About Docker Enterprise
Estimated reading time: 4 minutesDocker Enterprise is designed for enterprise development as well as IT teams who build, ship, and run business-critical applications in production and at scale. Docker Enterprise is integrated, certified, and supported to provide enterprises with the most secure container platform in the industry. For more info about Docker Enterprise, including purchasing options, see Docker Enterprise.
Compatibility Matrix
Refer to the Compatibility Matrix for the latest list of supported platforms.
Docker EE tiers
| Capabilities | Docker Engine - Community | Docker Engine - Enterprise | Docker Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Container engine and built in orchestration, networking, security |  |
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| Certified infrastructure, plugins and ISV containers | |
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| Image management | |
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| Container app management | |
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| Image security scanning | |
Note
Starting with Docker Enterprise 2.1, Docker Enterprise --- Basic, Docker Enterprise --- Standard, and Docker Enterprise --- Advanced are all now called Docker Enterprise.
Docker Enterprise
With Docker Enterprise, you can deploy Docker Engine --- Enterprise to manage your container workloads in a flexible way. You can manage workloads on Windows, Linux, on site, or on the cloud.
Docker Enterprise has private image management, integrated image signing policies, and cluster management with support for Kubernetes and Swarm orchestrators. It allows you to implement node-based RBAC policies, image promotion policies, image mirroring, and scan your images for vulnerabilities. It also has support with defined SLAs and extended maintenance cycles for patches for up to 24 months.
New Licensing for Docker Enterprise
In version 18.09, the Docker Enterprise --- Engine is aware of the license applied on the system. The
license summary is available in the docker info output on standalone or manager nodes.
For EE platform customers, when you license UCP, this same license is applied to the underlying engines in the cluster. Docker recommends platform customers use UCP to manage their license.
Standalone EE engines can be licensed using docker engine activate.
Offline activation of standalone EE engines can be performed by downloading the license and
using the command docker engine activate --license filename.lic.
Additionally, Docker is now distributing the CLI as a separate installation package. This gives Enterprise users the ability to install as many CLI packages as needed without using the Engine node licenses for client-only systems.
Learn more about Docker Enterprise.
When using Docker Enterprise
IBM Power is not supported as managers or workers. Microsoft Windows Server is not supported as a manager. Microsoft Windows Server 1803 is not supported as a worker.
Docker Certified Infrastructure
Docker Certified Infrastructure is Docker’s prescriptive approach to deploying Docker Enterprise on a range of infrastructure choices. Each Docker Certified Infrastructure includes a reference architecture, automation templates, and third-party ecosystem solution briefs.
| Platform | Docker Enterprise Edition |
|---|---|
| VMware | |
| Amazon Web Services | |
| Microsoft Azure | |
| IBM Cloud | Coming soon |
Docker Enterprise release cycles
Each Docker Enterprise release is supported and maintained for 24 months, and receives security and critical bug fixes during this period.
The Docker API version is independent of the Docker platform version. We maintain careful API backward compatibility and deprecate APIs and features slowly and conservatively. We remove features after deprecating them for a period of three stable releases. Docker 1.13 introduced improved interoperability between clients and servers using different API versions, including dynamic feature negotiation.
Upgrades and support
If you’re a Docker DDC or CS Engine customer, you don’t need to upgrade to Docker Enterprise to continue to get support. We will continue to support customers with valid subscriptions whether the subscription covers Docker EE or Commercially Supported Docker. You can choose to stay with your current deployed version, or you can upgrade to the latest Docker EE version. For more info, see Scope of Coverage and Maintenance Lifecycle.