Getting started with lxc

1. Install dependencies

   apt-get install lxc debootstrap libpasswd-unix-perl libfile-slurp-perl libmoose-perl libpath-class-perl libconfig-inifiles-perl

2. Set up networking

Your containers need a way to talk to the interweb. One way is a bridge.

A bridge is basically like a switch. You can plug your eth0 into it, and also each container. Then they can all talk to each other and the outside world.

Put something like this in /etc/network/interfaces:

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

iface eth0 inet manual

auto br0
iface br0 inet dhcp
    bridge_ports eth0
    bridge_stp off
    post-up /usr/sbin/brctl setfd br0 0

If you have a static lease, configure br0 with that information instead of the dhcp line::

iface br0 inet static
    address [your ip]
    netmask [your netmask]
    broadcast [your broadcast]
    gateway [your gateway]
    bridge_ports eth0
    bridge_stp off
    post-up /usr/sbin/brctl setfd br0 0

3. Put info about networking setup in a file for later use

When containers are created, we need to tell them how to access the network. Put this in /etc/lxc/lxc.conf:

lxc.network.type=veth
lxc.network.link=br0
lxc.network.flags=up

4. You're ready!

   Summary of commands

   lxc --help

   Create a container called 'test'

   lxc test create

   Start the container

   lxc test start

   Enter it

   lxc test enter

   Stop the container

   lxc test stop

   Destroy it (you'll be asked to confirm)

   lxc test destroy

5. Starting containers automatically on boot

On ubuntu, install the upstart jobs:

cp upstart/lxc-* /etc/init

And when you create your containers, use -a to flag them as ones that should be automatically started on boot.

If you have a container you already made that you want to start on boot:

touch /var/lib/lxc/[name]/autostart

Good luck! -- Nigel McNie & Martyn Smith