--- title: Networking with overlay networks description: Tutorials for networking with swarm services and standalone containers on multiple Docker daemons keywords: networking, bridge, routing, ports, swarm, overlay redirect_from: - /engine/userguide/networking/get-started-overlay/ --- This series of tutorials deals with networking for swarm services. For networking with standalone containers, see [Networking with standalone containers](network-tutorial-standalone.md). If you need to learn more about Docker networking in general, see the [overview](index.md). This topic includes four different tutorials. You can run each of them on Linux, Windows, or a Mac, but for the last two, you need a second Docker host running elsewhere. - [Use the default overlay network](#use-the-default-overlay-network) demonstrates how to use the default overlay network that Docker sets up for you automatically when you initialize or join a swarm. This network is not the best choice for production systems. - [Use user-defined overlay networks](#use-a-user-defined-overlay-network) shows how to create and use your own custom overlay networks, to connect services. This is recommended for services running in production. - [Use an overlay network for standalone containers](#use-an-overlay-network-for-standalone-containers) shows how to communicate between standalone containers on different Docker daemons using an overlay network. - [Communicate between a container and a swarm service](#communicate-between-a-container-and-a-swarm-service) sets up communication between a standalone container and a swarm service, using an attachable overlay network. ## Prerequisites These require you to have at least a single-node swarm, which means that you have started Docker and run `docker swarm init` on the host. You can run the examples on a multi-node swarm as well. ## Use the default overlay network In this example, you start an `alpine` service and examine the characteristics of the network from the point of view of the individual service containers. This tutorial does not go into operation-system-specific details about how overlay networks are implemented, but focuses on how the overlay functions from the point of view of a service. ### Prerequisites This tutorial requires three physical or virtual Docker hosts which can all communicate with one another. This tutorial assumes that the three hosts are running on the same network with no firewall involved. These hosts will be referred to as `manager`, `worker-1`, and `worker-2`. The `manager` host will function as both a manager and a worker, which means it can both run service tasks and manage the swarm. `worker-1` and `worker-2` will function as workers only, If you don't have three hosts handy, an easy solution is to set up three Ubuntu hosts on a cloud provider such as Amazon EC2, all on the same network with all communications allowed to all hosts on that network (using a mechanism such as EC2 security groups), and then to follow the [installation instructions for Docker Engine - Community on Ubuntu](../engine/install/ubuntu.md). ### Walkthrough #### Create the swarm At the end of this procedure, all three Docker hosts will be joined to the swarm and will be connected together using an overlay network called `ingress`. 1. On `manager`. initialize the swarm. If the host only has one network interface, the `--advertise-addr` flag is optional. ```bash $ docker swarm init --advertise-addr= ``` Make a note of the text that is printed, as this contains the token that you will use to join `worker-1` and `worker-2` to the swarm. It is a good idea to store the token in a password manager. 2. On `worker-1`, join the swarm. If the host only has one network interface, the `--advertise-addr` flag is optional. ```bash $ docker swarm join --token \ --advertise-addr \ :2377 ``` 3. On `worker-2`, join the swarm. If the host only has one network interface, the `--advertise-addr` flag is optional. ```bash $ docker swarm join --token \ --advertise-addr \ :2377 ``` 4. On `manager`, list all the nodes. This command can only be done from a manager. ```bash $ docker node ls ID HOSTNAME STATUS AVAILABILITY MANAGER STATUS d68ace5iraw6whp7llvgjpu48 * ip-172-31-34-146 Ready Active Leader nvp5rwavvb8lhdggo8fcf7plg ip-172-31-35-151 Ready Active