KVM and Docker LXC Benchmarking with OpenStack

Forward

Linux containers (LXCs) are rapidly becoming the new "unit of deployment" changing how we develop, package, deploy and manage applications at all scales (from test / dev to production service ready environments). This application life cycle transformation also enables fluidity to once frictional use cases in a traditional hypervisor Virtual Machine (VM) environment. For example, developing applications in virtual environments and seamlessly "migrating" to bare metal for production. Not only do containers simplify the workflow and life cycle of application development / deployment, but they also provide performance and density benefits which cannot be overlooked.

Docker (LXC) Enabled Images In SoftLayer

Forward

Anyone that's worked with me in the past 6-9 months knows that docker and Linux Containers (LXC) are near and dear to my heart. I firmly believe these technologies are poised to change our modern Cloud era and in fact I'd assert we're already beginning to see that change solidify now. There are numerous public resources which discuss the benefits of LXC as a "virtualization technology", but let's quickly recap some of those before going further. In particular let's focus on LXC from a docker perspective.

Linux Containers - Building Blocks, Underpinnings and Motivations

I firmly believe Linux Containers (LXC) are poised to be the next Virtual Machine in our modern computing era. Consider:

• Linux Containers run at near bare metal speeds.
• LXC operations (start, stop, spawn) execute very quickly (seconds or milliseconds).
• Containers provide nearly the same agility as traditional VMs.
• They can be deployed with very little per container (VM) penalty.
• Linux Containers are lightweight -- they can virtualize a system (Operating System) or one or more applications.
• LXC can be realized with features provided by a modern Linux kernel.

More details on how containers are realized and some of their benefits can be found in my slide share presentation embedded below.

Realizing Linux Containers (LXC) from Boden Russell

I will be speaking about Linux Containers at the 2014 cloudexpo east conference in NYC -- I hope you can join me to talk LXC. Please contact me for free access to the conference.