Implementing support for Docker would allow us to quickly deploy an entire GroupWise system, for testing or even production purposes.

Furthermore, it could allow us to run GroupWise on platforms not natively supported for deployment (RHEL, CentOS, Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, etc). The only requirement would be an up to date kernel on your docker platform, while all dependencies are contained within the container image.

With a little smart scripting and utilizing environment variables, we could achieve auto scaling! Spinning up additional DVA agents as needed, etc.

The current GroupWise 2014 model has a perfect architecture for micro services separation, which makes me wonder why it hasn't been done already.

I would use it to quickly implement a customers groupwise layout for testing, I would run it in production to take advantage of the increased performance from having a lower overhead and ease of management from the ephemeral nature of the containers. Plus, so many more opportunities!

Comments

  • There are only 100,000 container application on Docker so I guess it is the defacto standard and that is where the focus should be.

  • This is planned over the next few releases of GroupWise. The first component of GroupWise that will be introduced in a docker container will be the new GroupWise Web Client. This is already available in tech preview https://hub.docker.com/r/mfgroupwise/webacc-ng. This first version will be released in GroupWise 18.2.

  • Our first step towards docker integration is avialble in the 18.2 release of GroupWise on 10/31/2019. The new GroupWise Web is built on docker, others components will come over the next couple of releases.