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Tips for Using Containers on Shared Infrastructure (JLab)

Running containers on shared scientific infrastructure like the JLab farm (ifarm/farm) has important caveats. Below is a checklist of key points and best practices for new users.

Podman vs Docker​

  • At JLab, docker is an alias for Podman, which runs containers rootless by default.
  • This means:
    • You are only root inside the container.
    • Outside, container file operations are executed with your normal user permissions.

Default Storage Location​

  • Containers use storage space in /u/home/$USER by default, which is limited.
  • To avoid running out of space, modify your container storage configuration.

Changing Container Storage Location​

Edit ~/.config/containers/storage.conf:

[storage]
driver = "overlay"
runroot = "/run/user/9943/containers"
graphroot = "/scratch/YOUR_USERNAME/podman-storage"

[storage.options]
mount_program = "/usr/bin/fuse-overlayfs"