Rancher OS
A lightweight container operating system designed to run Docker without unnecessary libraries and services, eliminating the need for a full underlying operating system.
Mark
Performance Testing Expert
Rancher OS is a streamlined operating system that enables Docker execution with minimal overhead. It functions with just 1GB RAM while reducing complexity and enhancing security by eliminating unnecessary libraries and services.
Installing Rancher OS in VirtualBox
This guide walks through installing Rancher OS v1.5.5 in VirtualBox 6.1.2.
VM Creation
- Create a new VM with 2048MB memory
- Configure dynamic storage allocation
- Mount the Rancher ISO as a virtual optical disk
Cloud Config Setup
Create a cloud-config.yml file with SSH public key authentication:
#cloud-config
ssh_authorized_keys:
- ssh-rsa YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY_HERE
Installation
Run the installation command:
sudo ros install -c cloud-config.yml -d /dev/sda
Verification
After installation, verify via SSH connection:
ssh rancher@192.168.1.x
Confirm system Docker containers are running:
sudo system-docker ps
Running Container Images
The installation includes several running container images:
- rancher/os-docker:19.03.5
- rancher/os-console:v1.5.5
- Various base OS components
Further Reading
- Docker Hub - Download templated container images
- Rancher OS Documentation
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