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Using Storage Volumes with Docker Swarm

Storage volumes provide a powerful and flexible way to add persistent storage to your containers, but what if you need to share storage volumes across multiple Docker hosts, such as a Swarm cluster? In this lab, you will have the opportunity to work with a simple method of creating shared volumes usable across multiple swarm nodes using the `sshfs` volume driver.

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Path Info

Level
Clock icon Intermediate
Duration
Clock icon 45m
Last updated
Clock icon Aug 25, 2025

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Table of Contents

  1. Challenge

    Set up the external storage location.

    1. On the storage server, create the storage directory.
    sudo mkdir -p /etc/docker/storage
sudo chown cloud_user:cloud_user /etc/docker/storage
    1. Copy the nginx configuration file into the storage directory.
    cp /home/cloud_user/nginx.conf /etc/docker/storage

  2. Challenge

    Install the vieux/sshfs plugin.

    1. Install the vieux/sshfs plugin on the swarm manager and worker node.
    docker plugin install --grant-all-permissions vieux/sshfs

  3. Challenge

    Create the nginx service that uses the shared volume.

    1. Create the nginx-web service.

    Create the container. Be sure to replace <cloud_user password> with the actual password.

    docker service create -d 
   --replicas=3 
   --name nginx-web 
   -p 8080:9773 
   --mount volume-driver=vieux/sshfs,source=nginx-config-vol,target=/etc/nginx/,[email protected]:/etc/docker/storage,volume-opt=password="<cloud_user password>" nginx:latest
    1. Verify that the service is working properly.
    curl localhost:8080

    If everything is set up correctly, you should see HTML from the nginx Welcome page.

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Pluralsight Skills

Pluralsight Skills gives leaders confidence they have the skills needed to execute technology strategy. Technology teams can benchmark expertise across roles, speed up release cycles and build reliable, secure products. By leveraging our expert content, skill assessments and one-of-a-kind analytics, keep up with the pace of change, put the right people on the right projects and boost productivity. It's the most effective path to developing tech skills at scale.

What's a lab?

Hands-on Labs are real environments created by industry experts to help you learn. These environments help you gain knowledge and experience, practice without compromising your system, test without risk, destroy without fear, and let you learn from your mistakes. Hands-on Labs: practice your skills before delivering in the real world.

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We will provide the credentials and environment necessary for you to practice right within your browser.

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Follow along with the author’s guided walkthrough and build something new in your provided environment!

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On average, you retain 75% more of your learning if you get time for practice.
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