ouvx2l7qfcxisoyms8mtkgahw ip-172-31-36-89 Ready Active ``` You can also use the `--filter` flag to filter by role: ```bash $ docker node ls --filter role=manager ID HOSTNAME STATUS AVAILABILITY MANAGER STATUS d68ace5iraw6whp7llvgjpu48 * ip-172-31-34-146 Ready Active Leader $ docker node ls --filter role=worker ID HOSTNAME STATUS AVAILABILITY MANAGER STATUS nvp5rwavvb8lhdggo8fcf7plg ip-172-31-35-151 Ready Active ouvx2l7qfcxisoyms8mtkgahw ip-172-31-36-89 Ready Active ``` 5. List the Docker networks on `manager`, `worker-1`, and `worker-2` and notice that each of them now has an overlay network called `ingress` and a bridge network called `docker_gwbridge`. Only the listing for `manager` is shown here: ```bash $ docker network ls NETWORK ID NAME DRIVER SCOPE 495c570066be bridge bridge local 961c6cae9945 docker_gwbridge bridge local ff35ceda3643 host host local trtnl4tqnc3n ingress overlay swarm c8357deec9cb none null local ``` The `docker_gwbridge` connects the `ingress` network to the Docker host's network interface so that traffic can flow to and from swarm managers and workers. If you create swarm services and do not specify a network, they are connected to the `ingress` network. It is recommended that you use separate overlay networks for each application or group of applications which will work together. In the next procedure, you will create two overlay networks and connect a service to each of them. #### Create the services 1. On `manager`, create a new overlay network called `nginx-net`: ```bash $ docker network create -d overlay nginx-net ``` You don't need to create the overlay network on the other nodes, because it will be automatically created when one of those nodes starts running a service task which requires it. 2. On `manager`, create a 5-replica Nginx service connected to `nginx-net`. The service will publish port 80 to the outside world. All of the service task containers can communicate with each other without opening any ports. > **Note**: Services can only be created on a manager. ```bash $ docker service create \ --name my-nginx \ --publish target=80,published=80 \ --replicas=5 \ --network nginx-net \ nginx ``` The default publish mode of `ingress`, which is used when you do not specify a `mode` for the `--publish` flag, means that if you browse to port 80 on `manager`, `worker-1`, or `worker-2`, you will be connected to port 80 on one of the 5 service tasks, even if no tasks are currently running on the node you browse to. If you want to publish the port using `host` mode, you can add `mode=host` to the `--publish` output. However, you should also use `--mode global` instead of `--replicas=5` in this case, since only one service task can bind a given port on a given node. 3. Run `docker service ls` to monitor the progress of service bring-up, which may take a few seconds. 4. Inspect the `nginx-net` network on `manager`, `worker-1`, and `worker-2`. Remember that you did not need to create it manually on `worker-1` and `worker-2` because Docker created it for you. The output will be long, but notice the `Containers` and `Peers` sections. `Containers` lists all service tasks (or standalone containers) connected to the overlay network from that host. 5. From `manager`, inspect the service using `docker service inspect my-nginx` and notice the information about the ports and endpoints used by the service. 6. Create a new network `nginx-net-2`, then update the service to use this network instead of `nginx-net`: ```bash $ docker network create -d overlay nginx-net-2 ``` ```bash $ docker service update \ --network-add nginx-net-2 \ --network-rm nginx-net \ my-nginx ``` 7. Run `docker service ls` to verify that the service has been updated and all tasks have been redeployed. Run `docker network inspect nginx-net` to verify that no containers are connected to it. Run the same command for `nginx-net-2` and notice that all the service task containers are connected to it. > **Note**: Even though overlay networks are automatically created on swarm > worker nodes as needed, they are not automatically removed. 