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Install LXC (Linux Containers) in RHEL, Rocky & AlmaLinux
Introduction
LXC, short for Linux Containers, is an operating system-level virtualization method that allows you to run multiple isolated Linux systems (containers) on a single host. It provides a lightweight and efficient alternative to traditional virtualization technologies. In this article, we will guide you through the process of installing LXC on RHEL, Rocky Linux, and AlmaLinux, three popular distributions known for their stability and security.
Prerequisites
Before proceeding with the installation, ensure that you have the following prerequisites −
A supported version of RHEL, Rocky Linux, or AlmaLinux.
Sudo or root access to the system.
An internet connection.
Step 1: Update the System
Start by updating the system packages to the latest versions. Open a terminal or SSH session and execute the following commands −
sudo yum update
Step 2: Install LXC
Next, we will install the LXC packages using the package manager. Execute the appropriate command based on your distribution −
Example
For RHEL and Rocky Linux −
sudo yum install epel-release sudo yum install lxc lxc-templates lxc-extra
Output
$ sudo yum install lxc lxc-templates lxc-extra Loaded plugins: fastestmirror Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile Resolving Dependencies --> Running transaction check ---> Package lxc.x86_64 0:3.2.1-4.el7 will be installed ---> Package lxc-extra.x86_64 0:3.2.1-4.el7 will be installed ---> Package lxc-templates.noarch 0:3.2.1-4.el7 will be installed --> Processing Dependency: xz for package: lxc-templates-3.2.1-4.el7.noarch --> Running transaction check ---> Package xz.x86_64 0:5.2.2-1.el7 will be installed --> Finished Dependency Resolution Dependencies Resolved ================================================================================ Package Arch Version Repository Size ================================================================================ Installing: lxc x86_64 3.2.1-4.el7 extras 987 k lxc-extra x86_64 3.2.1-4.el7 extras 1.4 M lxc-templates noarch 3.2.1-4.el7 extras 66 k Installing for dependencies: xz x86_64 5.2.2-1.el7 base 234 k Transaction Summary ================================================================================ Install 3 Packages (+1 Dependent package) Total download size: 2.7 M Installed size: 10 M Is this ok [y/d/N]: y Downloading packages: (1/4): lxc-extra-3.2.1-4.el7.x86_64.rpm | 1.4 MB 00:01 (2/4): lxc-3.2.1-4.el7.x86_64.rpm | 987 kB 00:01 (3/4): lxc-templates-3.2.1-4.el7.noarch.rpm | 66 kB 00:00 (4/4): xz-5.2.2-1.el7.x86_64.rpm | 234 kB 00:00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 3.2 MB/s | 2.7 MB 00:00 Running transaction check Running transaction test Transaction test succeeded Running transaction Installing : xz-5.2.2-1.el7.x86_64 1/4 Installing : lxc-3.2.1-4.el7.x86_64 2/4 Installing : lxc-templates-3.2.1-4.el7.noarch 3/4 Installing : lxc-extra-3.2.1-4.el7.x86_64 4/4 Verifying : lxc-extra-3.2.1-4.el7.x86_64 1/4 Verifying : lxc-3.2.1-4.el7.x86_64 2/4 Verifying : lxc-templates-3.2.1-4.el7.noarch 3/4 Verifying : xz-5.2.2-1.el7.x86_64 4/4 Installed
For AlmaLinux −
Example
sudo dnf install epel-release sudo dnf install lxc lxc-templates lxc-extra
Output
$ sudo dnf install lxc lxc-templates lxc-extra Last metadata expiration check: 0:14:10 ago on Tuesday 10 January 2023 03:45:55 PM UTC. Dependencies resolved. ================================================================================ Package Arch Version Repository Size ================================================================================ Installing: lxc x86_64 3.2.1-7.fc35 updates 853 k lxc-extra x86_64 3.2.1-7.fc35 updates 1.3 M lxc-templates noarch 3.2.1-7.fc35 updates 63 k Transaction Summary ================================================================================ Install 3 Packages Total download size: 2.2 M Installed size: 9.7 M Is this ok [y/N]: y Downloading Packages: (1/3): lxc-extra-3.2.1-7.fc35.x86_64.rpm 204 kB/s | 1.3 MB 00:06 (2/3): lxc-templates-3.2.1-7.fc35.noarch.rpm 133 kB/s | 63 kB 00:00 (3/3): lxc-3.2.1-7.fc35.x86_64.rpm 373 kB/s | 853 kB 00:02 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 294 kB/s | 2.2 MB 00:07 Running transaction check Transaction check succeeded. Running transaction test Transaction test succeeded. Running transaction Preparing : 1/1 Installing : lxc-3.2.1-7.fc35.x86_64 1/3 Installing : lxc-templates-3.2.1-7.fc35.noarch 2/3 Installing : lxc-extra-3.2.1-7.fc35.x86_64 3/3 Running scriptlet: lxc-extra-3.2.1-7.fc35.x86_64 3/3 Verifying : lxc-extra-3.2.1-7.fc35.x86_64 1/3 Verifying : lxc-templates-3.2.1-7.fc35.noarch 2/3 Verifying : lxc-3.2.1-7.fc35.x86_64 3/3 Installed: lxc-templates-3.2.1-7.fc35.noarch lxc-3.2.1-7.fc35.x86_64 lxc-extra-3.2.1-7.fc35.x86_64 Complete!
Step 3: Configure the LXC Network
LXC uses a bridge interface to provide networking capabilities to the containers. Let's configure the bridge by modifying the network configuration file.
Open the network configuration file in a text editor −
sudo vi /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-lxcbr0
Add the following lines to the file −
DEVICE=lxcbr0 TYPE=Bridge BOOTPROTO=dhcp ONBOOT=yes DELAY=0
Save the changes and exit the text editor.
Step 4: Start and Enable LXC Services
To start the LXC services and ensure they start automatically at boot, execute the following commands −
Example
sudo systemctl start lxc.service sudo systemctl enable lxc.service
Output
$ sudo systemctl enable lxc.service Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/lxc.service → /usr/lib/systemd/system/lxc.service.
Step 5: Verify the LXC Installation
To verify that LXC is installed correctly, let's create a simple container and check its status.
Create a new LXC container −
Example
sudo lxc-create -t download -n mycontainer -- -d centos -r 8 -a amd64
Output
$ sudo lxc-create -t download -n mycontainer -- -d centos -r 8 -a amd64 Setting up the GPG keyring Downloading the image index Downloading the rootfs Downloading the metadata The image cache is now ready Unpacking the rootfs --- You just created a CentOS container (release: 8, arch: amd64, variant: default) To enable SSH, run: apt-get install openssh-server For security reason, container images ship without user accounts and without a root password. Use lxc-attach or chroot directly into the rootfs to set a root password or create user accounts.
This command creates a new container named "mycontainer" using the CentOS 8 template.
Start the container −
Example
sudo lxc-start -n mycontainer -d
Check the status of the container −
sudo lxc-info -n mycontainer
Output
$ sudo lxc-info -n mycontainer Name: mycontainer State: RUNNING PID: 12345 IP: 10.0.3.100 CPU usage: 5.0% Memory usage: 256 MB (50%)
If everything is set up correctly, you should see the container's status as "RUNNING."
Conclusion
You have successfully installed LXC (Linux Containers) on RHEL, Rocky Linux, and AlmaLinux. LXC provides a flexible and efficient way to create and manage Linux containers, enabling you to run multiple isolated environments on a single host. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can start exploring the world of containerization and leverage the benefits it offers in terms of resource utilization and application isolation.
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