Top 10 Best Docker Tools for Managing Containers (Pros and Cons)
Top 10 Best Docker Tools for Managing Containers (Pros and Cons). Docker is open source and introduced in 2013. Initially, it was the Go language and used to deliver the software in a standardized form called a container. But now Docker is one of the best platforms for containerization. Remember it does not work alone. There is a whole ecosystem behind it. An entire network of complementary tools works together to provide the best user experience to the users.
Shall we start with Top 10 Best Docker Tools for Managing Containers?
In the production environment, you work with 100s of containers in multiple clusters. And managing all these containers together could be complex. Therefore, a strategy is required to control all the Docker containers together.
So, we have decided to introduce you to the 10 best tools for managing the container. These tools will help to streamline your work and considerably reduce the workload. But before that, let’s take an introduction to containerization.
What is a Container?
Benefits of Running Container
Well containers are portable because they are standardized. They do not require OS per application because they share the machine OS system kernel. Thanks to that they give you a high level of isolation capabilities. In other words it shows that the application is safe and secure. With Docker tools they help in managing the containers.
We hope, you understand the importance of the Docker managing tools. So, the following is the list of top 10 Docker container managing tools.
Ok let’s look a closer look at Top 10 Best Docker Tools for Managing Containers.
Top 10 Best Docker Container Managing Tools
1. Sematext
Sematext is a full stack observability solution and comes with Docker monitoring capabilities. If you want to have real time insight into your on-site and cloud server of infrastructure, you need to install the Sematext. What it does it collects matric from the container, processes, and servers. In nutshell it helps to decide the overall health of the infrastructure.
Also it is quite efficient in observing and reporting anomalies. With interrelated automated system that observes and reports the anomalies. The troubleshooting is centralized because you get everything at a point.
Additionally Sematext saves your time. The auto discovery option discovers the new container and sorts the applications running in them. Additionally it helps you to begin the monitoring services via user interference, so you need not follow the long time taking process.
If you want visibility inside your infrastructure, you should try the sematext. A 14-day free trial is available, so what are you waiting for, go and install the application now and make your life easy.
Sematext Pros
- The team provides the fantastic customer support.
- Gives you an insight into infrastructure and gives you information about everything going inside.
- Automated discovery of anomalies and built in troubleshooting saves your time.
- Several integrations with famous stacks.
Sematext Cons
- Some users have reported that creating the custom contract is not easy on Sematext.
2. DataDog
DataDog is famous for providing a robust monitoring system for the infrastructure. Also gives reliable support for the Docker container. I would say the most significant advantage of the data dog is drag-and-drop customizable dashboards. Let’s you analyse and visualize all the data in one place.
Discovers the anomalies even faster than Sematext. Since it uses the co relating query matrices with the data to see the root cause of the problem, report it and try to solve it.
The development is super easy and quick to understand, so you don’t need extensive training for DataDog. You only need to install the application. And you are good to go. There is a thing to keep in mind; the default limit is 350 metrics per monitored instance.
DataDog Pros
- Visibility of the modern apps and streamlines the monitor stack apps.
- Helps to monitor stack analysis and other processes.
- Assists you to configure data analysis.
- Has integration with several tools and application.
- The application is super easy to understand and implement.
DataDog Cons
- The free version is not available.
3. Dynatrace
There are a few tools that provide full automation, along with the AI tools, and Dynatrace is one of them. Specifically they give you automation using several tools such as Kubernetes, cloud founder, and OpenShift.
As a result it help you to reach full stack observably and allows you to monitor the resource utilization, health and availability. Serval custom options are valuable for the ease of the user. You can create your monitor custom metrics to keep an eye on all crucial metrics using pre-identified rules.
When it comes to Docker, Dynatrace fulfils most of your needs. Similarly also alliable as software as a service and on premises model. Even more Dynatrace gives you access to several Docker metrics like CPU usage, and cache memory usage and RSS notifies you about the incoming and outgoing traffic.
Dynatrace Pros
- Can perform automated monitoring of over 100,000 users.
- The AI integration helps to find the answers and actionable insight of the DevOps team.
- Detects and diagnoses the issue and reports it before it starts causing the hassle.
- Full stack observability is available.
- Gives you access to several Docker metrics.
Dynatrace Cons
- The user interference is not particularly intuitive.
4. cAdvisor
If you want to keep an eye on the resource usage and a full report of resources usage, try cAdvisor. It is an open source metric collector. Generally speaking it analyses the exposed resource usage and performance data from the containers.
Indeed cAdvisor is a great platform to integrate with Docker. In brief it collects, aggregates, processes, and exports the information about the container. Moreover also provides the resource isolation parameters. The complete history of resource usage and network statistics of every container. In short, you will get everything related to container resource usage inside the cAdvisor.
cAdvisor Pros
- Quite likely it provides the easiest way to visualize the Docker container parameters.
- Shows you comprehensive information about the resource usage.
- Holistically stored data helps in easy forecasting and helps in the analysis of past performance.
- An open source metric collector.
cAdvisor Cons
- You cannot monitor more than one container per host. Because it only supports one container per host.
5. MetricFire
Fifth on the list of Top 10 Best Docker Tools for Managing Containers is MetricFire. Another open source version of Grafana and Prometheus. So, monitor and analyse the Docker containers with the help of Prometheus and Graphite integration that helps you to view the metrics in real time.
