Rectification Docker files system filling up

Issue

 Is there is a setting that can be changed to prevent the Docker file system from filling up.

Solution

The standard data directory used for docker is /var/lib/docker, and since this directory will store all your images, volumes, etc. it can become quite large in a relative small amount of time.

If you want to move the docker data directory on another location you can follow the following simple steps.

1. Stop the docker daemon:

    sudo service docker stop

2. Add a configuration file to tell the docker daemon what is the location of the data directory

Using your preferred text editor add a file named daemon.json under the directory /etc/docker. The file should have this content:

{

    "graph": "/path/to/your/docker"

}

Of course you should customize the location “/path/to/your/docker” with the path you want to use for your new docker data directory.

3. Copy the current data directory to the new one:

    sudo rsync -aP /var/lib/docker/ /path/to/your/docker

4. Rename the old docker directory:

    sudo mv /var/lib/docker /var/lib/docker.old

This is just a sanity check to see that everything is okay and docker daemon will effectively use the new location for its data.

5. Restart the docker daemon:

    sudo service docker start

6. Test

If everything is okay, you should see no differences in using your docker containers. When you are sure that the new directory is being used correctly by docker daemon, you can delete the old data directory.

 

Level of Complexity 

 Moderate

 

Applies to  

Product	Version	Build	Environment	Hardware
Mobile ID	all

References

 

 

Article # 3035902