Run TFS with Docker

Question

I've been reading a lot about Docker and its uses. Currently we are using TFS for building and deploying our in house app (.net c#). Are there any benefits for transitioning to Docker? Meaning having it set up so that after TFS runs the build, it will deploy to a container?

Currently there is no easy way to run the build ourselves besides doing bunch of manual steps: How to: Build Team Projects on a Desktop.

• Can you run docker on Windows Server?
• Would we be able to setup our VMs with docker so that we can deploy/mimic deployment process locally (to our vms)?
• And have the same process set up for our production environment?

Sexcentenary

There is work done by Microsoft to get Docker natively onto Windows but currently it only runs inside a Virtualbox (or other Linux VM). I think bringing your TFS Build Pipelines onto Docker is a Major Step which you should only take if you have clear benefits (which I would doubt, as you have listed none). – Potto

There are a lot of great build and deployment management utilities out there, what is the exact problem you're trying to solve? Setting up automated builds and deployments? – Interoceptor

Something like dev/local deployments. Another would be easy transition to Linux if needed. Platform independence – Sexcentenary

Use the TFS build agent to automate your builds... – Upu

Answer 1

Yes, you can run docker on Windows Server, but it cannot run natively on Windows for now.

Because Docker relies on Linux-specific features, you can’t run Docker natively in Windows. Instead, you must install the Docker Toolbox application. The application installs a VirtualBox Virtual Machine (VM), Docker itself, and the Docker Toolbox management tool. These three things allow you to run Docker on Windows.

For the deployment with docker, refer to this link for details: http://www.colinsalmcorner.com/post/continuous-deployment-with-docker-and-build-vnext

Pinko

This answer is outdated.. You can run Docker desktop on windows, or if you want support plus some extra applications such as Docker Trusted Registry, you can purchase enterprise licence. – Gladsome

Answer 2

In the meanwhile Microsoft has released their Windows Container feature within Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10 Pro and up. One can start running container natively on Windows. Mind you, you can only run Windows-based container images. So this cannot be leveraged if you want to run Linux-based container images, which currently is still the majority. Unfortunately at this moment one cannot easily filter within Docker Hub on the desired container-base.

Refer to https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/windowscontainers/

Quidnunc