Changes

Podman supports checkpointing and restoring since version 0.10.1 (October 2018). This initial support only supports checkpointing and restoring containers on the same host:

Podman supports checkpointing and restoring since version 0.10.1 (October 2018). This initial support only supports checkpointing and restoring containers on the same host:

  $ podman run -d --name looper busybox /bin/sh -c \

  # podman run -d --name looper busybox /bin/sh -c \

           'i=0; while true; do echo $i; i=$(expr $i + 1); sleep 1; done'

           'i=0; while true; do echo $i; i=$(expr $i + 1); sleep 1; done'

You can verify that the container is running by observing its logs:

You can verify that the container is running by observing its logs:

  $ podman logs -l

  # podman logs -l

Or by running <code>podman ps</code>.

Or by running <code>podman ps</code>.

If you do this a few times you will notice that the integers are increasing. Now the container can be checkpointed:

If you do this a few times you will notice that the integers are increasing. Now the container can be checkpointed:

  $ podman container checkpoint -l

  # podman container checkpoint -l

Once the container is checkpointed it will be no longer visible in <code>podman ps</code>.

Once the container is checkpointed it will be no longer visible in <code>podman ps</code>.

The following command can be used to restore the container:

The following command can be used to restore the container:

  $ podman container restore -l

  # podman container restore -l

Using <code>podman logs -l</code> or <code>podman ps</code> it can be verified that the container was restored and that it continued running from the point in time when it was checkpointed.

Using <code>podman logs -l</code> or <code>podman ps</code> it can be verified that the container was restored and that it continued running from the point in time when it was checkpointed.

To be actually able to migrate a container from one system to another at least Podman version 1.4.0 (June 2019) is required. With version 1.4.0 Podman is now able to export a complete checkpoint which can then be transferred:

To be actually able to migrate a container from one system to another at least Podman version 1.4.0 (June 2019) is required. With version 1.4.0 Podman is now able to export a complete checkpoint which can then be transferred:

  $ podman run -d --name looper busybox /bin/sh -c \

  # podman run -d --name looper busybox /bin/sh -c \

           'i=0; while true; do echo $i; i=$(expr $i + 1); sleep 1; done'

           'i=0; while true; do echo $i; i=$(expr $i + 1); sleep 1; done'

  $ podman container checkpoint -l --export=/tmp/chkpt.tar.gz

  # podman container checkpoint -l --export=/tmp/chkpt.tar.gz

  $ scp /tmp/chkpt.tar.gz <destination-host>:/tmp

  # scp /tmp/chkpt.tar.gz <destination-host>:/tmp

Once the checkpoint archive has been transferred to the destination system the container can there be restored from the checkpoint archive:

Once the checkpoint archive has been transferred to the destination system the container can there be restored from the checkpoint archive:

  $ podman container restore --import=/tmp/chkpt.tar.gz

  # podman container restore --import=/tmp/chkpt.tar.gz

Now the container continues to run from the same point where it was previously checkpointed on the source system.

Now the container continues to run from the same point where it was previously checkpointed on the source system.

From a checkpoint archive it is also possible to restore multiple copies of a container with different names:

From a checkpoint archive it is also possible to restore multiple copies of a container with different names:

  $ podman container restore --import=/tmp/chkpt.tar.gz -n looper1

  # podman container restore --import=/tmp/chkpt.tar.gz -n looper1

  $ podman container restore --import=/tmp/chkpt.tar.gz -n looper2

  # podman container restore --import=/tmp/chkpt.tar.gz -n looper2

  $ podman container restore --import=/tmp/chkpt.tar.gz -n looper3

  # podman container restore --import=/tmp/chkpt.tar.gz -n looper3

Each of these restored containers will be running from the point in time the container was checkpointed.

Each of these restored containers will be running from the point in time the container was checkpointed.