Container Station Quick Start Guide

Container Station is a virtualization platform developed by QNAP that allows you to effortlessly deploy and manage containerized applications on QNAP devices. The application supports both Docker and LXD containers, providing a lightweight, isolated environment for running applications and services with optimal resource efficiency.

Use cases

• Deploy cloud-native applications using containers
• Run isolated operating systems for development and testing
• Host virtualized services like web servers or databases
• Maintain multiple containerized environments on one QNAP device

Before installing and using Container Station, it's essential to ensure that your QNAP device meets the minimum system requirements. These requirements vary based on the type of container platform you plan to use—Docker, Kata, or LXD. Each platform has different resource needs, including processor architecture, memory capacity, and supported operating systems.

• Log in to the device as an administrator.
• Ensure that Container Station is installed.
• Ensure that your device is connected to an external network using a default gateway.
• Ensure that your QNAP device firmware is up to date.

Create or import a Docker container

Create a new Docker container by selecting an image from Docker Hub or import an existing Docker container from your local system or QNAP device. Configure settings such as the container name, auto-start policy, and networking options.

1. Open Container Station and go to the Containers menu.
2. Click Create.
3. Select Docker Hub (Basic mode) or Docker image (Advanced mode).
4. Specify the image name and version in Basic mode, or the image name and registry in Advanced mode.
   Examples:
   • Basic mode:nginx:1.25.2
   • Advanced mode: registry.hub.docker.com/library/postgres
5. Select Try pulling the image from the registry before creating the container.
6. Click Next and then configure the basic and advanced settings.
7. Click Next to review the settings and then click Finish to create the container.

Create or import an LXD container

Select an LXD image to create a new container or import an LXD container from a local system or QNAP device. Customize settings like the container’s name, storage, and auto-start policy.

1. Open Container Station and go to the Containers menu.
2. Click Create.
3. Select LXD Image Server (Basic mode) or LXD image (Advanced mode).
4. Specify the image name and version in Basic mode, or the image name and registry in Advanced mode.
   Examples:
   • Basic mode: ubuntu:22.04
   • Advanced mode: images:ubuntu/22.04
5. Select Try pulling the image from the registry before creating the container.
6. Click Next and configure the basic and advanced settings.
7. Review the container settings and click Next to continue.
8. Click Finish to create the container.

Pull or import an image

The Pull Image feature enables users to download container images from an online registry, while the Import Image feature allows them to load images directly from local files or backups.

The key differences between pulling and importing images are as follows:

• Image source: Pulling retrieves an image from an online registry, while importing builds an image from a file stored locally.
• Usage: Pulling is for downloading images from external sources, whereas importing is for loading images from local backups or exports.

1. Open Container Station and click Explore.
2. Click Pull Image or Import Image.
3. Configure the image settings.

Manage and control your containers through Container Station. Common actions include starting, stopping, pausing, restarting, or removing containers. You can also inspect container logs, resource usage, and performance statistics.

1. In Container Station, go to the Containers or Images.
2. Select the container or image you want to manage from the list.
3. Under Actions, select  or .
   Note

    next to your container indicates that the container is being managed or orchestrated by a Kubernetes cluster.
4. Perform any of the following container actions.
   

   Basic container lifecycle actions

   Action	Description
   Start	Begin running a stopped container.
   Restart	Restart a running or stopped container.
   Stop	Stop a running container.
   Force Stop	Forcefully stop a running container immediately.
   Pause	Temporarily halt a running container without stopping it.
   Resume	Resume a paused container and continue its processes.

   Container inspection and interaction

   Action	Description
   Inspect	View detailed information about the container’s configuration and status.
   Execute	Run terminal commands inside the running container.
   Attach	Connect to a container's standard input/output streams.

   Container configuration and management

   Action	Description
   Edit	Modify the container's settings and parameters.
   Recreate Directly	Recreate a stopped container using its previous settings.
   Recreate	Recreate a container with updated settings.
   Duplicate	Create a duplicate of an existing container.

   Container image and data management

   Action	Description
   Create Image	Create a reusable image from a running or stopped container.
   Export	Export a container to be used on another device.
   Remove	Delete a container from the system.

5. Perform any of the image actions.
   

   Image inspection and management

   Action	Description
   Inspect	View detailed information about an image's configuration and properties.
   Containers in Use	Display a list of containers using a specific image.

   Image tagging and versioning

   Action	Description
   Tag	Assign or modify a tag (version) for a specific image.

