Docker at Microsoft Build 2017

Build is Microsoft’s premier developer event, run annually. This year, Docker and containers were everywhere, starting with a dedicated container pre-day, then with constant traffic to the Docker booth, and many shared container success stories.

Container Fest Pre-Day

Build is usually a three-day event, but this year saw the very first pre-day – run jointly by Docker and Microsoft. “Container Fest” was a whole-day event focused on containers and Docker, running on Windows and Linux, on-premises and in Azure.

There were 12 sessions throughout the day, presented by engineers and architects from Microsoft and Docker, Inc. They covered everything from the internals of Docker on Windows Server, through modernizing .NET Framework apps with Docker, to the options for running Docker containers on Azure.

A popular first step for modernizing traditional Windows applications is to use Image2Docker, which we demonstrated at the event. Image2Docker can extract existing applications from Windows machines into Dockerfiles, so you can automate the conversion of your app landscape to Docker. You can see Image2Docker in action from our session at DockerCon:

Over 300 people were at the Container Fest pre-day, and when the sessions had finished, they stayed on to run through the Hands-On Labs from DockerCon. Just like at DockerCon, we provisioned virtual machines in Azure for attendees to use for working through the labs, and the experts were available for help and advice.

The DockerCon 2017 labs cover a range of topics, including orchestration and networking, Docker Enterprise Edition and Docker Cloud, and running Docker containers on Windows. The labs are open source on GitHub now, as part of the main Docker labs repo. If you’re looking to get started with Docker on Windows, these labs give you a great roadmap:

• Windows 101 – learn the basics of Docker and Windows containers
• Modernize .NET Apps, for Ops – see how to package an ASP.NET app as a Docker image
• Modernize .NET Apps, for Devs – modernize an ASP.NET by breaking features out into Docker containers
• SQL Server – learn how to run SQL Server in Docker containers and package up a custom database schema into a Docker image

Partner Hub

Hundreds of attendees dropped into the Docker booth in the MS Build Conference Hub expo area to ask for help and advice, tell us about their Docker journey, or just to say Hi. The level of Docker experience was everything from complete beginners to folks running production workloads on Docker Enterprise Edition.

We had some videos running on loop, which people found very useful – and these are on YouTube so you can check them out yourself. To start, there’s the Docker on Windows 101, which introduces you to how containers work on Windows:

And for the journey into production, we have a tour around Docker Datacenter, the Containers-as-a-Service (CaaS) platform available with Docker Enterprise Edition standard and advanced. 

The crack team from Docker were kept busy through the whole event, had a great time, and are thoroughly looking forward to next year.

Learn More

• Try out the DockerCon 2017 Hands-On Labs for yourself
• Get the Modernize Traditional Apps kit to plan your MTA program with Docker
• Scott Guthrie from Microsoft is on a European tour – Docker will be joining in Amsterdam, London and Dublin
• Try out Image2Docker for Windows and Image2Docker for Linux
• Learn more about Docker and Microsoft together