Docker add network drive as volume on windows

Introduction

When working with Docker on Windows, it is possible to use network drives as volumes. This allows you to store data on a network drive and access it from within a Docker container. This can be useful in situations where you need to share data between containers, or between the host and the container. With network drive as volume, you can easily store, manage and backup your data in a centralized location and use it with multiple Docker containers. In this article, we will explore the process of adding network drives as volumes in Docker on Windows, and the different options available to do so. We will also go over the prerequisites and best practices to ensure the process runs smoothly and securely.

Prerequisites

Here are some of the prerequisites that need to be met before adding network drives as volumes in Docker on Windows −

• Network Drive − A network drive should be set up and accessible from the Windows host machine.

• Docker for Windows − Docker for Windows should be installed and running on the host machine.

• Access to the network drive − The user account that runs Docker should have the appropriate permissions to access the network drive.

• Firewall − Windows Firewall or any other firewall should allow access to the network drive.

• File sharing − File sharing should be enabled on the network drive.

• Drive letter − If a drive letter is used to access the network drive, it should be free and available on the host machine.

• IP Address − If an IP address is used to access the network drive, it should be reachable from the host machine.

It is important to note that meeting these prerequisites will ensure that the network drive is properly configured and accessible from both the host and the container, and that the volume mounting process runs smoothly.

Adding Network Drives as Volumes in Docker on Windows

On Windows, the correct syntax for mounting a network drive as a volume in a Docker container is slightly different.

Instead of using the -v flag, you can use the --mount flag with the type=bind option, along with the source and target options to specify the network drive and the path within the container, respectively.

docker run -it --mount
type=bind,source=//host/network/drive,target=/container/path <image>

Alternatively, you can use the --mount flag with the type=volume option and specify the network drive as the volume name and the path within the container as the mount point.

docker run -it --mount type=volume,source=myvol,target=/container/path -v
//host/network/drive:/container/path:ro <image>

You can also use docker-compose with the volumes configuration option,

version: '3'
services:
   myservice:
      image: <image>
      volumes:
         - type: bind
           source: //host/network/drive
           target: /container/path

Best Practices and Alternatives

When adding network drives as volumes in Docker on Windows, it's important to keep in mind that the network drive should be accessible from the host and the container. This can be achieved by making sure that the network drive is properly configured and accessible from both the host and the container. Additionally, it's a good practice to test the containerization process before deploying to production, to ensure that the network drive is properly mounted and accessible from the container.

Here are a few more alternatives for mounting a network drive as a volume in a Docker container on Windows −

• Use a named volume − Instead of specifying the network drive as a source, you can create a named volume and then mount it in the container.

docker volume create --name myvol --opt type=none --opt device=//host/network/drive --opt o=bind 
docker run -it --mount source=myvol,target=/container/path <image> 

• Use a SMB mount − You can use the docker-smb-volume-plugin to mount SMB shares as volumes in your container. This plugin allows you to use the -v flag in the docker run command and specify the network drive as the source, just like in Linux.

docker run -it -v smb://host/network/drive:/container/path <image> 

• Use a network share in Dockerfile − You can use a RUN command to mount a network share in your container using the net use command in the Dockerfile, this way the share will be available for the container to access it.

RUN net use Z: \host
etwork\drive /user:username password 

It's important to consider the security and performance implications of each alternative, and choose the one that best suits your use case.

Conclusion

In this article, we have explored the process of adding network drives as volumes in Docker on Windows. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can ensure that your network drives are properly configured and accessible from within a Docker container. This can be useful in situations where you need to share data between containers or between the host and the container. Remember to test your configuration on your development environment before deploying to production.