You'll notice nothing in Hyper-V but they are there, hidden Nano and "LinuxKit" VMs)

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Did We Say Things Move Fast

• Things keep improving. Now --platform defaults to windows, some images support both

  • golang, mongo, python, redis, hello-world, and more being added

  • You should still use --plaform with multi-os images to be certain

• Windows Containers now support localhost accessable containers (July 2018)

• Microsoft (April 2018) added Hyper-V support to Windows 10 Home, so stay tuned for Docker support, maybe?!?

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Other Windows Container options

Most "official" Docker images don't run on Windows yet

Places to Look:

• Hub Official: https://hub.docker.com/u/winamd64/

• Microsoft: https://hub.docker.com/r/microsoft/

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SQL Server? Choice of Linux or Windows

• Microsoft SQL Server for Linux 2017 (amd64/linux)

• Microsoft SQL Server Express 2017 (amd64/windows)

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Windows Tools and Tips

• PowerShell Tab Completion: DockerCompletion

• Best Shell GUI: Cmder.net

• Good Windows Container Blogs and How-To's

  • Dockers DevRel Elton Stoneman, Microsoft MVP

  • Docker Captian Nicholas Dille

  • Docker Captain Stefan Scherer