News

Docker Containers Get Extended by Microsoft

Microsoft demos a container app that works on both Linux and Windows.

• By Jeffrey Schwartz
• 06/24/2015

Microsoft has gone all in when it comes to containers, and has tightened up its partnership with the industry leader in the space, Docker. That partnership got even deeper with a new demonstration that further pushes the boundaries of what containers can do.

On the heels of joining the Docker-driven Open Container Project this week, Microsoft Azure CTO Mark Russinovich gave a keynote address at the annual DockerCon conference in San Francisco, demonstrating a key milestone toward building apps that can run on multiple server operating systems.

Russinovich demonstrated what Microsoft claims is the first ever multiplatform container application. "Built, shipped and running using Docker, this container application is the first in the industry to work across both Windows Server and Linux," said Corey Sanders, Microsoft's director for Azure product management, in a blog post. "We want to bring you broad choice and flexibility for building your apps, combining Windows Server and Linux containers with Docker Compose and Docker Swarm, to offer a truly cross-platform experience."

Also demonstrated for the first time was how developers and IT pros can use Microsoft's Azure Marketplace to select and deploy single or multicontainer apps that are sourced from a Docker Hub Image using the Docker Compose developer interface, Sanders noted.

Microsoft also showcased its support for the new Docker Trusted Registry VM image, an on-premises authentication repository launched by Docker this week. The Docker Trusted Registry VM image, also added to the Azure Marketplace, runs on premises where customers can store and share Docker container images.

Along with Microsoft, Amazon Web Services and IBM also are offering the Registry, with costs starting at $150 per month. Docker describes it as a highly available registry that offers integration with Active Directory, LDAP directories and other authentication platforms, and offers role-based access control and audit logs for organizations looking to manage authorization or with compliance requirements.