8. Clean up the service and the networks. From `manager`, run the following commands. The manager will direct the workers to remove the networks automatically. ```bash $ docker service rm my-nginx $ docker network rm nginx-net nginx-net-2 ``` ## Use a user-defined overlay network ### Prerequisites This tutorial assumes the swarm is already set up and you are on a manager. ### Walkthrough 1. Create the user-defined overlay network. ```bash $ docker network create -d overlay my-overlay ``` 2. Start a service using the overlay network and publishing port 80 to port 8080 on the Docker host. ```bash $ docker service create \ --name my-nginx \ --network my-overlay \ --replicas 1 \ --publish published=8080,target=80 \ nginx:latest ``` 3. Run `docker network inspect my-overlay` and verify that the `my-nginx` service task is connected to it, by looking at the `Containers` section. 4. Remove the service and the network. ```bash $ docker service rm my-nginx $ docker network rm my-overlay ``` ## Use an overlay network for standalone containers This example demonstrates DNS container discovery -- specifically, how to communicate between standalone containers on different Docker daemons using an overlay network. Steps are: - On `host1`, initialize the node as a swarm (manager). - On `host2`, join the node to the swarm (worker). - On `host1`, create an attachable overlay network (`test-net`). - On `host1`, run an interactive [alpine](https://hub.docker.com/_/alpine/) container (`alpine1`) on `test-net`. - On `host2`, run an interactive, and detached, [alpine](https://hub.docker.com/_/alpine/) container (`alpine2`) on `test-net`. - On `host1`, from within a session of `alpine1`, ping `alpine2`. ### Prerequisites For this test, you need two different Docker hosts that can communicate with each other. Each host must have the following ports open between the two Docker hosts: - TCP port 2377 - TCP and UDP port 7946 - UDP port 4789 One easy way to set this up is to have two VMs (either local or on a cloud provider like AWS), each with Docker installed and running. If you're using AWS or a similar cloud computing platform, the easiest configuration is to use a security group that opens all incoming ports between the two hosts and the SSH port from your client's IP address. This example refers to the two nodes in our swarm as `host1` and `host2`. This example also uses Linux hosts, but the same commands work on Windows. ### Walk-through 1. Set up the swarm. a. On `host1`, initialize a swarm (and if prompted, use `--advertise-addr` to specify the IP address for the interface that communicates with other hosts in the swarm, for instance, the private IP address on AWS): ```bash $ docker swarm init Swarm initialized: current node (vz1mm9am11qcmo979tlrlox42) is now a manager. To add a worker to this swarm, run the following command: docker swarm join --token SWMTKN-1-5g90q48weqrtqryq4kj6ow0e8xm9wmv9o6vgqc5j320ymybd5c-8ex8j0bc40s6hgvy5ui5gl4gy 172.31.47.252:2377 To add a manager to this swarm, run 'docker swarm join-token manager' and follow the instructions. ``` b. On `host2`, join the swarm as instructed above: ```bash $ docker swarm join --token :2377 This node joined a swarm as a worker. ``` If the node fails to join the swarm, the `docker swarm join` command times out. To resolve, run `docker swarm leave --force` on `host2`, verify your network and firewall settings, and try again. 2. On `host1`, create an attachable overlay network called `test-net`: ```bash $ docker network create --driver=overlay --attachable test-net uqsof8phj3ak0rq9k86zta6ht ``` > Notice the returned **NETWORK ID** -- you will see it again when you connect to it from `host2`. 3. On `host1`, start an interactive (`-it`) container (`alpine1`) that connects to `test-net`: ```bash $ docker run -it --name alpine1 --network test-net alpine / # ``` 4. On `host2`, list the available networks -- notice that `test-net` does not yet exist: ```bash $ docker network ls NETWORK ID NAME DRIVER SCOPE ec299350b504 bridge bridge local 66e77d0d0e9a docker_gwbridge bridge local 9f6ae26ccb82 host host local omvdxqrda80z ingress overlay swarm b65c952a4b2b none null local ``` 5. On `host2`, start a detached (`-d`) and interactive (`-it`) container (`alpine2`) that connects to `test-net`: ```bash $ docker run -dit --name alpine2 --network test-net alpine fb635f5ece59563e7b8b99556f816d24e6949a5f6a5b1fbd92ca244db17a4342 ``` > Automatic DNS container discovery only works with unique container names. 