Microsoft and Docker have announced a strategic partnership to provide Docker with support for new container technologies that will be delivered in a future release of Windows Server.
Developers and organisations that want to create container applications using Docker will be able to use either Windows Server or Linux with the same growing Docker ecosystem of users, applications and tools.
Today’s business climate requires higher levels of innovation than before, and distributed applications that support open portability are at the forefront of this demand. Docker is addressing this need, driving developer productivity and agility through a containerisation approach that moves application code changes from development to production in minutes, enabling real-time change.
“The strength of Windows Server in the enterprise makes its inclusion into the Docker project a watershed event for the Docker community and ecosystem,” says Solomon Hykes, chief technology officer, founder and chief maintainer of Docker. “Creating a common approach and user interface for containerisation and distributed applications will catalyse a new wave of applications that will be transformative across all organisations.”
“We recognize the importance of providing flexibility to our customers as they look to innovate in this mobile-first, cloud-first world,” says Scott Guthrie, executive vice-president of Cloud & Enterprise at Microsoft. “To deliver this flexibility, we are already providing first-class support for Docker and Linux on our rapidly growing cloud platform, Microsoft Azure. Our partnership with Docker further deepens our commitment to help create an open platform powered by choice, bringing together Windows Server and Linux to drive application innovation.”
Together, Microsoft and Docker will enable developers to create new business scenarios that allow Microsoft’s server and cloud platform customers to benefit from the best work of the Docker open source community. Key components of the partnership include the following:
* Docker Engine, the open source runtime that builds, runs and orchestrates containers, will work with the next release of Windows Server. In addition, Docker Engine images for Windows Server will be available in the community-driven Docker Hub, where more than 45,000 Docker applications are currently shared across developer communities. This will help drive greater developer agility by making available some of the best images for Windows Server and Linux.
* Docker Hub will also be integrated into Microsoft Azure directly through the Azure Management Portal and Azure Gallery. This will allow Microsoft’s vast ecosystem of ISVs and cloud developers to have access to some of the best work of Docker’s community to drive rapid innovation on both Windows Server and Linux.
* Microsoft has also announced its contribution to Docker’s open orchestration APIs, ensuring portability for multicontainer applications. For the first time, developers will be able to directly work with a preconfigured Docker Engine in Azure to create a multicontainer Dockerized application.
* The Docker Engine for Windows Server will be developed under the aegis of the Docker open source project, where Microsoft plans to participate as an active community member.
“The power of Azure and Windows Server leveraging the Docker platform redefines what enterprises should expect and demand from their cloud,” says Ben Golub, CEO of Docker. “Together, we will provide a framework for building multiplatform distributed applications that can be created with exceptional velocity and deployed and scaled globally.”
