Building and Managing a Private Docker Registry

Introduction

Setting up a private Docker registry on ServerStadium’s infrastructure (VM Pricing, Dedicated Servers) offers control over Docker image distribution and security, which is crucial for sensitive or proprietary projects.

Prerequisites

• A ServerStadium VM or dedicated server (VM Pricing, Dedicated Servers)
• Basic knowledge of Docker and Linux server administration.
• Docker installed on your server.

Step 1: Set Up Your ServerStadium Server

1. Choose a Server: Opt for a ServerStadium server that meets the storage requirements for your Docker images.
2. Server Preparation:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt upgrade

Step 2: Install Docker

1. Install Docker:

   If Docker is not already installed, install it:

   sudo apt install docker.io

Step 3: Deploy the Docker Registry

1. Run Docker Registry Container:

   Deploy the official Docker registry as a container:

   sudo docker run -d -p 5000:5000 –restart=always –name registry registry:2

   This command starts a Docker registry listening on port 5000.

Step 4: Secure Your Registry

1. Implement SSL/TLS:

   For production environments, configure SSL/TLS to secure your registry:

   • Place your SSL certificate and key in a directory (e.g., /certs).
   • Rerun the registry container with SSL enabled:

     sudo docker run -d -p 5000:5000 –restart=always –name registry
     -v /certs:/certs -e REGISTRY_HTTP_TLS_CERTIFICATE=/certs/domain.crt
     -e REGISTRY_HTTP_TLS_KEY=/certs/domain.key registry:2

2. Set Up Basic Authentication (Optional):
   • Use htpasswd to create a password file.
   • Restart the registry container with the -v flag to mount the auth directory.

Step 5: Manage and Use Your Registry

1. Push and Pull Images:
   • Tag your Docker images with your registry’s address and port.
   • Push images using docker push and pull images using docker pull.
2. Registry Maintenance:

   Regularly monitor and back up your registry data. Implement automated cleanup scripts if necessary.

Conclusion

Your private Docker registry on ServerStadium is now operational, offering a secure and efficient way to manage Docker images. For additional support or advanced configurations like registry clustering and storage backends, visit our knowledge base or contact our support team.