Running a Docker in Docker (DinD) on Alibaba Cloud

Running Docker inside Docker can be helpful for CI/CD pipelines, testing environments, and container orchestration. We will also see what changes need to be added in configurations with respect to security and resource limitations.

We can run DinD on ECS as well as on ACK, we will see both the methods completely.

1: Create an ECS Instance:

● Choose an appropriate region and zone.

● Select an instance type (ensure it has enough resources for your needs).

● Choose an operating system (Ubuntu or CentOS is recommended).

● Configure security group settings to allow SSH access (port 22).

● Launch the instance.

2: Connect to Your ECS Instance

SSH into Your Instance:

-    ssh root@<your-ecs-instance-ip>

3: Install Docker

Update the Package Index:

-    sudo apt-get update

Install Docker: For Ubuntu:

-    sudo apt-get install -y docker.io

Start Docker:

sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

Verify Docker Installation:

docker --version

4: Run Docker in Docker

Run a Docker Container with DinD: You can run a Docker container that has Docker installed. Use the following command:

docker run --privileged --name dind -d docker:latest

The --privileged flag is necessary for DinD to work properly.

Access the DinD Container:

docker exec -it dind sh

Inside the DinD Container: You can now run Docker commands inside the container. For example:

docker run hello-world

Step 5: Configure Networking (Optional)

If you need to access the Docker containers running inside the DinD container from outside, you may need to configure networking settings accordingly.

Let’s do this on Kubernetes Services now.

1. Create an ACK Cluster:

● Log in to the Alibaba Cloud Console.

● Navigate to the Container Service for Kubernetes.

● Click on Create Cluster.

● Choose the appropriate configuration (region, cluster type, etc.).

● Select the instance type and number of nodes based on your requirements.

● Configure networking and other settings as needed.

● Click Create to launch the cluster.

2. Install kubectl:

● Install kubectl on your local machine to manage the Kubernetes cluster.

● Follow the official Kubernetes documentation for installation instructions.

3. Configure kubectl:

● After creating the cluster, download the kubeconfig file from the Alibaba Cloud console.

● Set up your local kubectl to use this configuration:

export KUBECONFIG=path/to/your/kubeconfig

4. Deploy Docker in Docker:

● Create a Kubernetes deployment YAML file (e.g., dind-deployment.yaml):

apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: dind
spec:
  replicas: 1
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: dind
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: dind
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: dind
        image: docker:latest
        securityContext:
          privileged: true
        command: ["dockerd-entrypoint.sh"]
        args: ["--host=unix:///var/run/docker.sock"]
        volumeMounts:
        - name: docker-sock
          mountPath: /var/run/docker.sock
      volumes:
      - name: docker-sock
        emptyDir: {}

Apply the Deployment:

kubectl apply -f dind-deployment.yaml

Access the DinD Pod:

● Get the pod name:

kubectl get pods

● Access the pod:

kubectl exec -it <pod-name> -- sh

5. Run Docker Commands: Inside the pod, you can now run Docker commands.

Some of the best tools to monitor your docker containers are:

● CloudMonitor
● Middleware
● Promethus
● Grafana
● Uptrace

Disclaimer: The views expressed herein are for reference only and don't necessarily represent the official views of Alibaba Cloud.

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Running a Docker in Docker (DinD) on Alibaba Cloud

1: Create an ECS Instance:

2: Connect to Your ECS Instance

3: Install Docker

4: Run Docker in Docker

Step 5: Configure Networking (Optional)

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