5 things you should know about Docker Trusted Registry
Docker containers seem to be everywhere at this point. In the wake of DockerCon and the launch of the Open Container Project it’s likely there will be an explosion of new container technologies and a spike in Docker containers specifically. Docker also announced the availability of Docker Trusted Registry version 1.1 at DockerCon.
The Docker Hub is a cloud-based service that allows for Docker containers to be distributed and managed, and also facilitates collaboration and lifecycle automation…but it’s public. Docker Trusted Registry (DTR) provides similar capabilities, but in a secure, on-premise solution that lets you keep your containers separate from the rest of the world.
With version 2 of the Docker Registry as its foundation, DTR is designed to streamline your container build pipeline, effectively manage container deployment, and provide a consistent, high-performance test environment. That’s a lot of buzzwords and marketing hype, so let’s take a look at what you really need to know about Docker Trusted Registry.
1. Image repository
Once you get into the swing of things with containers you might find you have a lot of them. Where do you store them so that other developers can access and leverage the existing containers? Docker Trusted Registry gives you someplace to store, manage, and collaborate on Docker container images.
2. Storage drivers
Organizations can configure the storage backend for DTR. DTR can store images using a local filesystem or in a cloud service like S3 or Azure. You can add or customize storage drivers through the Docker Registry storage driver API.
3. Customizable configuration
DTR can be installed in the cloud or on-premise on a physical or virtual system. Deploying it internally enables you to store and manage your Docker images inside the safety of your firewall. DTR integrates with Active Director or LDAP for user authentication and provides role-based access control.
4. Simple upgrades
Docker designed DTR to be easy to install in the first place. More importantly, though, installing patches and updates is handled in a way that doesn’t disrupt service. You can keep DTR up to date without having to take the service down constantly.
5. Logging and metrics
The System Health tab of DTR gives you an at-a-glance view of hardware and network resource utilization. You can analyze things like CPU and RAM consumption for the DTR host and its container services. If you add a filesystem storage drive you can also see the amount of storage space used and how much remaining storage capacity is available. DTR collects error and crash logs and you can generate a variety of reports.
Docker Trusted Registry is available as a bundle that includes Docker Engine and commercial support. DTR can be purchased directly from Docker, or from partners like Microsoft or Amazon Web Services. You can sign up for a 30-day trial of Docker Subscription for Server.
