Workstation

Setting up a basic uBuntu 16.04 Docker host VM

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I’ve used this process multiple times to create quick Docker host VMs running on VMware Workstation in my home lab. It is important to note that although I’m using VMware Workstation, the type 2 hypervisor you use here is fairly unimportant. You could just as well use VirtualBox, or Fusion for this purpose.

Download the latest uBuntu 16.04 LTS server ISO from: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/server (I believe 16.04 comes only in 64-bit, but make sure its 64-bit)

Create a new Virtual Machine for your Docker host using your type 2 hypervisor software (Workstation in my case).

Give the VM following hardware/spec:

  • OS – Linux/uBuntu 64bit
  • 1 or 2 vCPUs
  • 512 MB RAM
  • 9GB disk
  • 2 x vNICs (1st is set to the default NAT option and the 2nd should be set to Host-only)

Here is my VM’s setup:

vm-hardware-docker-host

Attach the uBuntu ISO and start the VM up.

Install a standard uBuntu OS using the text based installer, and just be sure to also install OpenSSH server when prompted for features to install. After the install completes, reboot, login with your user account you created during install, run ‘ifconfig’ to check the assigned IP address, and then use your favourite SSH client to connect to that IP. Using a PuTTy session will just make copy/pasting commands into your uBuntu VM easier.

Now you’ll install docker – the package includes both the docker server and client.

 

Run the commands above in sequence, and after the apt-get install docker-engine at the end, run ‘sudo service docker status’ to check that docker is running. You should see it listed as Active (running)

● docker.service – Docker Application Container Engine
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/docker.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Wed 2016-07-06 21:20:39 BST; 2h 0min ago

Run a quick ‘docker info’ command to ensure that you get information back from Docker and that everything looks OK.

docker-info

Ebook – VMware Workstation – No Experience Necessary

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A little while back I got involved with Packt Publishing to help with the publishing of a book called “VMware Workstation – No Experience Necessary”. I was helping in the capacity of a technical reviewer – this meant reading and reviewing each chapter and suggested changes or improvements where necessary whilst the book was in development.

The book has now been published, and you can grab yourself a copy / support the author (Sander van Vugt) over at the Packt website: Link to ebook. This is a great book if you are new to VMware Workstation, and being fairly short (around 100 pages), it reads well and is to the point. It contains information on every aspect of setting up Virtual Machines, their configuration, networking and other tasks such as snapshots and remote management using Workstation so it really does a great job of getting the beginner up to speed.

 

vmware_workstation_ebook_cover

It is also available on Amazon in Paperback and Kindle editions

Regarding the actual work involved, I was purely interested in the review process and thought it would be an interesting project to help with – none of the book sale proceeds come my way.