Docker
Docker containers for SMEs in French-speaking Switzerland: prepare applications, volumes, access, backups and updates within an agreed Sunitech scope.
Suitable tools. Local support. A team close to you.
Geneva
Lausanne
Fribourg
Neuchâtel
Valais
Docker can help deploy internal applications, web services or test environments. A container is an isolated process with the elements needed to run; it is not a complete virtual machine with its own kernel. For an SME in French-speaking Switzerland, its value should be assessed through how easily an installation can be reproduced and maintained. We start with the applications and available skills, without adding a complex platform to a simple requirement.
Define the applications to run with Docker and their dependencies, then specify required resources and interfaces while distinguishing the way containers operate from the behaviour and isolation of complete virtual machines.
Organise Docker images with identifiable versions and verifiable origins, retaining the information needed to rebuild the application and understand differences between successive deployments before introducing a change into the working environment.
Identify data that must survive replacement of a Docker container, choose where it belongs and prepare an application consistent backup rather than relying on the container itself to retain essential business information.
Define permitted communications between Docker services, protect sensitive information used during startup and limit administrative access, with documentation appropriate to the people responsible for operating and recovering the resulting application environment.
Prepare a Docker environment for checking a new version before it enters service, with acceptance criteria, suitable data and a procedure for returning to the previous state if the deployment fails.
Review Docker image and host versions, organise useful logs and operational checks, then assign responsibility for updating and restoring each affected service rather than treating a successful initial deployment as completed maintenance.
From initial scoping to ongoing support, the agreed work and each party’s responsibilities are defined with you before implementation.
Installation, configuration and support.
Protection of data and access.
Monitoring, updates and optimisation.
Backup strategy and disaster recovery planning.
Tenant management, backups and administration.
A local, responsive and available team.
We start with your teams’ needs, business applications and organisational constraints.
Share client files between colleagues, with appropriate access and documents that are easy to find.
Protect patient records and maintain the tools needed for consultations.
Find plans and files on site while keeping control of access for everyone involved.
Organise access for employees, elected representatives and volunteers, and make handovers easier when teams change.
Tools alone are not enough. Ongoing management, access and documentation need to remain clear over time.
Roles, permissions and protections suited to the agreed scope.
Identified dependencies, with backup and recovery arrangements to prepare.
Documented joiners, leavers and changes in responsibility.
Accessible configuration, licence and upcoming renewal records.
Uses, limitations and frequently asked questions: the points to clarify when preparing your project.
Confirm that the publisher supports the planned deployment method, then size resources and storage. Docker Engine and Docker Desktop serve different contexts; Docker Desktop's terms need checking for the organisation. The host operating system, often Linux, retains its own maintenance lifecycle. We also identify image registries, processor architectures and dependencies that must remain available to rebuild the environment.
Deployment distinguishes configuration files, persistent data and elements rebuilt from images. Secrets should not be embedded in files distributed without control. We restrict exposed ports, document dependencies and prepare functional checks. An IT audit can inventory existing applications before this change. Tests cover restarting and rebuilding on a separate environment, rather than only the first successful launch.
Deleting and recreating a container does not automatically recover its data. Volumes and databases require consistent copies and tests. Images need monitoring and updating, alongside the host. Our managed IT service can incorporate these tasks within the agreed scope. A container is not an absolute security boundary: privileges, host access and administration interfaces should be particularly restricted.
Should every application be containerised? No. Compatibility, publisher support and maintenance capacity should justify the choice. A legacy application may require another architecture.
Does updating simply mean changing the image? A change may also modify data or configuration. We check release notes, backups and rollback options before switching a service used by your teams.
The What is a container? documentation explains the difference from a virtual machine. The Docker Desktop licensing terms specify its usage framework. Licences for containerised applications need separate review.
Review of your needs, comparison of options and clearly explained priorities.
Preparation, configuration, testing and coordination with the relevant providers.
Agreed support scope, documentation, licences and next steps.
A project? A question?
An initial conversation to understand your situation and decide on the next steps together.
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