I used docker on Windows server 2016 which runs containers natively. From the docs I could see only 2 base images available: windowsservercore and nanoserver.
From what I understand both of them are like a fraction of Windows Server 2016. Or are they?
I have a specific version of my application that runs only on Windows server 2008. I was wondering if there was a base image of windows server 2008? Or will there be one in the future?
Related
Im totally new to Google Cloud. I got free uses for some time from google.
I want to setup a lab. So I want to install Windows 7 on Google Cloud.
Thanks
The image for Windows 7 is not available, you can create a custom image, upload it and then create an instance with that image, but honestly I would not follow this path if you have just started and you want only to run a Windows server.
So, if you don't really need Windows 7 for some reason and you want to run a Windows virtual machine the easiest thing to do is to create an instance using one of the available images:
Windows Server version 1709 Core for Containers (Beta)
Windows Server version 1709 Core
Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2012 R2 Core
Windows Server 2012 R2
Windows Server 2016 Core
Windows Server 2016
In order to do so go to the Console, enter in Compute Engine, VM instances, click on create instance, at this point from the tab that will be opened select the Windows image that you prefer and set up the machine as you like. Wait some minute and you will be able to connect to it through RDP.
Note that there is a Quickstart guide in order to help you in the process.
I've already tried running Docker on a Windows 10 Virtual Machine without any success. I understand why, so I've given up trying to enable this. However, it's got me thinking about Windows Server 2016. As I understand it, Windows Server 2016 has docker included as a component/service, instead of an 'Add On' as it is in Windows 10. Are there any reasons why a Microsoft Server 2016 Virtual Machine would not support docker? This is more for convenience than anything else. Dual-booting with windows 10 isn't a major issue and we've done that, but it does mean in certain circumstances I have to reboot to windows 8 for certain organisation-specific content that I can't access in Windows 10.
Confused about one thing. So does running the docker engine on windows server 2012 work? Or is it just that the container OS needs to be 2016 or Nano?
So docker engine on 2012, running a container with 2016/Nano
From https://forums.docker.com/t/windows-server-2012-r2/24267 :
"No, Windows Server 2016 is required for running native Windows containers. The kernel containerization primitives are only available starting with WS 2016."
I have a Eclipse App that only installs on Windows, while I have a Mac. I have downloaded the Windows 10 ISO from the insider preview program. Can I use it in docker to build a docker image? What can be the base image? The alternative is to use the VirtualBox, and install windows 10 in it. But I don't want to go for it, because I want to share the image with other colleagues who are on Windows.
If you want to run a Windows Container on a Mac you will need to intall Windows 10 Anniversay Update ISO as a VM via Virtualbox or install the operating sysem using Bootcamp.
Windows 10 Anniversay Edition now has native support for Containers so you can run docker images for Windows Server 2016 and/or Nanoserver.
Your colleagues will also need Windows 10 Anniversary Edition to run the image on their machines.
You will need a Windows virtual machine to run Windows 10 on your MAC. See also the answer in this Stackoverflow question for a discussion of docker container types and docker hosts types.
Background:
Linux-based docker containers only run on Linux docker hosts while Windows-based docker containers only run either on Windows 2016 or on Windows Nanoserver, where a Nanoserver can run on Windows 2016 or on Windows 10 Professional + Hyper-V.
If you want to run either Linux-based or Windows-based docker containers on a MAC, you will need a Linux-based or a Windows-based virtual machine, respectively.
Is it possible to exchanging Docker images instead of virtual machine images to reduce the size?
Not in your case, I think.
If you think about reducing the image size you intend to share with your colleagues, you might think about running Windows containers on a Windows virtual machine on your MACs and exchange the smaller docker images instead of sharing virtual machine images. However, this would require nested virtualization of Hyper-V and this is supported on Hyper-V-capable hardware only (see also an Hyper-V on Hyper-V example here). Since you are using a MAC, I fear, you need to share the larger virtual machine image or better find a way to share only parts of it (e.g. share project code via git instead).
The Background
Today I was reflecting on the pain install/OS testing. As we approach a new release of our windows software, we have to verify:
That it installs without issue
That it runs, given a reasonable fulfillment of dependencies
That our assumptions as to what is available on an "updated" machine are correct
On a range of architectures (32/64 bit, etc)
On a range of operating system versions (Windows XP, Windows Vista, 7, 8, etc.)
Our sad (but usual and cost effective) approach is to spin up some old boxes here on site. We either try to stuff an OS install into a VM system, or are forced to wipe the box and do a native install just to get to a "clean" install of the app. Depending on the functional approach, reverting snapshots may or may not be available.
The Idea
I realized that Windows Azure was making it very easy to spin up virtual machines these days and "pay for what you use". Mostly this appears to be focused on web hosting (Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 8 are the only windows variants available in the "VM OS Selection" dialog). See this page for an overview.
But what if I could spin up other kinds of Windows OS images purely for testing?
I have an MSDN subscription, and access to a set of OSes that we should support. Couldn't I push these up somehow and have snapshottable, on-demand test hosts?
The Questions
Is this feasible right now with Windows Azure? (I can do this for Server 2008 and Server 8 now, it would seem...can i do this with other OS images?)
If so, how? (Can i upload a .vhd to storage in some manner as to have it show in the "my images" section?)
If not, is there a good alternative? (I get the sense you could do this with Amazon EC2? Am I barking up the wrong tree? Is this better to try and do onsite with VM software entirely?)
In the best case, I want "fresh" (recently patched) images for a set of supported Windows OSes that I can spin up on demand, pay for what I use, and then shut down again. Does this exist?
Thanks for your time and consideration...
P.S. Not entirely sure if this should be here or on serverfault...please advise.
1.Is this feasible right now with Windows Azure? (I can do this for Server 2008 and Server 8 now, it would seem...can i do this with other
OS images?)
The Windows Server is 2012, not 8. But anyway. So no. The currently supported Windows family OS'es are:
* Windows Server 2008 SP2 x64,
* Windows Server 2008 R2,
* Windows Server 2012
Note that all of them are just the 64bit versions! Frankly, I don't think Windows client OS'es will ever be supported (like XP, 7, 8)
2.If so, how? (Can i upload a .vhd to storage in some manner as to have it show in the "my images" section?)
No. so no way.
3.If not, is there a good alternative? (I get the sense you could do this with Amazon EC2? Am I barking up the wrong tree? Is this better
to try and do onsite with VM software entirely?)
Can't answer this question completely, but a quick search says that currently in Amazon EC2 you can run:
Amazon EC2 running Microsoft Windows Server® (available in 2003 R2,
2008 or 2008 R2 editions)
So far with Windows OSes.
In summary: Only Server Windows OS can be run in an Azure and Amazon.
A hint: you can't install Hyper-V on Windows server in either Azure nor Amazon (you can't virtualize what is already virtualized).