Tech Tutorial: 352.2 LXC (weight: 6) #
Introduction #
Linux Containers (LXC) are a lightweight virtualization technology. They run multiple, isolated Linux systems (containers) on a single Linux control host. LXC combines the kernel’s cgroups and support for isolated namespaces to provide an isolated environment for applications. Understanding LXC is essential for system administrators looking to improve the density and efficiency of their environments.
In this tutorial, we’ll cover the key knowledge areas required for managing LXC, including the creation, management, and maintenance of Linux containers.
Key Knowledge Areas #
- LXC installation and configuration
- Basic LXC administration
- Networking for LXC
- Storage for LXC
- Cgroups
Utilities: #
- lxc-create
- lxc-start
- lxc-stop
- lxc-destroy
- lxc-ls
- lxc-info
- lxc-attach
- lxc-console
Step-by-Step Guide #
Setting Up Your Environment #
Before diving into the creation and management of containers, you must install LXC on your system. We’ll use Ubuntu as the host operating system for this tutorial.
sudo apt update
sudo apt install lxc lxc-templates
Verify Installation #
Check if LXC is installed properly by checking its version:
lxc --version
Creating a Container #
To create a new container using one of the available templates (e.g., Ubuntu):
sudo lxc-create -n mycontainer -t ubuntu
Here, -n
specifies the name of the container, and -t
specifies the template.
Starting the Container #
To start the container:
sudo lxc-start -n mycontainer
Listing Containers #
To list all containers:
sudo lxc-ls --fancy
This command provides detailed status of each container.
Container Information #
To get detailed information about a specific container:
sudo lxc-info -n mycontainer
Stopping a Container #
To stop a running container:
sudo lxc-stop -n mycontainer
Attaching to a Container #
To attach to a container’s console:
sudo lxc-attach -n mycontainer
Accessing Container Console #
To access the console of a container:
sudo lxc-console -n mycontainer
To exit the console, use the shortcut Ctrl+A Q
.
Destroying a Container #
To completely remove a container:
sudo lxc-destroy -n mycontainer
Managing Container Networking #
LXC allows various networking setups. Here’s how to set up a bridged network which allows the container to connect through the host’s network:
Install bridge utilities:
sudo apt install bridge-utils
Configure a bridge in
/etc/network/interfaces
:auto br0 iface br0 inet dhcp bridge_ports eth0
Restart the network service:
sudo service networking restart
Configure the container’s network by editing the config at
/var/lib/lxc/mycontainer/config
:lxc.network.type = veth lxc.network.link = br0 lxc.network.flags = up lxc.network.hwaddr = 00:16:3e:xx:xx:xx
Managing Storage #
LXC supports various storage backends. To set up a separate storage for a container using LVM:
Create a logical volume:
sudo lvcreate -n mycontainer-root -L 10G vg0
Attach the volume to the container by adding the following to the container’s config:
lxc.rootfs = /dev/vg0/mycontainer-root lxc.rootfs.backend = lvm
Conclusion #
In this tutorial, we’ve covered how to install, configure, and manage Linux Containers using LXC. By following the steps outlined, you can effectively create, manage, and destroy containers, set up networking, and manage storage for your containers. This setup enhances the deployment of isolated and secure application environments within a single host, leveraging the lightweight and fast nature of LXC.
Understanding and using LXC effectively can significantly optimize resource utilization and operational efficiency in many IT environments, particularly those requiring rapid provisioning and scalable solutions.