Building a Docker Swarm

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Building a Docker Swarm

Docker swarm allows you to quickly move beyond simply using Docker to run containers. With swarm, you can easily set up a cluster of Docker servers capable of providing useful orchestration features. This lab will allow you to become familiar with the process of setting up a simple swarm cluster on a set of servers. You will configure a swarm master and two worker nodes, forming a working swarm cluster.

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Lab Info

Level

Intermediate

Last updated

Sep 16, 2025

Duration

1h 0m

Challenge

Install Docker CE on all three nodes.

On all three servers, install Docker CE.

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get -y install 
   apt-transport-https 
   ca-certificates 
   curl 
   gnupg-agent 
   software-properties-common

curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo apt-key add -

sudo add-apt-repository 
   "deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu 
   $(lsb_release -cs) 
   stable"

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install -y docker-ce=5:18.09.5~3-0~ubuntu-bionic docker-ce-cli=5:18.09.5~3-0~ubuntu-bionic containerd.io

Add cloud_user to the Docker group so that you can run docker commands as cloud_user.

sudo usermod -a -G docker cloud_user

Log out each server, then log back in.

You can verify the installation on each server like so:

docker version

Challenge

Configure the swarm manager.
1. On the swarm manager server, initialize the swarm. Be sure to replace <swarm manager private IP> in this command with the actual Private IP of the swarm manager (NOT the public IP).
```
docker swarm init --advertise-addr <swarm manager private IP>
```
Challenge

Join the worker nodes to the cluster.
1. On the swarm manager, get a join command with a token:
```
docker swarm join-token worker
```
This should provide a command that begins docker swarm join .... Copy that command and run it on both worker servers.

NOTE: If you have any trouble, on the swarm manager try: docker swarm leave --force and then docker swarm init --advertise-addr [privater ip of the swarm manager] After that, run the provided command to join the workers to the swarm.
1. Go back to the swarm manager and list the nodes.
```
docker node ls
```
Verify that you can see all three servers listed (including the manager). All three should have a status of READY. Once all three servers are ready, you have built your own Docker swarm cluster!

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