Container platform

Synology Docker / Container Manager: DSM 7.4 Deployment Guide

Synology renamed its Docker package to Container Manager and expanded the project workflow around Compose files. The important owner skill is not clicking Create; it is designing persistent data, permissions, ports, networks, update procedures and backup so a container can be recreated without losing application state.

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Quick answer

Use Projects for services you expect to keep

Container Manager can build, start, stop, restart, clean and redeploy projects from Compose definitions. That makes the project file a useful source of truth for repeatable self-hosting on DSM.

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Hardware relevant to this technical workflow

This Sprint 9F catalogue is intentionally focused on current and previous Synology Plus systems. Storage-repair pages can also read compatible third-party NAS hard-drive data from Cloudzat Storage Price Intelligence in read-only mode. Product cards support the decision; they never override current Synology compatibility or model-specific repair rules.

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Technical decision

A container is disposable; its data should not be

Map persistent state deliberately, back it up, document secrets and test an update on your actual workflow before replacing a working production stack.

Interactive technical tool

Container Manager Deployment Checker

Use this as a planning aid. It identifies capacity, redundancy, deployment or repair constraints, but it does not replace the current Synology model manual, DSM documentation or upstream application release notes.

Technical safety checklist

Four checks before changing a production NAS

Protect data before maintenance

A healthy RAID state is not a backup. Confirm an independent restorable copy before repairs, DSM upgrades, RAID migration or major container changes.

Change one layer at a time

Storage, DSM, networking and application changes should be separated so an unexpected result can be traced to one action rather than several.

Record the exact state

Write down model, DSM build, pool type, drive serials, ports, mapped folders and current application versions before modifying a production NAS.

Verify the result

A repair or upgrade is complete only after storage health, services, backups and representative restores behave as expected.

Container Manager replaced the old Docker branding

Container Manager replaced the old Docker branding is central to Synology Docker / Container Manager: DSM 7 uses Container Manager as Synology’s interface for images, containers, networks and Compose-style projects. For Synology Docker / Container Manager, record the container-platform path baseline before action. When checking container manager replaced the old docker branding, compare the container-platform path result with that earlier container-platform path baseline.

A tested backup protects the container-platform path workflow during container manager replaced the old docker branding. For Synology Docker / Container Manager, recovery of the container-platform path state matters more than speed.

Projects are the cleanest reproducible unit

For Synology Docker / Container Manager, projects are the cleanest reproducible unit matters because Synology lets administrators create a project from a docker-compose.yml file or edit Compose content directly in the Project workflow. For Synology Docker / Container Manager, record the container-platform path baseline before action. When checking projects are the cleanest reproducible unit, compare the container-platform path result with that earlier container-platform path baseline.

Document the container-platform path decision around projects are the cleanest reproducible unit. In Synology Docker / Container Manager, record why the container-platform path state changed and what outcome the container-platform path procedure expects.

Persistent data must live outside disposable containers

Inside Synology Docker / Container Manager, the practical constraint is this: configuration, databases and user content should be mapped to NAS folders or named volumes that survive image replacement. For Synology Docker / Container Manager, record the container-platform path baseline before action. When checking persistent data must live outside disposable containers, compare the container-platform path result with that earlier container-platform path baseline.

Keep persistent data must live outside disposable containers separate from other container-platform path changes. On Synology Docker / Container Manager, isolating the container-platform path work makes a failure in the container-platform path path easier to identify.

Permissions should be designed before launch

The Synology Docker / Container Manager reason to study permissions should be designed before launch is straightforward: container processes need explicit access to mapped folders, and broad administrator permissions are a poor substitute for understanding UID, GID and share ACL behavior. For Synology Docker / Container Manager, record the container-platform path baseline before action. When checking permissions should be designed before launch, compare the container-platform path result with that earlier container-platform path baseline.

Before buying hardware for permissions should be designed before launch, decide whether the container-platform path target is capacity, redundancy or availability; verify the resulting container-platform path outcome directly.

