Windows Docker - First Run a Container

We’ve installed the WIM for the Container base Image, then we can see it from:

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Get-ContainerImage

Here, we will do following:

• Use “WindowsServerCore” base Image to create a Container
• Start the Container
• Enter into the Container
• Read some basic information
• Make changes on folder and files
• Mark around with Registry
• Windows feature install or removal
• Exit from the Container
• Stop the Container
• Start it again
• Check values
• Stop and remove

There was something stupid I did for this Lab: I deleted system files, a lot…. and trying to install Windows Feature IIS and didn’t get successful. So I have to use a new Container to do the demo, that’s why you can see the Container ID is different from previous pic. So please be careful when you are trying delete system files. :)

Hopefully this will give you an idea about what container is and why do we need it…

• We are creating a new Container by using the Container base Image:

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#Get the Container Image
$containerImage = Get-ContainerImage -Name WindowsServerCore
#Create the Container
$testContainer = New-Container -Name testContainer -ContainerImage $containerImage

• Check the Container’s state

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Get-Container

• Start the Container

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Start-Container -Container $testContainer

• Check the Container’s state again

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Get-Container

• Enter into the Container with default user

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Enter-PSSession -ContainerId $testContainer.ContainerId
#find out current running user
whoami

• Enter as Admin

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Enter-PSSession -ContainerId $testContainer.ContainerId -RunAsAdministrator
#find out current running user
whoami

• Get some basic information inside and outside of this Container (Do compare)

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#Get the Container’s Computername
$env:computername
#Get the Container Host’s Computername <- Don’t know if this is a bug for now
[System.Net.Dns]::GetHostName()
#Get PS Information
$PSVersionTable
#Get Windows Feature status for Web Server
Get-WindowsFeature “Web-Server”
#Get PS Drive Providers
Get-PSDrive
#Get Network information
ipconfig

Running inside of the container: Running out of the container:

• Simply delete some random files… or make some random folders in C:

You will find the file system is totally seperated between host and container

• Delete heaps things in HKLM:\Software:

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rm HKLM:\SOFTWARE -Recurse -Force

Same as above, the registry is totally seperated as well

• Install IIS feature in Container

• Exit Container -> Exit

• Stop Container

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Stop-Container $testContainer

• Start Container again, Check the value

• Remove Container

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Stop-Container $testContainer
Remove-Container $testContainer -Confirm: $false -Force
Get-Container

This is the basic operation for Container in Windows. As you can see, it’s a application level virtualisation technology. Next time, I’ll do some basic performance test to show how quickly we can bring up an application. :)