Docker Networking & Storage Deep Dive
Advanced Container Connectivity, Volumes, and Persistent Data Architecture
What's Included:
Key Highlights
- Deep internal explanation of Docker networking architecture
- Complete coverage of network drivers: bridge, host, macvlan, overlay
- Advanced service-to-service communication patterns
- Secure container networking strategies
- In-depth analysis of Docker storage layers and overlay2
- Bind mounts vs volumes — practical production comparison
- Persistent data architecture and backup strategies
- Troubleshooting real-world network and storage failures
- Career roadmap toward platform engineering
Overview
Master Docker networking and storage internals. Learn bridge, overlay, macvlan, volumes, storage drivers, persistent data architecture, troubleshooting, and production-ready container infrastructure design.
The Problem
Most Docker users can run containers — but struggle when networking breaks, services cannot communicate, or persistent data is lost. Networking namespaces, bridge drivers, storage layers, and volume management remain poorly understood by many practitioners.
In production environments, this knowledge gap leads to outages, security risks, and fragile infrastructure.
The Solution
This book provides a deep, structured exploration of Docker networking and storage internals. You will understand how container networking is built, how storage drivers operate, and how to design persistent, secure systems.
Instead of trial-and-error troubleshooting, you gain architectural clarity and operational confidence.
About This Book
Docker Networking & Storage Deep Dive
Advanced Container Connectivity, Volumes, and Persistent Data Architecture
Running a container is easy. Understanding how it actually works under the hood is not. Docker’s simplicity hides a powerful architecture built on Linux networking primitives, namespaces, storage drivers, and layered filesystems. When networking breaks or data disappears, superficial knowledge is no longer enough.
Docker Networking & Storage Deep Dive is a rigorous, production-focused exploration of the two most critical and misunderstood aspects of containerization: connectivity and persistence. This is not an introductory Docker guide. It is the next level — the level where real infrastructure decisions are made.
Why Networking and Storage Matter
Containers that cannot communicate reliably fail in distributed systems. Containers that lose data when restarted are unacceptable in production. Most Docker outages stem from misconfigured networking or poorly designed storage strategies.
This book closes the gap between “running containers” and engineering container infrastructure. You will move beyond commands and into architectural understanding.
Part I: Deep Dive into Docker Networking
You’ll begin by dissecting how Docker networking works internally: Linux network namespaces, virtual Ethernet pairs, bridge construction, and IP management. From there, you’ll explore every Docker network driver:
- bridge
- host
- macvlan
- none
- overlay (for multi-host and Swarm deployments)
You will design custom networks, implement service-to-service communication patterns,
analyze docker network inspect output with confidence, and secure container traffic
using segmentation, encryption, and policy-based approaches.
Part II: Docker Storage Architecture
The second arc focuses on persistent data and Docker’s storage layers. You’ll master:
- Union filesystems and copy-on-write mechanics
- The overlay2 storage driver
- Bind mounts vs named volumes
- Volume lifecycle management
- Secure persistent storage strategies
- Backup and restore workflows for containerized data
By the end of this section, you will understand how Docker images, writable layers, and host filesystems interact — and how to design systems that do not lose critical data.
Part III: Operational Mastery
The final section bridges theory and practice. You will learn how to diagnose network failures, troubleshoot storage issues, design scalable container infrastructure, and move from Docker practitioner to platform engineer.
This section reflects real-world production challenges — the kind that separate junior Docker users from senior infrastructure professionals.
Practical and Career-Focused
Five appendices provide command cheat sheets, reference material, deployment checklists, troubleshooting flowcharts, and a professional growth roadmap for container engineers. These resources are designed for daily operational use.
Focus: Deep internal understanding + production-ready implementation
Audience: Developers, DevOps engineers, SREs, infrastructure architects
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Who Is This Book For?
- Developers deploying containerized applications
- DevOps engineers managing Docker infrastructure
- Site Reliability Engineers (SREs)
- Infrastructure architects designing container platforms
- Professionals preparing for advanced container or DevOps roles
Who Is This Book NOT For?
This book is not an introduction to Docker basics. If you have never built a Docker image or run containers, you should start with a beginner Docker guide first.
It focuses specifically on networking and storage internals, not application-level container tutorials.
Table of Contents
- How Docker Networking Works Internally
- Docker Network Drivers
- Creating and Inspecting Custom Networks
- Service-to-Service Communication
- Overlay Networks Explained
- Securing Container Networking
- Understanding Docker Storage Layers
- Bind Mounts vs Volumes
- Managing Docker Volumes
- Secure Persistent Storage
- Storage Driver Deep Dive
- Backup and Restore for Containers
- Diagnosing Network Failures
- Diagnosing Storage Issues
- Designing Scalable Container Infrastructure
- From Docker User to Platform Engineer
- Appendices: Cheat Sheets, References, and Career Guide
Requirements
- Working knowledge of basic Docker commands (run, build, images)
- Familiarity with Linux command line
- Understanding of basic networking concepts (IP, ports, TCP/UDP)
- Access to a Linux system with Docker installed
