Windows Container Types Compared

Windows Container Types Compared An architecture diagram generated by Archify. Windows App 1 · container · Windows Server Containers Windows App 1 container Windows App 2 · container · Windows Server Containers Windows App 2 container Windows App 3 · container · Windows Server Containers Windows App 3 container Container Runtime · shares host kernel · Windows Server Containers Container Runtime shares host kernel Windows App 1 · container runtime · Hyper-V Isolation Containers › Lightweight VM 1 Windows App 1 container runtime Windows App 2 · container runtime · Hyper-V Isolation Containers › Lightweight VM 2 Windows App 2 container runtime Windows OS Kernel · per-VM kernel · Hyper-V Isolation Containers › Lightweight VM 1 Windows OS Kernel per-VM kernel Windows OS Kernel · per-VM kernel · Hyper-V Isolation Containers › Lightweight VM 2 Windows OS Kernel per-VM kernel Hyper-V Hypervisor · runs lightweight VMs · Hyper-V Isolation Containers Hyper-V Hypervisor runs lightweight VMs Windows Server OS · host OS · Architecture component Windows Server OS host OS Physical Hardware · worker node · Architecture component Physical Hardware worker node shared kernel kernel per VM Windows Server Containers Hyper-V Isolation Containers Lightweight VM 1 Lightweight VM 2 Legend Windows app Runtime / kernel / hypervisor Host OS Physical hardware

Windows Server Containers

  • • Share the host OS kernel (like Linux containers)
  • • Lightweight and quick to start
  • • Require the same Windows version as the host

Hyper-V Isolation Containers

  • • Each container runs in a lightweight VM
  • • Higher level of isolation
  • • Can run a different Windows version than the host, but use more resources