Move from standalone container to separate web and data containers

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27

I’m trying to implement the separate containers, but with a remote database. I’ve followed these instructions above and the howto for setting up a remote postgres DB. The setup works, but I’m wondering why there are two identical references (under web_only and data) to the same database. It makes me believe I’m doing something wrong and the web_only container is not even using the data container.

Am I doing this correctly?

Here is my setup.

Under the web_only.yml I added:

  DISCOURSE_DB_SOCKET: ''
  DISCOURSE_DB_USERNAME: REMOVE
  DISCOURSE_DB_PASSWORD: REMOVE
  DISCOURSE_DB_HOST: xxx.ondigitalocean.com
  DISCOURSE_DB_NAME: REMOVE
  DISCOURSE_DB_PORT: 25060
  DISCOURSE_DB_BACKUP_PORT: 25060
  DISCOURSE_REDIS_HOST: data

under data.yml

I removed postgres.template.yml

templates:
#  - "templates/postgres.template.yml"
  - "templates/redis.template.yml"

I also added the following:

env:
  # ensure locale exists in container, you may need to install it
  LANG: en_US.UTF-8
  DISCOURSE_DB_USERNAME: REMOVE
  DISCOURSE_DB_PASSWORD: REMOVE
  DISCOURSE_DB_HOST: REMOVE.ondigitalocean.com
  DISCOURSE_DB_NAME: REMOVE
  DISCOURSE_DB_PORT: 25060
  DISCOURSE_DB_BACKUP_PORT: 25060
28

If you’re using a remote database, you don’t need to create the data container which has a database in it. Note that you need both postgres and redis (so you might need the data container for that).

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30

but here i got only 1 container running without any error

31

I don’t know really what You understand by two containers but if You assume two containers mean two separate discourse instances then You’re looking in the wrong direction.

This article helps one set up a separate application and database container which is useful for advanced users looking for some flexibility.

If You want to install/host two discourse sites on the same machine, maybe look at discourse multisite:
Multisite configuration with Docker

1 Like
32

what I mean by container is you can see two running container when you type over host machine

docker ps

and sencond this 2container command i did not find where to set domain name

33

So which container was running? Assuming it was app then no, You’re running an old version of discourse-setup.

Do a git pull before proceeding to make sure you’re using the latest version of discourse-setup.

If You got data or web-only container running then You should check what caused the other one to not start. Usually, the web-only container fails to start because there is a process (web server) already running on port 80/443

34

yes app
oh no I git clone source code from github today.

35

I haven’t tried this personally but since @pfaffman is the genius who made this, maybe he can help with it.

Looking at the discourse-setup code on GitHub, I don’t see anything obvious that may cause it to not work.

What OS are you running your server on?

36

do server ubuntu
I have susscesfully run standlone container.
right now i am try this method Success - New Multisite Install on Dedicated server using ServerPilot, Nginx and Apache

37

Are you trying to achieve multisite or multi container?

38

benchmark as I said i run a stanlone forum for a month, when I want to a new one several ways have been dig

  1. I want to run separate standlone container on the same server ,no luck
  2. multisite docker different container for web and database as Multisite configuration with Docker, no luck
  3. your 2container no luck
  4. Success - New Multisite Install on Dedicated server using ServerPilot, Nginx and Apache this one is trying ,maybe it works
39

If You just want to run a 2nd standalone container, You will have to modify the yml files to use different directory and port. Possibly also disable the letsencrypt

40

after all these get fixed ,I want to write some turtorial for beginners

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41

Just FYI, if You want to benchmark performance, You shouldn’t do that on a production machine. Rather spin up a separate VPS and use that for benchmarking.

Trying to run two separate instances of discourse on the same machine may lead you into a very broken install and that isn’t ideal.

42

That command will create separate data and web containers if and only if there is no app.yml when it is run. It will not create two web containers.

1 Like
43

before I run this command it seems there is app.yml already .

44

I think this is very crucial, shall be added to the OP and possibly on GitHub as well?

45

I think I should have left this feature undocumented. And, actually, it’s no help to move to a two container config, so it probably doesn’t belong here at all.

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46

Maybe a dedicated howto ?

Doesn’t have to be very detailed but it can be very useful for those who want to get started with some advanced discourse adventures?

2 Likes
47

Maybe so. It is a big help, and like discourse-setup, it’s for a very specific purpose, a new installation that’s very standard. My install scripts have used it for quite a while. It can be an easy way to switch to two container if you’re willing to do a backup on the old container and restore on the new one.

My concern has always been that it would be difficult to support, as folks who won’t understand it will try to use it and then not be able to use any documentation, as “rebuild app” won’t work anymore, and knowing when you need to rebuild the database container is also difficult. I had a rebuild fail recently because redis was 3.0 and 4.0 is now required. And then postgres also had to be updated, which required a sequence of steps to be followed, but you had to know when to rebuild the data container and when to rebuild the web container and how to change the path from what’s recommended. It all went off without a hitch – for me, but trying to communicate that to someone who doesn’t know what bash is in a forum would be frustrating for all concerned.

I think that it might be best to keep the barrier to creating a non standard installation rather high, to protect people from themselves.

3 Likes