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Mike Schinkel - PeerSpot reviewer
President at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Leaderboard
Nov 11, 2022
It's going to cost you less than an alternative because there are so many more free resources available
Pros and Cons
  • "Docker packages up an application as a single item that you can then run without the need to install or configure it to work on any specific machine."
  • "The command line interface could be more intuitive. I constantly struggle with it."

What is our primary use case?

I'm using Docker local Kubernetes development. I'm building software that uses Docker for cloud and on-premises applications. I'm consulting for a company that provides an enterprise database solution built using Docker containers and Kubernetes, so everyone at the company is using Docker indirectly.

What is most valuable?

Docker packages up an application as a single item that you can then run without the need to install or configure it to work on any specific machine.

What needs improvement?

The command line interface could be more intuitive. I constantly struggle with it. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Docker for three or four years.

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Docker is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Docker is scalable for the most part. But we have had issues where we ran out of disk space, and it doesn't work. When I say "disk space," I mean the space that Docker has allocated. Docker isn't scalable on its own, but it is if you're using it with something like Kubernetes.

How was the initial setup?

Deploying Docker is pretty easy. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

An enterprise license costs $24 per user per month. For a team or a smaller license, it costs $9 or $5 per user.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I have looked at some of the newer ones that came out. We looked at Podman, but it didn't have the API that we needed. We also looked at Rancher. When I was at HPE, Docker started charging a license, so management decided to switch to something else because they didn't want to pay for it. After about six months and lots of wasted time and effort, they realized that it was worth paying for it. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate Docker 8.5 out of 10.  From a business perspective, Docker is the de facto standard, and it's going to cost you less to use it than to try to find an alternative unless there's something that Docker can't do. It's going to cost you less because there are so many more free resources available. Your team can Google and find technical information much more easily about Docker than any other solution.

The advice I'd give to someone who is new to the solution is to find an online course that can walk you through Docker because it can be really confusing to get up to speed on it. 

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Software Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 10
Feb 12, 2025
Containerization simplifies application deployment and integration with CI/CD tools
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is the simple containerization."
  • "The stability is excellent."
  • "In terms of communication between services, perhaps the configuration within networks between containers could be improved."
  • "In terms of communication between services, perhaps the configuration within networks between containers could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

I use Docker primarily for backend services to containerize applications or for API communications.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the simple containerization. I can specify what I need to install in a shell to ensure the application runs. It's a straightforward and easy-to-use feature. I also use it with CI/CD tools, finding it a good solution for integration.

What needs improvement?

In terms of communication between services, perhaps the configuration within networks between containers could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Docker for about six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is excellent. I would rate it ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

By using Kubernetes, scalability is simple and can be done without issues.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Some developers might use virtualization solutions like VMware, however, Docker is much better because it is simple.

How was the initial setup?

Overall, the setup is simple.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I consider Docker's pricing to be affordable.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Some developers might consider virtualization solutions like VMware.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend Docker for a wide range of users, from 50 to five million users, as it is simple to configure. 

I rate the overall solution ten out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
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January 2026
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RuchilShah - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Executive at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Top 5
Jun 3, 2024
Provides good load-balancing features and helps save costs
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution helps save costs."
  • "Docker management is very difficult when we have a large number of nodes."

What is our primary use case?

We use the tool for some of our services. We use it for containerization.

What is most valuable?

Load balancing features are valuable. We are leveraging this software for containerized services. We are using EKS for orchestration. We are leveraging almost all features. The solution helps save costs. We can know how much CPU memory is required so we can manage it accordingly.

What needs improvement?

Docker management is very difficult when we have a large number of nodes.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for the last two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the tool’s stability a six or seven out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate the tool’s scalability a six out of ten. We have more than 500 users. The tool is used extensively. We have plans to increase usage in the future.

How are customer service and support?

We get good support from AWS.

How was the initial setup?

The setup is straightforward. We need ten people for deployment, including managers, developers, and the IT team.

What about the implementation team?

