Docker Quickstart - Redis

{{< warning >}} Docker containers are currently only supported for development and test environments, not for production. Use [Redis Enterprise on Kubernetes]({{< relref "/operate/kubernetes" >}}) for a supported containerized deployment. {{< /warning >}}

For testing purposes, you can run Redis Enterprise Software on Docker containers on Linux, Windows, or MacOS. The Redis Enterprise Software container acts as a node in a cluster.

To get started with a single Redis Enterprise Software container:

Install Docker for your operating system
Run the Redis Enterprise Software Docker container
Set up a cluster
Create a new database
Connect to your database

Install Docker

Follow the Docker installation instructions for your operating system:

Run the container

To download and start the Redis Enterprise Software Docker container, run the following docker run command in the terminal or command line for your operating system.

{{< note >}} On Windows, make sure Docker is configured to run Linux-based containers. {{< /note >}}

docker run -d --cap-add sys_resource --name RE -p 8443:8443 -p 9443:9443 -p 12000:12000 redislabs/redis

The example command runs the Docker container with Redis Enterprise Software on localhost and opens the following ports:

Port 8443 for HTTPS connections
Port 9443 for [REST API]({{< relref "/operate/rs/7.4/references/rest-api" >}}) connections
Port 12000 configured Redis database port allowing client connections

You can publish other [ports]({{< relref "/operate/rs/7.4/networking/port-configurations.md" >}}) with -p <host_port>:<container_port> or use the --network host option to open all ports to the host network.

Set up a cluster

Create a database

Connect to your database

After you create the Redis database, you can connect to it to begin storing data.

Use redis-cli inside Docker {#connect-inside-docker}

Every installation of Redis Enterprise Software includes the command-line tool [redis-cli]({{< relref "/operate/rs/7.4/references/cli-utilities/redis-cli" >}}) to interact with your Redis database. You can use redis-cli to connect to your database from within the same Docker network.

Use docker exec to start an interactive redis-cli session in the running Redis Enterprise Software container:

$ docker exec -it <container_name_or_ID> redis-cli -h <host_or_IP> -p <port>
127.0.0.1:12000> SET key1 123
OK
127.0.0.1:12000> GET key1
"123"

To find the container name or ID, use docker ps to list running containers.

Connect from the host environment {#connect-outside-docker}

The database you created uses port 12000, which is also mapped from the Docker container back to the host environment. This lets you use any method you have available locally to [connect to a Redis database]({{< relref "/operate/rs/7.4/databases/connect/" >}}). Use localhost as the host and 12000 as the port.

Test different topologies

When deploying Redis Enterprise Software using Docker for testing, several common topologies are available, according to your requirements:

Single-node cluster – For local development or functional testing
Multi-node cluster on a single host – For a small-scale deployment that is similar to production
Multi-node cluster with multiple hosts – For more predictable performance or high availability compared to single-host deployments

Single node {#single-node}

The simplest topology is to run a single-node Redis Enterprise Software cluster with a single container on a single host machine. You can use this topology for local development or functional testing.

Single-node clusters have limited functionality. For example, Redis Enterprise Software can't use replication or protect against failures if the cluster has only one node.

Multiple nodes on one host {#multi-node-one-host}

You can create a multi-node Redis Enterprise Software cluster by deploying multiple containers to a single host machine. The resulting cluster is scale minimized but similar to production deployments.

However, this will also have several limitations. For example, you cannot map the same port on multiple containers on the same host.

{{< image filename="/images/rs/RS-Docker-cluster-single-host.png" >}}

Multiple nodes and hosts {#multi-node-multi-host}

You can create a multi-node Redis Enterprise Software cluster with multiple containers by deploying each container to a different host machine.

This topology minimizes interference between containers, allowing for the testing of more Redis Enterprise Software features.

{{< image filename="/images/rs/RS-Docker-cluster-multi-host.png" >}}