Virtual DSM in a Docker container.
- Multiple disks
- KVM acceleration
- Upgrades supported
Via Docker Compose:
version: "3"
services:
dsm:
container_name: dsm
image: vdsm/virtual-dsm
environment:
DISK_SIZE: "16G"
devices:
- /dev/kvm
cap_add:
- NET_ADMIN
ports:
- 5000:5000
volumes:
- /var/dsm:/storage
restart: on-failure
stop_grace_period: 2mVia Docker CLI:
docker run -it --rm --name dsm -p 5000:5000 --device=/dev/kvm --cap-add NET_ADMIN --stop-timeout 120 vdsm/virtual-dsm-
Very simple! These are the steps:
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Start the container and connect to port 5000 using your web browser.
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Wait until DSM is ready, choose an username and password, and you will be taken to the desktop.
Enjoy your brand new machine, and don't forget to star this repo!
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To expand the default size of 16 GB, locate the
DISK_SIZEsetting 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.
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To change the storage location, include the following bind mount in your compose file:
volumes: - /var/dsm:/storage
Replace the example path
/var/dsmwith the desired storage folder. -
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 variable:
environment: DISK_FMT: "qcow2"
Please note that this may reduce the write performance of the disk.
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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
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It is possible to pass-through disk devices directly by adding them to your compose file in this way:
environment: DEVICE2: "/dev/sda" DEVICE3: "/dev/sdb" devices: - /dev/sda - /dev/sdb
Please note that the device needs to be totally empty (without any partition table) otherwise DSM does not always format it into a volume.
Do NOT use this feature with the goal of sharing files from the host, they will all be lost without warning when DSM creates the volume.
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By default, a single CPU 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"
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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-okindicating that KVM acceleration can't be used, check the virtualization settings in the BIOS. -
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 vdsmBe 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.
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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 mode, add the following lines to your compose file:
environment: DHCP: "Y" devices: - /dev/vhost-net device_cgroup_rules: - 'c *:* rwm'
Please note that even if you don't need DHCP, it's still recommended to enable this mode, as it prevents NAT issues and increases performance by using a
macvtapinterface. You can just set a static IP from the DSM control panel afterwards. -
To pass-through 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.
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By default, version 7.2 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.
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There are only two minor differences: the Virtual Machine Manager package is not available, and Surveillance Station will not include any free licenses.
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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 container on an official Synology NAS, as any other use will be a violation of their terms and conditions.
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.