Rclone Docker Plugin

Date: [12th Apr 2024]
Categories: [Tech]
Tags: [Linux], [Container], [Docker]

rclone is a powerful command-line program that helps you manage files hosted on cloud storages. It supports a wide range of cloud storage providers and can be easily integrated into Docker containers using the rclone Docker plugin.

This blog is a simplified documentation for reference. Official documentation is available here.

Prerequisites

Before we dive in, ensure you have the following:

Docker Runtime v1.9: Already installed and configured on your system. Older versions might not support volume plugins.
FUSE driver: This is required by rclone to mount remote storage as a local filesystem. (sudo apt-get -y install fuse)

Step 1: Install the `rclone` Managed Plugin

First, you need to create directories used by the plugin.

sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/docker-plugins/rclone/config
sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/docker-plugins/rclone/cache

Then, install the rclone Docker Volume Plugin by pulling the plugin image from Docker Hub.

docker plugin install rclone/docker-volume-rclone:amd64 --grant-all-permissions --alias rclone

To verify that the plugin has been installed successfully, list the installed Docker plugins.

docker plugin list

You should see rclone/rclone in the list of installed plugins.

The managed plugin is a special container running in a namespace separate from normal Docker containers. Inside it runs the rclone serve docker command.

The --grant-all-permissions flag ensures that the plugin has the necessary permissions to function correctly.

As of this writing, the following plugin architectures are currently available:

amd64
arm64
arm-v7

Step 2: Configure the Plugin

Next, you need to configure rclone to connect to your cloud storage provider. This involves creating a configuration file.

1. Create a Configuration File in the Plugin Directory

You need to manually create the rclone.conf file inside the plugin directory.

touch /var/lib/docker-plugins/rclone/config/rclone.conf

2. Add Remotes to Your `rclone` Configuration

Run rclone config with the --config path set to the rclone.conf file you just created.

# dont forget the sudo!
sudo rclone --config=/var/lib/docker-plugins/rclone/config/rclone.conf config

Notice that there are two config parameters: one is a flag (--config), and the other is a command (config). Add your cloud storage configuration as you normally would.

Step 3: Use the Plugin in a Docker Container

Now that rclone is configured, you can create a volume and set rclone as the driver.

docker volume create <volume_name> -d rclone -o remote=<remote_name>

In this command:

-d rclone: Sets rclone as the driver.
-o remote=<remote_name>: Mounts remote_name at the volume root.

Step 4: Automate with Docker Compose (Optional)

If you prefer using Docker Compose, you can create a docker-compose.yml file to automate the process:


volumes:
  remote_name_folder:
    driver: rclone
    driver_opts:
      remote: "remote_name:remote_folder"

services:
  app:
    image: debian
    tty: true
    stdin_open: true
    volumes:
      - remote_name_folder:/data
    command: ls -lah /data

Then run docker compose up to start the service.

Conclusion

Setting up the rclone Managed Docker plugin on a Debian Linux system is a straightforward process that can significantly enhance your cloud storage management capabilities. By following these steps, you can easily integrate rclone into your Docker workflow and leverage its powerful features.