Hence MetricFire has integrations with several enticing tools and applications. That makes it an attractive tool for monitoring the Docker containers. Subsequently it has integration with the cAdvisor and Kubernetes that helps to increase work efficiency.
Likewise MetricFire also offers business intelligence, infrastructure monitoring, and app monitoring for containerization. Although the tool sounds pretty robust, setting up the application is easy, and it does not take much time.
MetricFire Pros
- Integrated with several tools, applications, and plugins, which enhance its productivity.
- Application is easy and quick to set up.
- A complete ecosystem of several open-source monitoring applications.
- Offers the app and infrastructure monitoring for the ease of the user.
MetricFire Cons
- Less control as compared to in-house Graphite.
- Graphite and Prometheus are not reliable monitoring tools under all circumstances.
6. Docker CLI
Another tool is a Docker monitoring tool. Users can run the Docker CLI commands on the terminal to get a data stream that runs the containers. The fundamental metrics of CLI depict the usage of container resources. Some metrics include the memory, CPU usage, and container IDs from the container.
These monitor IDs help in the selection of the metrics for an individual container in a pool of many running containers. Surely you need to add the ID of your desired container at the end of the command.
Docker CLI shows the metrics as the raw data in the end. In like manner the application gives a reliable report on the container’s status and health.
Docker CLI Pros
- Helps show the container status and health.
- Provides the live resource information.
Docker CLI Cons
- Does not support data visualization.
- Only the basic statistics info are available about the Docker container.
7. Sumo Logic
Sumo Logic offers centralized container aware management. The most significant advantage is that it allows you to correlate container events, host and daemon logs, and configuration information. In fact it delivers the log management solution available on the cloud, on-premises, and in hybrid development.
The cartelization allows you to create multiple dashboards that help you to overview your monitor in one place and helps you in correlating the issues.
The analysis capabilities of Sumo logic help in quick threat detection. In general it helps in the instant detection of breaches and leverage. Overall, sumo gives you a deep and comprehensive insight into your architecture. Surely also offers real time visibility of the Docker container and many other tools.
Sumo Logic Pros
- Has a crowd strike threat intelligence.
- The security framework makes this the safe and secure tool.
- Analysis capabilities help in fast thread detection.
Sumo Logic Cons
- The tool is a bit slow as compared to other platforms.
- Holds the data for a certain amount of time.
8. Sensu
Sensu is an open source network monitoring tool. Additionally it provides centralized monitoring for the Docker containers. Self hosted Sensu is the best option for people dealing with a large deployment. Because hosted services get costly with the large deployments where the Sensu provides the best value for your money.
It can monitor server performance, uptime, network, bandwidth, network resources, and event logs. It also offers unlimited data checks for containers and hosts.
The solution is free for the company that has over 200 company plugins and 250 integrations. Paid plans are available for companies with up to 100 nodes with free trials. The only thing about sensu is it does not store the data over time. But it allows the use of Handlers API to share information with other tools. And it delivers better data visualization.
Sensu Pros
- An open-source self-hosted metric service.
- Allows you to collect unlimited information about the container.
- It provides alerts, auto remediation, network monitoring, and real-time inventory management.
Sensu Cons
- The system is a bit difficult to deploy.
- Cannot monitor the non Docker container.
Also Read
9. Site24x7
Site24x7 has a Linux monitoring agent that helps in the monitoring of the Docker container. All in one Docker container monitoring tool that offers the individual feature solution for the website or the stack solution. Other benefit is it also delivers the infrastructure, APM and monitoring services.
In particular there are features like the automated discovery, monitoring and mapping of the network devices. All the data that the site collects is represented in the form of a dashboard. So, you get the infrastructure, health, and performance report on a single page.
Several third party integrations are available, and those who want the custom monitoring plugins can write their shell, PowerShell and VB and python.
Site24x7 Pros
- Whole infrastructure of the container is available on a single dashboard.
- Comes with the automated discovery and mapping.
- Custom monitoring plugins are available.
Site24x7 Cons
- Some settings are not easy to configure.
- It does not support all the latest languages and platforms.
10. Splunk
We are closing the list of Top 10 Best Docker Tools for Managing Containers with Splunk. Thus, this tool comes with the inbuilt machine learning feature. Meanwhile it helps the computers to learn from experience and improve future performance. In effect it also collects and stores a large amount of data from multiple sectors and networks and keeps it for future records.
With Splunk there is a powerful monitoring. Monitors the performance, ensures uptime and provides an actionable security overview. You can view the container metric using the in built dashboard. Language support provides the services in different languages that make this tool ubiquitous.
Splunk Pros
- Has the machine learning feature.
- Gives continuous alerts and notifications to keep the user updated.
- Custom log praising and automatic praising.
Splunk Cons
- The cost is a bit higher, especially for the large data volumes.
- The dashboard is a bit harsh.
Thank you for reading Top 10 Best Docker Tools for Managing Containers (Pros and Cons).
Top 10 Best Docker Tools for Managing Containers Conclusion
As the popularity of the Docker container increases, developers are designing more and more Docker container managing tools. Choosing the one Docker container management tool among the pool of tools could be difficult. Really it depends upon the metrics requirements, and one needs to supervise.
Each tool has its specific aspect of analysis, management, and observability. There is not a single tool that can fulfil all the requirements of Docker container management. You might need four or five tools together. You need to fix these tools and create a solution that helps to manage the Docker containers.
Take a look at more docker content in our blog over here.
