Docker Manager for Standalone FarCry Install

feature spec
1

While we’ve had considerable success with Java PaaS like CloudBees for the hassle free installation and hosting of standalone FarCry installs, I haven’t seen something quite as elegant as the Discourse Docker Manager used for this forum.

Once installed the Docker Manager not only handles updates to the underlying codebase but also the underlying infrastructure. For example, updates to the Postgres database, Rails Unicorn server, Redit and other services.

Docker Manager home page; access for admins only. Checks current status of Manager, the forum software itself and installed plugins. If you need to update the manager, all other updates are blocked.

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System Processes. You can get a live view on the installation processes at any time.

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Upgrade docker_manager in progress. The upgrade process happens in the background and doesn’t affect the live site until its time to restart. Handy red reset button if it all goes to shit.

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docker_manager upgraded.

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discourse ready to upgrade. Now that the docker_manager is up to date, other upgrade options are open.

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Upgrade Discourse forum.

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discourse upgraded.

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Pipedream

FarCry docker install that runs:

  • Tomcat 7
  • Railo 4.2
  • NGINX or Apache
  • FarCry 7.0 (p700)
  • mySQL database
  • Memcache server

Docker crash course for the uninitiated.

2

Docker seems interesting. I haven’t used it. Instead I use Vagrant w/ Chef. There are already chef cookbooks for thingsn like apache, mysql, etc. I believe there are even cookbooks for Railo, but even if not it is very simple to create one that would install Railo. Using Vagrant for my dev environments has been great for me. Much easier to replicate my client’s environments, since they all run Windows and I’m on Mac.

3

Docker is another form of virtualisation; think of it like a new, lean, operating system. In that sense you would use Vagrant with Docker not instead of Docker:

http://modius.io/blog/use-vagrant-with-docker

You can even use Docker with the provisioning service of choice, for example, Chef :smile:

4

All we seem to talk about these days at Daemon is DevOps. We use Vagrant for many of our clients too. We’re going to release a sample Vagrantfile and provisioning (using Ansible) for Chelsea Boots. It’s not ready yet but the stub for the Railo install is here:

5

I look forward to checking it out.