Rock Pi S / Debian Buster 191219 - missing kernel options for docker

#1

I ran into some trouble while running docker (especially docker swarm) on the official debian buster image for Rock Pi S. One symptom was that the routing mesh was not working most of the time.

When investigating this (using https://github.com/moby/moby/blob/master/contrib/check-config.sh), I discovered that these two kernel options were missing in the shipped kernel 4.4.143-34-rockchip-g3c9d2019dba7:

  • CONFIG_DEVPTS_MULTIPLE_INSTANCES
  • CONFIG_BRIDGE_VLAN_FILTERING

So I compiled a custom kernel with these two options activated, deployed it and docker swarm is running fine since then.

So, I guess my question is… Could you include these two options in the next official kernel of your debian buster image?

#2

All this + a lot more already exists in Armbian.

#3

Ah, ok. As a beginner, I thought I would be best off with an “Official Image” rather than a “Third Party Image”. I’ll try out Armbian then, nevertheless I’m sure it would also be beneficial to others in the “containerized edge computing” space if the official image had these options enabled too.

Is choosing Armbian over this official Debian Buster image a no-brainer or are there downsides, too?

#4

In very short: Especially for beginners, Armbian is easier. Its more polished and has greater support base. Official image = Unofficial Debian or Unoffical Armbian with a kernel which is somehow stable but still in development/support state by chip/board maker/community. Armbian took that, add lots of improvements on all levels and keep it as generic / standard “Debian for ARM single board computers” as possible.

There are no downsides, only gain.