We can deploy the product ourselves.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We use the open-source version.

What other advice do I have?

We use EKS for large applications. I will recommend the solution to others. If people want to leverage load balancing and containerized services with less CPU and load management, they can use Docker. We must pay for EKS based on the clusters and nodes we use. The price depends on the use case. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Bertin Fonge - PeerSpot reviewer
Data Analyst and Developer at a recruiting/HR firm with 11-50 employees
Real User
Oct 20, 2023
A scalable solution that can be used for containerization and working with CI/CD pipelines
Pros and Cons
  • "Docker's containerization property is its main selling point."
  • "I want to see if new architectures have been incorporated in Docker or if we have to wait for another release."

What is our primary use case?

I use Docker for containerization, deployment, and to create packages. Docker has a wide range of uses and integrates well with other command-line tools like Terraform. Docker is most helpful when trying to work with CI/CD pipelines.

What is most valuable?

Docker's containerization property is its main selling point.

What needs improvement?

I'd like to see the new update on containers and what you can achieve with the new version of Docker by using containers. I would also like to know the range of applications for which it can be used. I want to see if new architectures have been incorporated in Docker or if we have to wait for another release.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Docker for one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate Docker a nine out of ten for stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Docker is a very scalable solution. I rate Docker a nine out of ten for scalability.

How was the initial setup?

Docker's initial setup is straightforward. As a command line tool, it also provides you with docks to reference if you get stuck or have issues.

What about the implementation team?

The solution's deployment time depends on your internet latency or internet speed and the size of the container. If you are deploying a very large application, it will take some time to set up.

What other advice do I have?

Docker is deployed on-cloud in our organization.

To effectively use Docker, users should learn the basics of Docker and understand what containers and images are in Docker.

Overall, I rate Docker a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Sven Gotovac - PeerSpot reviewer
Professor at a educational organization with 201-500 employees
Real User
Top 20
Jul 14, 2023
A scalable solution that is useful for developing and testing applications
Pros and Cons
  • "Docker is perfect for what I do...The solution is scalable."
  • "Owing to a few shortcomings in its stability, I would say that its stability can be improved."

What is our primary use case?

When we are developing an application, we try various libraries. It is better to isolate one application from the other because if they install one library and then it doesn't work on the other end or while using a driver, then it doesn't work on the other driver. There is always this conflict that is bothering us, and that is where Docker separates containers to build applications.

What is most valuable?

Docker is a useful tool that we just implement and use directly.

What needs improvement?

It is a perfect solution for me stability-wise. Owing to a few shortcomings in its stability, I would say that its stability can be improved. It is important to note that I am not an expert to speak about what needs improvement.

In the future releases of Docker, we should be able to isolate a couple of applications. It should also be possible to isolate an environment.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Docker for one or two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable.

We have a couple of users in our organization using Docker since it's just a test system right now.

We don't have plans to increase usage.

How are customer service and support?

We haven't contacted the technical support of Docker. We did search for the details of Docker's support team on Google.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We have used the virtual machine named VMware previously. We switched to Docker because VMware was very clumsy when we tried to build a lot of virtual machines using it. VMware is best suitable as a business solution.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of the complete environment is complex, but Docker is easy to set up.

If you want to set up a complete environment, it will take a week, depending on the applications.

We don't do the deployment since we only look into the PoC phase. The company we work with does the deployment, and then they worry about the environment, infrastructure, and other things.

What about the implementation team?

We do the deployment by ourselves because we need to test or develop some applications and do the PoC phase.

What other advice do I have?

Docker is perfect for what I do, though it is really limited as a tool.

Overall. I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Peng Zhi - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Jul 6, 2023
Helps to run multiple virtual machines independently
Pros and Cons
  • "Docker allows you to run multiple virtual machines independently."
  • "The solution is not easy to manage and it is one of the reasons why people introduce orchestration tools to manage it."

What is most valuable?

Docker allows you to run multiple virtual machines independently. 

What needs improvement?

