Misha
Misha

Reputation: 3126

Docker, EC2 and Rstudio

I run Rstudio server mostly from an EC2 instance. However, I´d also like to run it from a cluster at work. They tell me that I can setup docker with rstudio and make it run. Now, I´d also like the Rstudios both on EC2 and work to have the same packages and the same versions available. Any idea how I can do this? Can I have both version point to a dropbox folder? In that case, how can I mount a dropbox folder?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 653

Answers (1)

TaylerJones
TaylerJones

Reputation: 242

You should setup a docker repository on dockerhub or aws ec2 container service (ecs). ECS is a managed service that allows you to easily deploy docker containers onto a cluster of 1 or more ec2 instances that are running the ecs agent (an aws program that helps that cluster work with the ecs). The Dockerfile should install all packages that you need at build time of the image. I suggest referencing the aws ecs documentation, which includes a walkthrough to get you going very quickly (assuming you have an idea of how docker works): https://aws.amazon.com/documentation/ecs/

You should then always run from that docker image, whether you are running on a local or remote machine. One key advantage of docker is that it keeps your application's environments the same (assuming you use the same build of the image) regardless of the host environment.

I am not sure why would not always run on ECS (we have multiple analysts using RStudio, and ECS lets us provision cpu/memory resources to each one, as well as autoscale as needed). You could install docker on EC2 and manage it that way, but probably easier to just install the ecs agent (or use the ecs optimized ec2 ami which has it preinstalled - the docs above walk through configuring it), and use ECS to launch rstudio services.

Upvotes: 1

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