Enable Linux Containers On Windows Server 2016

To run containers on windows server you need a physical server or virtual machine running windows server semi annual channel windows server 2019 or windows server 2016.

Enable linux containers on windows server 2016.

As a side learning of this topic i also got some ideas about the windows server semi annual channel. Last time i checked the docker hub repository i saw that microsoft. If you want to try out multi architecture you also use docker machine to create a linux docker engine running in hyper v. Currently docker is the most used linux and windows containers management tools and also consider as the standard in the industry.

In windows server 2016 microsoft introduced windows containers. This document details deploying a windows container host to either windows server 2016 or windows server core 2016 on a physical or virtual system. Though containers are not a new concept for developers the integration of containers as a feature of the windows server environment is a big leap for developers security and network operations. According to this from stefan scherer it is possible to run linux containers on server 2016.

It means that you can now run windows and linux containers at the same time on a windows server container host running windows server 1709 or windows 10 with the fall creators update 1709. The base container images available on windows containers are. To run containers on windows 10 you need the following. It turns out the linux containers on windows lcow server is a preview feature of both windows server version 1709 and docker ee.

Windows server core 2016 container image. Windows nano server 2016 container image. Windows server 2016 1709 contains several enhancements for docker customers. Microsoft announced linux containers on windows server 2016 using windows hyper v containers.

For testing you can download a copy of windows server 2019 evaluation or a windows server insider preview. It won t work on windows server 2016 of which the version is older than 1709. One of the new features is native linux containers on windows. On windows 10 using docker for windows linux containers run inside a full hyper v vm.

Create a linux docker machine in hyper v. Now that windows server 1709 has been released we have some new features to play with. Deploying a windows container host has different steps depending on the operating system and the host system type physical or virtual. You cannot run linux containers on windows server 2016 yet.