Can Docker Run on Solaris?

As of August 2023, Docker does not natively support Solaris as a host operating system. This is primarily due to the fact that Docker relies on Linux kernel features such as cgroups and namespaces, which are not directly supported by Solaris. Although some efforts have been made to run Docker on Solaris or use similar container technologies, these have not received official support or widespread adoption.

Common Alternatives

If your requirement is to use containerization on a Solaris system, you might consider using Solaris Zones, which is a native virtualization technology designed for Solaris. Alternatively, you could run Docker in a Linux virtual machine (VM) on a Solaris host, though this would not provide the same performance benefits as running Docker directly on a Linux system.

The Bottom Line

The simplest answer to the question is no. Docker primarily runs on Linux, and while you can run the Docker CLI on a Solaris machine to manage a Docker engine on other Linux systems, this is not an ideal solution for your project.

Alternatives to Docker on Solaris

Solaris Zones

Solaris has long had its own container implementation, first released in a stable form in 2005 with Solaris 10. This technology is now known as Solaris Zones. Solaris Zones allow for the creation of multiple private computing environments within a single instance of the OS through flexible software-defined boundaries. Each zone functions as a virtual operating system, isolated and secure from others.

There are two types of zones:

Global Zones: The global zone is the default OS and has control over all processes. It always exists even if no other zones have been configured. Non-Global Zones: These are configured inside the global zone and are isolated from the physical hardware by a virtual platform layer. Processes in non-global zones cannot detect the existence of other zones.

Building Blocks of Solaris Zones

Oracle Solaris Zones are built using the following technologies:

Solaris Resource Manager: It provides the ability to manage the consumption of different system resources, including processor time, virtual memory, process count, login control, and connect-time. Solaris Zones Partitioning Technology: This technology allows for hard partitioning of system resources, ensuring that a process can only access the resources assigned to it.

Final Thoughts

If you wish to start using Docker in your project, it is advisable to move to a supported operating system. Solaris is becoming less popular, as IBM has announced that they will no longer release many of their products for Solaris platforms in the future.