6. On `host2`, verify that `test-net` was created (and has the same NETWORK ID as `test-net` on `host1`): ```bash $ docker network ls NETWORK ID NAME DRIVER SCOPE ... uqsof8phj3ak test-net overlay swarm ``` 7. On `host1`, ping `alpine2` within the interactive terminal of `alpine1`: ```bash / # ping -c 2 alpine2 PING alpine2 (10.0.0.5): 56 data bytes 64 bytes from 10.0.0.5: seq=0 ttl=64 time=0.600 ms 64 bytes from 10.0.0.5: seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.555 ms --- alpine2 ping statistics --- 2 packets transmitted, 2 packets received, 0% packet loss round-trip min/avg/max = 0.555/0.577/0.600 ms ``` The two containers communicate with the overlay network connecting the two hosts. If you run another alpine container on `host2` that is _not detached_, you can ping `alpine1` from `host2` (and here we add the [remove option](https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/run/#clean-up---rm) for automatic container cleanup): ```sh $ docker run -it --rm --name alpine3 --network test-net alpine / # ping -c 2 alpine1 / # exit ``` 8. On `host1`, close the `alpine1` session (which also stops the container): ```bash / # exit ``` 9. Clean up your containers and networks: You must stop and remove the containers on each host independently because Docker daemons operate independently and these are standalone containers. You only have to remove the network on `host1` because when you stop `alpine2` on `host2`, `test-net` disappears. a. On `host2`, stop `alpine2`, check that `test-net` was removed, then remove `alpine2`: ```bash $ docker container stop alpine2 $ docker network ls $ docker container rm alpine2 ``` a. On `host1`, remove `alpine1` and `test-net`: ```bash $ docker container rm alpine1 $ docker network rm test-net ``` ## Communicate between a container and a swarm service In this example, you start two different `alpine` containers on the same Docker host and do some tests to understand how they communicate with each other. You need to have Docker installed and running. 1. Open a terminal window. List current networks before you do anything else. Here's what you should see if you've never added a network or initialized a swarm on this Docker daemon. You may see different networks, but you should at least see these (the network IDs will be different): ```bash $ docker network ls NETWORK ID NAME DRIVER SCOPE 17e324f45964 bridge bridge local 6ed54d316334 host host local 7092879f2cc8 none null local ``` The default `bridge` network is listed, along with `host` and `none`. The latter two are not fully-fledged networks, but are used to start a container connected directly to the Docker daemon host's networking stack, or to start a container with no network devices. **This tutorial will connect two containers to the `bridge` network.** 2. Start two `alpine` containers running `ash`, which is Alpine's default shell rather than `bash`. The `-dit` flags mean to start the container detached (in the background), interactive (with the ability to type into it), and with a TTY (so you can see the input and output). Since you are starting it detached, you won't be connected to the container right away. Instead, the container's ID will be printed. Because you have not specified any `--network` flags, the containers connect to the default `bridge` network. ```bash $ docker run -dit --name alpine1 alpine ash $ docker run -dit --name alpine2 alpine ash ``` Check that both containers are actually started: ```bash $ docker container ls CONTAINER ID IMAGE COMMAND CREATED STATUS PORTS NAMES 602dbf1edc81 alpine "ash" 4 seconds ago Up 3 seconds alpine2 da33b7aa74b0 alpine "ash" 17 seconds ago Up 16 seconds alpine1 ``` 3. Inspect the `bridge` network to see what containers are connected to it. ```bash $ docker network inspect bridge [ { "Name": "bridge", "Id": "17e324f459648a9baaea32b248d3884da102dde19396c25b30ec800068ce6b10", "Created": "2017-06-22T20:27:43.826654485Z", "Scope": "local", "Driver": "bridge", "EnableIPv6": false, "IPAM": { "Driver": "default", "Options": null, "Config": [ { "Subnet": "172.17.0.0/16", "Gateway": "172.17.0.1" } ] }, "Internal": false, "Attachable": false, "Containers": { "602dbf1edc81813304b6cf0a647e65333dc6fe6ee6ed572dc0f686a3307c6a2c": { "Name": "alpine2", "EndpointID": "03b6aafb7ca4d7e531e292901b43719c0e34cc7eef565b38a6bf84acf50f38cd", "MacAddress": "02:42:ac:11:00:03", "IPv4Address": "172.17.0.3/16", "IPv6Address": "" }, "da33b7aa74b0bf3bda3ebd502d404320ca112a268aafe05b4851d1e3312ed168": { "Name": "alpine1", "EndpointID": "46c044a645d6afc42ddd7857d19e9dcfb89ad790afb5c239a35ac0af5e8a5bc5", "MacAddress": "02:42:ac:11:00:02", "IPv4Address": "172.17.0.2/16", "IPv6Address": "" } }, "Options": { "com.docker.network.bridge.default_bridge": "true", "com.docker.network.bridge.enable_icc": "true", "com.docker.network.bridge.enable_ip_masquerade": "true", "com.docker.network.bridge.host_binding_ipv4": "0.0.0.0", "com.docker.network.bridge.name": "docker0", "com.docker.network.driver.mtu": "1500" }, "Labels": {} } ] ``` Near the top, information about the `bridge` network is listed, including the IP address of the gateway between the Docker host and the `bridge` network (`172.17.0.1`). Under the `Containers` key, each connected container is listed, along with information about its IP address (`172.17.0.2` for `alpine1` and `172.17.0.3` for `alpine2`). 4. The containers are running in the background. Use the `docker attach` command to connect to `alpine1`. ```bash $ docker attach alpine1 / # ``` The prompt changes to `#` to indicate that you are the `root` user within the container. Use the `ip addr show` command to show the network interfaces for `alpine1` as they look from within the container: ```bash # ip addr show 1: lo: mtu 65536 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN qlen 1 link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00 inet 127.0.0.1/8 scope host lo valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever inet6 ::1/128 scope host valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever 27: eth0@if28: mtu 1500 qdisc noqueue state UP link/ether 02:42:ac:11:00:02 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff inet 172.17.0.2/16 scope global eth0 valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever inet6 fe80::42:acff:fe11:2/64 scope link valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever ``` The first interface is the loopback device. Ignore it for now. Notice that the second interface has the IP address `172.17.0.2`, which is the same address shown for `alpine1` in the previous step. 5. From within `alpine1`, make sure you can connect to the internet by pinging `google.com`. The `-c 2` flag limits the command two two `ping` attempts. ```bash # ping -c 2 google.com PING google.com (172.217.3.174): 56 data bytes 64 bytes from 172.217.3.174: seq=0 ttl=41 time=9.841 ms 64 bytes from 172.217.3.174: seq=1 ttl=41 time=9.897 ms --- google.com ping statistics --- 2 packets transmitted, 2 packets received, 0% packet loss round-trip min/avg/max = 9.841/9.869/9.897 ms ``` 6. Now try to ping the second container. First, ping it by its IP address, `172.17.0.3`: ```bash # ping -c 2 172.17.0.3 PING 172.17.0.3 (172.17.0.3): 56 data bytes 64 bytes from 172.17.0.3: seq=0 ttl=64 time=0.086 ms 64 bytes from 172.17.0.3: seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.094 ms --- 172.17.0.3 ping statistics --- 2 packets transmitted, 2 packets received, 0% packet loss round-trip min/avg/max = 0.086/0.090/0.094 ms ``` This succeeds. Next, try pinging the `alpine2` container by container name. This will fail. ```bash # ping -c 2 alpine2 ping: bad address 'alpine2' ``` 7. Detach from `alpine1` without stopping it by using the detach sequence, `CTRL` + `p` `CTRL` + `q` (hold down `CTRL` and type `p` followed by `q`). If you wish, attach to `alpine2` and repeat steps 4, 5, and 6 there, substituting `alpine1` for `alpine2`. 8. Stop and remove both containers. ```bash $ docker container stop alpine1 alpine2 $ docker container rm alpine1 alpine2 ``` Remember, the default `bridge` network is not recommended for production. To learn about user-defined bridge networks, continue to the [next tutorial](network-tutorial-standalone.md#use-user-defined-bridge-networks). ## Other networking tutorials Now that you have completed the networking tutorials for overlay networks, you might want to run through these other networking tutorials: - [Host networking tutorial](network-tutorial-host.md) - [Standalone networking tutorial](network-tutorial-standalone.md) - [Macvlan networking tutorial](network-tutorial-macvlan.md)