Create the Contract Manager and instance container

To create a container that runs both the Contract Manager and an instance, perform the following steps:

  1. Run the command:

    docker run -d <network-parameters> <image-name> <entry-point-parameters>

    The network-parameters ensure that the Contract Manager and the instances can connect to each other via internal, not public, connections. This can be configured in different ways within the infrastructure of the customer. See the following examples:

    • Add --network <name>. This parameter adds the instance container to the Docker network name.
    • Add -ip <address>. This parameter assigns address as the internal IP address of the container in the Docker network.

    • Add -p <n>:10600 to use the Communications Manager Designer for Windows on client machines. This parameter forwards connections to port n on the Docker host through port 10600 of the instance container. When installing the Communications Manager Designer for Windows, fill in the Docker host for the Communications Manager Repository host and port n for the Communications Manager Repository port.

  2. The entry-point-parameters are the parameters that are passed to StartInstance.exe entry point process. These parameters are passed after the parameters that were fixed in the image (see the previous step). See the section describing StartInstance.exe parameters for more information.

    The entry-point-parameters must be placed at the end of the command after the image name. If a parameter references a file, this file should be accessible from the container when it is started. For example, you may add a bind mount or volume to the Docker run command and place the file on it.

    The entry-point-parameters can alternatively be specified as environment variables, using --env parameters on the Docker run command. It is an error if a parameter is specified both as a normal argument and as environment variable.

    It is an error if a parameter of the entry point process is both given an embedded value on the image and a variable value on creating the container.

  3. The entry point will be executed as soon as the container starts. It logs its output to standard Docker log, which is visible with the command docker container logs <container-name>. If an error occurs in the entry point process, the created container is erroneous and should be removed. The Docker run command should be run again to create the container anew.

    The entry point registers itself at the locally installed Contract Manager every time it starts up. This is arranged in the fixed parameters of the entry point, as there is no need to control this at runtime for this container.