Ports are shared infrastructure

Synology Docker / Container Manager planning can fail here because two containers cannot bind the same host port, and DSM services may already occupy common ports such as 80, 443 or 53. For Synology Docker / Container Manager, record the container-platform path baseline before action. When checking ports are shared infrastructure, compare the container-platform path result with that earlier container-platform path baseline.

In Synology Docker / Container Manager, make the container-platform path step reversible. Back up the container-platform path state; change one variable for ports are shared infrastructure; verify the container-platform path result before continuing.

Network mode affects discovery and isolation

A safer Synology Docker / Container Manager interpretation starts with one fact: bridge, host and custom-network choices can change multicast discovery, DNS behavior and which services can reach the LAN. For Synology Docker / Container Manager, record the container-platform path baseline before action. When checking network mode affects discovery and isolation, compare the container-platform path result with that earlier container-platform path baseline.

If a tutorial conflicts with the container-platform path behavior on Synology Docker / Container Manager, stop at network mode affects discovery and isolation; follow the model-specific Synology instructions for the container-platform path condition.

Updates are application operations

Updates are application operations is central to Synology Docker / Container Manager: pulling a newer image can include schema or configuration changes, so backup and release-note review should precede production updates. For Synology Docker / Container Manager, record the container-platform path baseline before action. When checking updates are application operations, compare the container-platform path result with that earlier container-platform path baseline.

A tested backup protects the container-platform path workflow during updates are application operations. For Synology Docker / Container Manager, recovery of the container-platform path state matters more than speed.

Resource use is visible but workload-specific

For Synology Docker / Container Manager, resource use is visible but workload-specific matters because Container Manager exposes CPU, memory and network statistics, which are more useful than assuming a model is fast enough from CPU name alone. For Synology Docker / Container Manager, record the container-platform path baseline before action. When checking resource use is visible but workload-specific, compare the container-platform path result with that earlier container-platform path baseline.

Document the container-platform path decision around resource use is visible but workload-specific. In Synology Docker / Container Manager, record why the container-platform path state changed and what outcome the container-platform path procedure expects.

Hardware acceleration needs device access

Inside Synology Docker / Container Manager, the practical constraint is this: media applications may require GPU device mappings and supported drivers; the presence of an integrated GPU does not automatically expose it to a container. For Synology Docker / Container Manager, record the container-platform path baseline before action. When checking hardware acceleration needs device access, compare the container-platform path result with that earlier container-platform path baseline.

Keep hardware acceleration needs device access separate from other container-platform path changes. On Synology Docker / Container Manager, isolating the container-platform path work makes a failure in the container-platform path path easier to identify.

Compose files become operational documentation

The Synology Docker / Container Manager reason to study compose files become operational documentation is straightforward: a version-controlled project definition makes ports, volumes, environment variables and restart policies easier to audit and recreate. For Synology Docker / Container Manager, record the container-platform path baseline before action. When checking compose files become operational documentation, compare the container-platform path result with that earlier container-platform path baseline.

Before buying hardware for compose files become operational documentation, decide whether the container-platform path target is capacity, redundancy or availability; verify the resulting container-platform path outcome directly.

Backup must include application state

Synology Docker / Container Manager planning can fail here because copying only media or document originals is insufficient when the service also depends on a database or configuration directory. For Synology Docker / Container Manager, record the container-platform path baseline before action. When checking backup must include application state, compare the container-platform path result with that earlier container-platform path baseline.

In Synology Docker / Container Manager, make the container-platform path step reversible. Back up the container-platform path state; change one variable for backup must include application state; verify the container-platform path result before continuing.

NAS role boundaries reduce outages

A safer Synology Docker / Container Manager interpretation starts with one fact: when DNS, home automation, document management and media serving all share one NAS, a DSM restart or storage repair becomes an outage for every container. For Synology Docker / Container Manager, record the container-platform path baseline before action. When checking nas role boundaries reduce outages, compare the container-platform path result with that earlier container-platform path baseline.

