{code} Labs

stateful and persistent applications in containers... that work!

Welcome to the {code} Labs!

The {code} Labs were created to get quickly moving with our projects through automation tools like Vagrant. Our focus is containers, plain and simple. Our mission is creating the glue between your application and storage while making it as seamless and easy as possible.

The {code} Labs is structured in two parts. Before testing an application that requires persistence (like a database, analytic tools, content management platforms, service discovery tools, and more) you need an environment. Choose your environment and container orchestrator and then explore the options for deploying different types of applications.

Environment QuickStart

Quickly deploy an environment to begin application testing. Each has key pieces of technology that make them unique.

1. Persistent Applications with Docker and REX-Ray
   • This is a vagrant environment for testing persistent applications using REX-Ray and Docker. Follow guide to deploy a three node environment using Vagrant with one line. You have the choice of using Dell EMC ScaleIO or VirtualBox Media as your storage platform using a simple environment variable. The guide will show you how to create volumes and run your first persistent application.
2. A 3 Node Kubernetes Cluster with the Container Storage Interface Enabled
   • This vagrant environment will deploy a 3-node environment with a single Kubernetes Controller and 2 Nodes. By default, Dell EMC ScaleIO is installed on each node to provide data persistence. In addition, the Container Storage Interface (CSI) is enabled by default along with the ScaleIO CSI Plugin. The examples for deploying the CSI controller, StorageClass, and more can be found on the vg-kubernetes readme.
3. Persistence with your choice of Kubernetes, Docker Swarm, or Mesos with Marathon Using Vagrant with ScaleIO
   • This is the trifecta. Use the Vagrant file provided to create three (3) hosts with VirtualBox. Each host will have ScaleIO (a software that turns DAS storage into shared and scale-out block storage) installed and configured. Using a combination of defaults and environment variables, choose to install REX-Ray, Kubernetes, Docker Swarm, or Mesos with Marathon. This creates a fully configured environment ready to test stateful applications using the ScaleIO driver with multiple container orchestrators. If you've been looking for a simple way to test any container orchestrator, this is the lab for you.
4. Deploy VirtualBox with Docker Machine and Install REX-Ray
   • Use Docker Machine to deploy a VirtualBox host that is installed and configured with the latest and stable Docker Engine. Follow the directions to install REX-Ray using curl | sh and learn how to write a properly formatted configuration file. This environment will use the VirtualBox driver for REX-Ray to allow stateful applications to persist data. This is the perfect lab for any beginner looking to get started using REX-Ray and container persistence on your local machine.
5. 3-Node ScaleIO + 3-Node Apache Mesos Cluster with Marathon on AWS
   • Use an AWS Cloudformtion template to deploy two (2) clusters in AWS. The first cluster is a three (3) node ScaleIO environment which will be used by REX-Ray as the storage platform. A second cluster is a three (3) node Apache Mesos cluster fully configured with Marathon ready to accept requests for scheduling containers. Follow this with Application Demo #3
   • GO ADVANCED
     • Take it to the next level by exploring features of performing a custom ScaleIO configuration and installation. This process will take the existing Mesos Agent Nodes, add additional storage, and install all the SDS components to add more storage to the existing ScaleIO cluster based on your pool and domain configuration settings. Try it at the Custom ScaleIO Framework Deployment
6. Deploy a 3-Node Ceph Environment Using Vagrant
   • This Vagrant environment uses VirtualBox and Virtual Media as storage for Ceph to be consumed by REX-Ray along with Docker as the container runtime. This can be used as a quick way to get started working with Ceph and REX-Ray. The hosts will automatically install and configure Docker Engine with REX-Ray to provide a fully configured environment ready to test stateful applications.
7. Use REX-Ray as a Docker Plugin with AWS EBS Volumes
   • Use Docker Machine to deploy an AWS EC2 host that is installed and configured with the latest and stable Docker Engine. Follow the directions to install REX-Ray using the Docker Managed Plugin System. This environment will use AWS EC2 along with EBS driver for REX-Ray to allow stateful applications to persist data.
8. Install REX-Ray as a Plugin on Docker for AWS (Cloudformation) EXPERIMENTAL
   • Bring persistent volume functionality to Docker for AWS with REX-Ray. Customizing the Cloudformation template allows automated installations of REX-Ray to AWS AutoScaling Groups and access to EBS volumes.

Application Demo

Standalone Docker Container

1. Storage Persistence with Postgres using REX-Ray
   • Learn how to read a Dockerfile to know which paths need persistent data. Manually deploy a Docker Postgres container and create a few tables to write data. Destroy the container and start a new container on a different host to see the data persist.

Kubernetes

1. Create Secrets, Deployments, Storage Classes, and Stateful Sets to use Dynamic Provisioning with Kubernetes
   • Use the native integration of ScaleIO with Kubernetes to do everything from creating secrets and using StorageClasses to provision Dynamic Volumes with Deployments. On master node in the above vagrant environment, there is a folder called k8s-examples which contains all the files. required.

Docker Swarm

1. Storage Persistence and Failover with Minecraft using REX-Ray and Docker Swarm Mode
   • Take a set of nodes and cluster them together using Docker Swarm Mode which allows distributed computing, reconciliation of failed hosts, and extended networking functionality. Play a game of Minecraft to create an inventory of data to persist. Turn off the Docker service to watch Docker Swarm Mode along with REX-Ray redeploy the container on a new host to keep inventory intact.

Mesos

1. Storage Persistence with Postgres using Mesos, Marathon, Docker, and REX-Ray
   • Use the supplied application spec for Marathon to deploy a Postgres service to Mesos. Use the restart button to redeploy the Postgres service on a new host and see the data persist.

Video

1. REX-Ray with Docker 1.13 Managed Plugins
2. Finally! An Open Solution to Solve for Persistent Storage - @DockerCon 2017
3. Make Stateful Applications Highly Available w/ Docker Swarm Mode (and Docker plugins!) - @DockerCon 2017
4. REX-Ray and Modern Data Persistence - Q3 2016
5. ScaleIO Framework for Apache Mesos

Guidelines for Contributing a Demo

1. Create a new folder with the title of your demo
2. Add all relevant code and step-by-step instructions for completing the demo
3. Remember that these are quick "demos" and not "tutorials"
4. Create a README.md file for each demo to display on GitHub that lays out the instructions for completing your demo from start to finish.
5. Screenshots are encouraged.

Contribution Rules

Create a fork of the project into your own repository. Make all your necessary changes and create a pull request with a description on what was added or removed and details explaining the changes in lines of code. If approved, project owners will merge it.

Support

Please file bugs and issues on the GitHub issues page for this project. This is to help keep track and document everything related to this repo. For general discussions and further support you can join the {code} Community slack channel. The code and documentation are released with no warranties or SLAs and are intended to be supported through a community driven process.