The solution is not easy to manage and it is one of the reasons why people introduce orchestration tools to manage it. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for six to seven years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The tool's stability is high and I would rate it a ten out of ten. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We use the solution 24/7. 

How are customer service and support?

The tool is an open-source product and there is no technical support for it. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We use Hyper-V and VMware as per our client's requirements. 

How was the initial setup?

The tool's setup is difficult and I would rate it a two out of ten. The tool's POC can be completed in a couple of hours. However, if the project is big, then deployment can take around one to two months to complete. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution is an open-source technology and not a commercial product. However, you will have to pay sometimes. The tool's pricing depends on the vendor. 

What other advice do I have?

I would rate the product a nine out of ten. The solution is a virtualization technology that is more like a mini-computer. 

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Student at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Jul 4, 2023
A free tool that is easy to deploy on different platforms
Pros and Cons
  • "I think that with Docker, it is easy to deploy it on different platforms."
  • "Stability is an area with a shortcoming."

What is our primary use case?

I use the tool for SQL, MySQL, and web development.

What is most valuable?

I think that with Docker, it is easy to deploy it on different platforms.

What needs improvement?

Stability is an area with a shortcoming. Hence, stability needs to be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Docker for a year. Also, I don't remember the version of the solution I am using since it comes from the repository of Linux.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the stability of the solution a nine out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Normally, I use it on small sites, so I don't know if it can experience scalability.

More than 200 of my students use the tool. Also, the tool is used extensively by me.

Normally, Docker is free for everything, so I don't know if there needs to be a plan to increase the number of users.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Before Docker, I used only a Linux setup.

How was the initial setup?

I have used Docker on Linux for the filesystem.

The deployment of the product was done in a minute or two, considering my internet is very stable.

I use the Docker control plane for the deployment.

What about the implementation team?

I was involved in the deployment process of the solution.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Docker is a free tool.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?


What other advice do I have?

I would definitely recommend the solution to those planning to use it.

I don't know what to say to those planning to use Docker, but you can find its details on the internet.

I rate the overall solution a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Founder at a educational organization with 11-50 employees
Real User
Apr 24, 2023
Affordable, user-friendly, and easy to deploy
Pros and Cons
  • "The deployment is quite fast, which is beneficial."
  • "There is always room for improvement. I often refer to forums such as StackOverflow to learn from other developers' experiences and the challenges they have faced while using Docker."

What is our primary use case?

I am able to containerize my application using Docker on my Docker account.

Deploying two solutions is much faster and easier for me on Docker. Docker makes deployment much simpler and more efficient.

What is most valuable?

The deployment is quite fast, which is beneficial.

I think Docker has done an excellent job on their website in illustrating the installation process and addressing any challenges that may arise. 

Their website provides clear instructions for deploying Docker on various operating systems, including Mac, Linux, and Windows environments.

What needs improvement?

There is always room for improvement.

I often refer to forums such as StackOverflow to learn from other developers' experiences and the challenges they have faced while using Docker.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Docker for the last two years.

We are using the most recent version. I released the most recent update two or three days ago.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I prefer not to disclose that specific project at the moment because it is a personal one and not related to LiveScale.

I would rate the stability a nine out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I am the only user.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have used Apache Web Server.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward.

It can be deployed in less than thirty minutes.

What about the implementation team?

I was able to deploy it myself.

Regarding my last deployment, I used Docker as a containerization platform to package and deploy my application. As for the design, I purchased the Blue on the Bureau theme for $250 and used it on my Mac computer.

I found the deployment process to be quite straightforward.

It is installed on-premises on my local machine. However, whenever I need to make updates or changes, I push them to Git to maintain a version control account.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I prefer to pay on a monthly basis.

The pricing is reasonable. 

Pricing is based on the number of users.

What other advice do I have?

Based on my experience with Docker and the speed and ease of deployment it offers for various applications, I would highly recommend it to others.

I would rate Docker, a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Docker Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: January 2026
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Docker Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.