Stress testing of Docker containers running on a Windows operating system

Abstract

At the moment, Docker technology is becoming more prevalent in the Windows environment. The pertinent topic in this regard is how Docker containers running on the Windows operating system would behave in the event of a resource deficit. The article discusses circumstances in which there is insufficient processor or RAM to service all running containers. It is proposed to employ stress and volume testing to investigate the stability and reliability of Docker containers. The purpose of stress testing is to determine how the system behaves when the load on the application is greatly increased in comparison to what was initially expected. By delivering enormous amounts of data for processing, volume testing is accomplished. To assess container performance during stress testing, a Prometheus-based technology stack is used. Docker containers running in a Windows system have been shown to operate predictably under extreme load conditions. As the processor load increases, the performance of the containerized program drops proportionately to the decrease in processor time allocated. When there is insufficient RAM to run all containers, Docker uses virtual memory to dynamically distribute memory amongst containers. If a container's execution is halted due to a lack of available RAM on the system, the container's execution is terminated. Other containers continue to function normally.