If a tutorial conflicts with the container-platform path behavior on Synology Docker / Container Manager, stop at nas role boundaries reduce outages; follow the model-specific Synology instructions for the container-platform path condition.

Questions people ask

Synology Docker / Container Manager: common questions

Is Docker still available on Synology?

On current DSM 7 systems the Synology package and interface is called Container Manager, while it continues to run Docker-compatible containers and projects.

For Synology Docker / Container Manager, "Is Docker still available on Synology?" depends on the container-platform path: check the exact DSM build for the container-platform path, the NAS model, and the current container-platform path state.

Can Container Manager use Docker Compose?

Yes. Synology’s Project workflow can create projects from a docker-compose.yml file or editor.

For Synology Docker / Container Manager, "Can Container Manager use Docker Compose?" depends on the container-platform path: check the exact DSM build for the container-platform path, the NAS model, and the current container-platform path state.

Should container data live inside the container?

Persistent application state should be mapped to durable NAS storage so image replacement does not erase it.

For Synology Docker / Container Manager, "Should container data live inside the container?" depends on the container-platform path: check the exact DSM build for the container-platform path, the NAS model, and the current container-platform path state.

Can every Synology NAS install Container Manager?

No. Package availability depends on model and DSM support. Check Package Center for the exact NAS.

For Synology Docker / Container Manager, "Can every Synology NAS install Container Manager?" depends on the container-platform path: check the exact DSM build for the container-platform path, the NAS model, and the current container-platform path state.

Does Container Manager include Kubernetes?

The targeted workflow here is Docker-compatible containers and Compose projects, not a Kubernetes platform.

For Synology Docker / Container Manager, "Does Container Manager include Kubernetes?" depends on the container-platform path: check the exact DSM build for the container-platform path, the NAS model, and the current container-platform path state.

Can I expose containers directly to the Internet?

You can publish ports, but public exposure should be a deliberate security design using authentication, TLS and appropriate network controls.

For Synology Docker / Container Manager, "Can I expose containers directly to the Internet?" depends on the container-platform path: check the exact DSM build for the container-platform path, the NAS model, and the current container-platform path state.

How should I update a container?

Read the application release notes, back up state, pull the intended image and redeploy only after checking migration requirements.

For Synology Docker / Container Manager, "How should I update a container?" depends on the container-platform path: check the exact DSM build for the container-platform path, the NAS model, and the current container-platform path state.

Why do containers get permission denied errors?

Mapped NAS folders can have DSM ACLs plus application user requirements. Correct the identity and permissions rather than giving broad access blindly.

For Synology Docker / Container Manager, "Why do containers get permission denied errors?" depends on the container-platform path: check the exact DSM build for the container-platform path, the NAS model, and the current container-platform path state.

Can a container use Synology GPU hardware?

Some models and applications can use hardware acceleration, but device exposure and software support must match. It is not automatic.

For Synology Docker / Container Manager, "Can a container use Synology GPU hardware?" depends on the container-platform path: check the exact DSM build for the container-platform path, the NAS model, and the current container-platform path state.

Should I run critical DNS on the same NAS as everything else?

It can work, but every NAS reboot or storage incident then affects DNS. Consider redundancy for infrastructure services.

For Synology Docker / Container Manager, "Should I run critical DNS on the same NAS as everything else?" depends on the container-platform path: check the exact DSM build for the container-platform path, the NAS model, and the current container-platform path state.

Official references and methodology

Verify the exact model, DSM build and application state

This Synology Docker / Container Manager guide uses primary documentation for the container-platform path. Cloudzat evaluates the container-platform path capacity, redundancy, deployment and recovery layers separately. Interactive container-platform path results support planning; final container-platform path changes need exact model guidance and current upstream documentation.

As an Amazon Associate, Cloudzat may earn from qualifying purchases. Prices, NAS models, drive compatibility, DSM behavior and upstream application requirements can change. Verify the exact DiskStation model, current DSM documentation and application release notes before changing storage pools, replacing drives, exposing network services or upgrading production containers.