How to Install LXC on Ubuntu Server

LXC is a containerization technology for running multiple isolated Linux systems on a single host. It can be used for a variety of purposes including development, testing, and production deployments. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of installing LXC on Ubuntu Server.

Prerequisites

  • Ubuntu Server installed on your machine.
  • SSH access to your Ubuntu Server.
  • Superuser privileges.

Step 1 - Update the System

Before installing LXC, it is recommended to update the system to ensure that you have the latest packages and dependencies.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2 - Install LXC

To install LXC on Ubuntu Server, follow these steps:

  1. Install the LXC package:
sudo apt install lxc
  1. Once the installation is complete, start the LXC service:
sudo systemctl start lxc.service
  1. Verify that the service has started successfully:
systemctl status lxc.service

If the service has started successfully, you will see the message "Active: active (running)".

Step 3 - Configure LXC

Now that LXC is installed on your Ubuntu Server, you can start creating and managing containers. However, before you do that, you need to perform some initial configuration.

  1. Enable the LXC cgroup controller:
sudo echo "lxc.cgroup.controller=cgroup-lite" >> /etc/lxc/lxc.conf
  1. Edit the LXC network configuration file:
sudo nano /etc/default/lxc-net
  1. Change the following lines to reflect your network configuration:
USE_LXC_BRIDGE="true"
LXC_BRIDGE="lxcbr0"
LXC_ADDR="10.0.3.1"
LXC_NETMASK="255.255.255.0"
LXC_NETWORK="10.0.3.0/24"
LXC_DHCP_RANGE="10.0.3.2,10.0.3.254"

  1. Save and close the file.

  2. Restart the LXC service:

sudo systemctl restart lxc.service

Step 4 - Create a Container

To create a container on your Ubuntu Server, follow these steps:

  1. Create a new container:
sudo lxc-create -n <container-name> -t ubuntu
  1. Start the container:
sudo lxc-start -n <container-name>
  1. Enter the container:
sudo lxc-attach -n <container-name>
  1. Now that you are inside the container, you can start configuring it according to your needs.

Conclusion

LXC is a powerful containerization technology that can be used for a variety of purposes. In this tutorial, we have shown you how to install and configure LXC on Ubuntu Server. We have also demonstrated how to create and start a container. With these steps, you should be able to set up LXC on your Ubuntu Server and start using it to run multiple isolated Linux systems on a single host.