Docker Deployment#

MultiFlexi provides a complete Docker-based deployment solution using Docker Compose. This setup allows you to run the entire MultiFlexi stack in containers, making deployment and management easier across different environments.

Overview#

The Docker setup includes the following services:

  • web: MultiFlexi web interface (Apache + PHP)

  • executor: MultiFlexi job executor daemon

  • scheduler: MultiFlexi job scheduler daemon

  • db: MySQL 8.0 database

  • redis: Redis cache server

All services are orchestrated using Docker Compose and follow the same architecture as systemd-based installations.

Quick Start#

  1. Navigate to the docker directory:

    cd docker/

  2. Copy the environment templates:

    cp .env.example .env
cp multiflexi.env.example multiflexi.env

  3. Edit the configuration files:

    nano .env              # Docker Compose environment
nano multiflexi.env    # MultiFlexi application environment

  4. Start the services:

    docker-compose up -d

  5. Access the web interface at http://localhost:8080

Service Architecture#

Executor Service#

The executor service runs the MultiFlexi job executor daemon:

  • Base Image: debian:bookworm-slim

  • Package: multiflexi-executor (from VitexSoftware repository)

  • Command: /usr/bin/php /usr/lib/multiflexi-executor/daemon.php

  • User: multiflexi:multiflexi

  • Purpose: Executes scheduled MultiFlexi jobs

This matches the systemd service definition in /usr/lib/systemd/system/multiflexi-executor.service.

Scheduler Service#

The scheduler service runs the MultiFlexi job scheduler daemon:

  • Base Image: debian:bookworm-slim

  • Package: multiflexi-scheduler (from VitexSoftware repository)

  • Command: /usr/bin/php /usr/lib/multiflexi-scheduler/daemon.php

  • User: multiflexi:multiflexi

  • Purpose: Manages job scheduling and timing

This matches the systemd service definition in /usr/lib/systemd/system/multiflexi-scheduler.service.

Web Service#

The web service provides the MultiFlexi web interface:

  • Base Image: Uses existing Dockerfile (Debian + Apache + PHP)

  • Port: 8080 (configurable via WEB_PORT)

  • Document Root: /opt/multiflexi/src

  • Purpose: Web interface and API access

Database Service#

MySQL 8.0 database service:

  • Image: mysql:8.0

  • Port: 3306 (configurable via DB_PORT)

  • Health Check: Built-in MySQL ping

  • Persistence: Named volume for data

Redis Service#

Redis cache service:

  • Image: redis:7-alpine

  • Purpose: Caching and job queues

  • Persistence: Named volume for data

Configuration#

Docker Compose Environment (.env)#

Docker Compose specific settings:

# Web Configuration
WEB_PORT=8080

# Database Configuration
DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_DATABASE=multiflexi
DB_USERNAME=multiflexiuser
DB_PASSWORD=secure_user_password
MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=very_secure_root_password

# Optional: Database port exposure
DB_PORT=3306

MultiFlexi Environment (multiflexi.env)#

Application-specific settings that match the systemd service configuration:

# Database Configuration
DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=db
DB_DATABASE=multiflexi
DB_USERNAME=multiflexiuser
DB_PASSWORD=secure_user_password

# Application Configuration
MULTIFLEXI_DEBUG=false
MULTIFLEXI_LOG_LEVEL=info

# Paths
MULTIFLEXI_CONFIG_DIR=/etc/multiflexi
MULTIFLEXI_LOG_DIR=/var/log/multiflexi

# Timezone
TZ=Europe/Prague

Volume Management#

The setup uses named volumes for data persistence:

  • db_data: MySQL database files

  • redis_data: Redis data

  • web_logs: Apache access and error logs

  • executor_logs: Executor service logs

  • scheduler_logs: Scheduler service logs

  • sqlite_data: SQLite database files (if using SQLite)

  • config_data: MultiFlexi configuration files

Package Installation#

The Dockerfiles use apt install multiflexi-* packages from the VitexSoftware repository instead of copying source files. This approach provides several benefits:

Consistency#

  • Same packages as system installations

  • Identical file locations and permissions

  • Consistent behavior across environments

Dependency Management#

  • All required PHP modules automatically installed

  • Proper system integration

  • Correct package dependencies resolved

Security#

  • Official package updates and security patches

  • No custom build processes

  • Trusted package signatures

Repository Configuration#

Both Dockerfiles add the VitexSoftware repository:

