Is overlay2 supported for use with docker container runtime on SLES?

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Environment

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 Service Pack 3 (SLES 12 SP3)

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 Service Pack 2 (SLES 12 SP2)

Situation

Is the use of overlay2 with docker container run-time, supported on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server?

Resolution

The overlay2 driver is supported for Docker EE and recommended for Docker CE for the listed environments.

The following backing filesystems are supported: Btrfs, xfs and ext4.

Cause

Additional Information

OverlayFS is a modern union filesystem that is similar to AUFS.

In order to check the support status of a module (overlayfs is a loadable kernel module), search for the word 'supported' in the output of the modinfo command and check if it is followed by a 'yes' (supported) or 'no' (not supported) :-

------------------------< snip >------------------------

naxos root (1) # modinfo overlay

filename: /lib/modules/4.4.120-94.17-default/kernel/fs/overlayfs/overlay.ko

alias: fs-overlayfs

alias: fs-overlay

license: GPL

description: Overlay filesystem

author: Miklos Szeredi <miklos@szeredi.hu>

srcversion: 65608194BEED319AF076ACC

depends:

supported: yes

retpoline: Y

intree: Y

vermagic: 4.4.120-94.17-default SMP mod_unload modversions

signer: SUSE Linux Enterprise Secure Boot Signkey

sig_key: 3F:B0:77:B6:CE:BC:6F:F2:52:2E:1C:14:8C:57:C7:77:C7:88:E3:E7

sig_hashalgo: sha256

------------------------< snap >------------------------

As regards the support of SLES12 content, the general statement is: "We support what we ship"

Any exceptions to this statement should be marked in the Release Notes of SLES.

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