   Image download and upload

   Action	Description
   Pull	Download an image from a registry to Container Station.
   Push to Registry	Upload an image to a registry for later use.
   Push Directly	Upload an image to a registry without intermediate steps.

   Image export and removal

   Action	Description
   Export	Save an image to a local system or QNAP device for backup or transfer.
   Remove	Delete an image from the system to free up space or clean up unused resources.

Set up and use Kubernetes

Enable Kubernetes support by setting up a lightweight K3s cluster within Container Station. Deploy Kubernetes workloads and manage applications using the Kubernetes dashboard or kubectl commands.

1. Open Container Station and navigate to the Kubernetes section.
2. Select Enable K3s lightweight Kubernetes.
3. Optional: Enable Display Kubernetes system containers.
4. Click Apply to finalize the setup.
5. Access the Kubernetes dashboard using the provided URL for monitoring and managing workloads.

Manage Kubernetes clusters

Control Kubernetes clusters by starting, stopping, and resetting the cluster or viewing its status. Manage cluster resources and monitor container workloads running within the Kubernetes environment.

1. Open Container Station and navigate to the Kubernetes section.
2. Download the Kuberconfig file.
3. Click the Kubernetes dashboard URL.
   Container Station opens the Kubernetes webpage in a new tab.
4. Enter the Kubernetes token or upload the Kuberconfig file, and then click Sign in.
5. Deploy containerized applications. For details, see Deploy containerized applications in the Kubernetes documentation page.

Container Station allows you to manage various default image registries, including Docker, Harbor, and other registry types, enabling secure storage and retrieval of container images. The application also provides two reserved system default registries (Docker Hub and LXD Image Server).

Add an image registry

1. Go to Registries in the menu.
2. Click Create to open the Add Registry window.
3. Configure the following settings:
   1. Name: Enter a name for the registry.
   2. URL: Enter the registry URL.
   3. Authentication: Enable this to specify a username and password.
   4. Trust SSL Self-Signed Certificate: Select this option if the SSL certificate is not signed by a trusted Certificate Authority.
4. Optional: Click Test Connection to verify the connection.
5. Click Apply to add the image registry.

Manage default registries

• Enable Docker hub authentication: Enable the toggle switch next to Authentication in the Docker Hub section, specify a username and password, and click Apply.
• Edit a custom registry: Click > Edit in the Actions column next to the registry, and modify the settings.
• Remove a custom registry: To delete a registry, click > Remove. For multiple registries, select each one and then click Action > Remove.

Manage network settings to set up and customize network configurations for containers, including IP ranges, DNS settings, and network bridges for both Docker and LXD containers. Additionally, you can adjust the IP settings of certain QNAP containerized applications from this page. Network settings for Container Station-dependent QPKG applications can also be configured here, allowing you to manage both container and application-level networking in one place.

Manage network settings

1. Go to Preferences in Container Station.
2. Select Network Settings from the menu.
3. Configure IP address ranges for Docker and LXD containers.
4. Set up DNS servers and bridge networks for container communication.
5. Click Apply to save the settings and restart Container Station.

Add a custom app template

Adding a custom app template allows you to make a list of additional applications available within Container Station.

1. Start Container Station.
2. On the menu, click Preferences.
3. Go to App Templates.
4. Select Enable custom template.
5. Specify the URL to the custom app template.
6. Click Apply.

This process enables you to expand the app options within Container Station, tailoring the available applications to your specific needs.

Configure certificate settings

Docker certificates are essential for securing communications between Docker clients and servers, ensuring encrypted data transfer and authenticated connections. This guide explains how to configure certificate settings in QNAP Container Station for a secure Docker environment.

1. Open Container Station, go to Preferences, and click on the Certificates tab to access certificate configuration settings.
2. Click the Download button to obtain the certificate file needed for secure connections.
3. Create a directory (~/.docker) and extract the downloaded certificate using the command unzip cert.zip -d ~/.docker.
4. Set the Docker environment variable by running export DOCKER_HOST=tcp://<IP_ADDRESS>:2376 DOCKER_TLS_VERIFY=1, replacing <IP_ADDRESS> with the appropriate value from the configuration.
5. Confirm that the domain name matches your configured certificate (e.g., 1234.myQNAPcloud.com) and verify the last renewal date to ensure timely updates.

• Container Station: Official QNAP landing page for Container Station
• How to use Container Station 3:  A detailed QNAP tutorial for configuring Container Station
• Knowledge Base: Searchable database of FAQs, tutorials, and web helps
• QNAP College: Instructional video tutorials