# Add VitexSoftware repository
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
    wget \
    lsb-release \
    apt-transport-https \
    gpg \
    && echo "deb http://repo.vitexsoftware.com $(lsb_release -sc) main backports" | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vitexsoftware.list \
    && wget -O /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/vitexsoftware.gpg http://repo.vitexsoftware.cz/keyring.gpg \
    && apt-get update

Management Commands#

Starting Services#

# Start all services in background
docker-compose up -d

# Start specific service
docker-compose up -d executor

Viewing Logs#

# View all logs
docker-compose logs -f

# View specific service logs
docker-compose logs -f executor
docker-compose logs -f scheduler

Stopping Services#

# Stop all services
docker-compose down

# Stop and remove volumes (destructive)
docker-compose down -v

Service Status#

# Check service status
docker-compose ps

# Check service health
docker-compose exec db mysqladmin ping -h localhost

Rebuilding Images#

# Rebuild all images
docker-compose build --no-cache

# Rebuild specific service
docker-compose build --no-cache executor

Database Management#

# Database backup
docker-compose exec db mysqladmin -u root -p multiflexi > backup.sql

# Database restore
docker-compose exec -i db mysql -u root -p multiflexi < backup.sql

# Connect to database
docker-compose exec db mysql -u root -p

Troubleshooting#

Service Won’t Start#

  1. Check the logs:

    docker-compose logs [service_name]

  2. Verify configuration files exist:

    ls -la .env multiflexi.env

  3. Check for port conflicts:

    netstat -tulpn | grep :8080

Database Connection Issues#

  1. Ensure database service is healthy:

    docker-compose ps db

  2. Test database connectivity from executor:

    docker-compose exec executor php -r "echo 'DB connection test';"

  3. Check database logs:

    docker-compose logs db

Environment File Issues#

Verify the multiflexi.env file is properly mounted:

docker-compose exec executor cat /etc/multiflexi/multiflexi.env

Permission Issues#

If you encounter permission issues, ensure the multiflexi user has proper access:

# Check user in container
docker-compose exec executor id

# Check file permissions
docker-compose exec executor ls -la /etc/multiflexi/

Port Conflicts#

If ports 8080 or 3306 are already in use:

  1. Change ports in .env file:

    WEB_PORT=8081
DB_PORT=3307

  2. Restart services:

    docker-compose down && docker-compose up -d

Differences from SystemD#

When running in Docker vs systemd:

SystemD Services#

  • Services managed by systemd init system

  • Background daemon processes

  • Automatic restart on failure

  • System integration with journal logging

Docker Services#

  • Services run as foreground processes in containers

  • Docker handles process management and restarts

  • Container-based isolation

  • Structured logging to stdout/stderr

Common Elements#

  • Commands: Identical PHP daemon commands

  • User: Same multiflexi:multiflexi user/group

  • Environment: Same /etc/multiflexi/multiflexi.env format

  • No Cron: Both use PHP daemon processes, not cron jobs

  • Packages: Same VitexSoftware packages

Production Considerations#

Resource Limits#

Consider adding resource limits to your docker-compose.yml:

services:
  executor:
    deploy:
      resources:
        limits:
          cpus: '0.50'
          memory: 512M
        reservations:
          memory: 256M

Logging#

Configure log rotation and retention:

services:
  web:
    logging:
      driver: "json-file"
      options:
        max-size: "10m"
        max-file: "3"

Health Checks#

Add custom health checks for application services:

services:
  executor:
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD", "php", "-f", "/usr/lib/multiflexi-executor/health-check.php"]
      interval: 30s
      timeout: 10s
      retries: 3

Security#

  • Use strong passwords in environment files

  • Keep environment files out of version control

  • Regularly update base images and packages

  • Consider using Docker secrets for sensitive data

  • Run containers with read-only root filesystem where possible

Backup Strategy#

  • Regular database backups using docker-compose exec

  • Backup named volumes containing persistent data

  • Store configuration files in version control

  • Test restore procedures regularly

Monitoring#

  • Monitor container health and resource usage

  • Set up log aggregation for centralized logging

  • Configure alerts for service failures

  • Monitor database performance and storage usage