Virtual DSM for Docker

Virtual DSM in a docker container.

Features

• Multiple disks
• KVM acceleration
• GPU passthrough
• Upgrades supported

Usage

Via docker-compose.yml

version: "3"
services:
  dsm:
    container_name: dsm
    image: vdsm/virtual-dsm:latest
    environment:
      DISK_SIZE: "16G"
    devices:
      - /dev/kvm
    cap_add:
      - NET_ADMIN
    ports:
      - 5000:5000
    volumes:
      - /var/dsm:/storage
    restart: on-failure
    stop_grace_period: 2m

Via docker run

docker run -it --rm -p 5000:5000 --device=/dev/kvm --cap-add NET_ADMIN --stop-timeout 60 vdsm/virtual-dsm:latest

FAQ

• How do I change the size of the virtual disk?

  To expand the default size of 16 GB, locate the DISK_SIZE setting in your compose file and modify it to your preferred capacity:

  environment:
    DISK_SIZE: "128G"
  

  This can also be used to resize the existing disk to a larger capacity without any data loss.

• How do I change the location of the virtual disk?

  To change the location of the virtual disk, include the following bind mount in your compose file:

  volumes:
    - /var/dsm:/storage
  

  Replace the example path /var/dsm with the desired storage folder.

• How do I add multiple disks?

  To create additional disks, modify your compose file like this:

  environment:
    DISK2_SIZE: "32G"
    DISK3_SIZE: "64G"
  volumes:
    - /home/example:/storage2
    - /mnt/data/example:/storage3
  

• How do I create a growable disk?

  By default, the entire capacity of the disk is reserved in advance.

  To create a growable disk that only allocates space that is actually used, add the following environment variables:

  environment:
    ALLOCATE: "N"
    DISK_FMT: "qcow2"
  

  Please note that this may reduce the write performance of the disk.

• How do I increase the amount of CPU or RAM?

  By default, a single core and 1 GB of RAM are allocated to the container.

  To increase this, add the following environment variables:

  environment:
    RAM_SIZE: "4G"
    CPU_CORES: "4"
  

• How do I verify if my system supports KVM?

  To verify if your system supports KVM, run the following commands:

  sudo apt install cpu-checker
  sudo kvm-ok
  

  If you receive an error from kvm-ok indicating that KVM acceleration can't be used, check your BIOS settings.

• How do I assign an individual IP address to the container?

  By default, the container uses bridge networking, which shares the IP address with the host.

  If you want to assign an individual IP address to the container, you can create a macvlan network as follows:

  docker network create -d macvlan \
      --subnet=192.168.0.0/24 \
      --gateway=192.168.0.1 \
      --ip-range=192.168.0.100/28 \
      -o parent=eth0 vdsm
  

  Be sure to modify these values to match your local subnet.

  Once you have created the network, change your compose file to look as follows:

  services:
    dsm:
      container_name: dsm
      ..<snip>..
      networks:
        vdsm:
          ipv4_address: 192.168.0.100
  
  networks:
    vdsm:
      external: true
  

  An added benefit of this approach is that you won't have to perform any port mapping anymore since all ports will be exposed by default.

  Please note that this IP address won't be accessible from the Docker host due to the design of macvlan, which doesn't permit communication between the two. If this is a concern, you need to create a second macvlan as a workaround.

• How can the container acquire an IP address from my router?

  After configuring the container for macvlan (see above), it is possible for DSM to become part of your home network by requesting an IP from your router, just like your other devices.

  To enable this feature, add the following lines to your compose file:

  environment:
    DHCP: "Y"
  device_cgroup_rules:
    - 'c *:* rwm'
  

  Please note that even if you don't want DHCP, it's still recommended to enable this feature as it prevents NAT issues and increases performance by using a macvtap interface. In that case just set a static IP from the DSM control panel after you enabled this mode.

• How do I passthrough the GPU?

  To passthrough your Intel GPU, add the following lines to your compose file:

  environment:
    GPU: "Y"
  devices:
    - /dev/dri
  

  This can be used to enable the facial recognition function in Synology Photos for example.

• How do I install a specific version of vDSM?

  By default, version 7.2.1 will be installed, but if you prefer an older version, you can add its download URL to your compose file as follows:

  environment:
    URL: "https://global.synologydownload.com/download/DSM/release/7.0.1/42218/DSM_VirtualDSM_42218.pat"
  

  With this method, it is even possible to switch between different versions while keeping all your file data intact.

• What are the differences compared to the standard DSM?

  There are only two minor differences: the Virtual Machine Manager package is not available, and Surveillance Station will not include any free licenses.

• Is this project legal?

  Yes, this project contains only open-source code and does not distribute any copyrighted material. Neither does it try to circumvent any copyright protection measures. So under all applicable laws, this project would be considered legal.

  However, by installing Synology's Virtual DSM, you must accept their end-user license agreement, which does not permit installation on non-Synology hardware. So only run this project on an official Synology NAS, as any other use will be a violation of their terms and conditions.

Disclaimer

Only run this container on Synology hardware, any other use is not permitted by their EULA. The product names, logos, brands, and other trademarks referred to within this project are the property of their respective trademark holders. This project is not affiliated, sponsored, or endorsed by Synology, Inc.