Virtual DSM in a Docker container.

• Multiple disks
• KVM acceleration
• Upgrades supported

services:
  dsm:
    container_name: dsm
    image: vdsm/virtual-dsm
    environment:
      DISK_SIZE: "256G"
    devices:
      - /dev/kvm
      - /dev/net/tun
    cap_add:
      - NET_ADMIN
    ports:
      - 5000:5000
    volumes:
      - ./dsm:/storage
    restart: always
    stop_grace_period: 2m

docker run -it --rm --name dsm -e "DISK_SIZE=256G" -p 5000:5000 --device=/dev/kvm --device=/dev/net/tun --cap-add NET_ADMIN -v "${PWD:-.}/dsm:/storage" --stop-timeout 120 docker.io/vdsm/virtual-dsm

kubectl apply -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vdsm/virtual-dsm/refs/heads/master/kubernetes.yml

Very simple! These are the steps:

• Start the container and connect to port 5000 using your web browser.

• Wait until DSM finishes its installation

• Choose an username and password, and you will be taken to the desktop.

Enjoy your brand new NAS, and don't forget to star this repo!

To change the storage location, include the following bind mount in your compose file:

volumes:
  - ./dsm:/storage

Replace the example path ./dsm with the desired storage folder or named volume.

To expand the default size of 256 GB, locate the DISK_SIZE setting in your compose file and modify it to your preferred capacity:

environment:
  DISK_SIZE: "512G"

To create additional disks, modify your compose file like this:

environment:
  DISK2_SIZE: "500G"
  DISK3_SIZE: "750G"
volumes:
  - ./example2:/storage2
  - ./example3:/storage3

It is possible to pass-through disk devices or partitions directly by adding them to your compose file in this way:

devices:
  - /dev/sdb:/disk1
  - /dev/sdc1:/disk2

Make sure it is totally empty (without any filesystem), otherwise DSM may not format it as a volume.

By default, Virtual DSM will be allowed to use 2 CPU cores and 2 GB of RAM.

If you want to adjust this, you can specify the desired amount using the following environment variables:

environment:
  RAM_SIZE: "4G"
  CPU_CORES: "4"

First check if your software is compatible using this chart:

After that you can run the following commands in Linux to check your system:

sudo apt install cpu-checker
sudo kvm-ok

If you receive an error from kvm-ok indicating that KVM cannot be used, please check whether:

• the virtualization extensions (Intel VT-x or AMD SVM) are enabled in your BIOS.

• you enabled "nested virtualization" if you are running the container inside a virtual machine.

• you are not using a cloud provider, as most of them do not allow nested virtualization for their VPS's.

If you did not receive any error from kvm-ok but the container still complains about a missing KVM device, it could help to add privileged: true to your compose file (or sudo to your docker command) to rule out any permission issue.

By default, the container uses bridge networking, which shares the IP address with the host.

If you want to assign an individual IP address to the container, you can create a macvlan network as follows:

docker network create -d macvlan \
    --subnet=192.168.0.0/24 \
    --gateway=192.168.0.1 \
    --ip-range=192.168.0.100/28 \
    -o parent=eth0 vdsm

Be sure to modify these values to match your local subnet.

Once you have created the network, change your compose file to look as follows:

services:
  dsm:
    container_name: dsm
    ..<snip>..
    networks:
      vdsm:
        ipv4_address: 192.168.0.100

networks:
  vdsm:
    external: true

An added benefit of this approach is that you won't have to perform any port mapping anymore, since all ports will be exposed by default.

After configuring the container for macvlan, it is possible for DSM to become part of your home network by requesting an IP from your router, just like your other devices.

To enable this mode, in which the container and DSM will have separate IP addresses, add the following lines to your compose file:

environment:
  DHCP: "Y"
devices:
  - /dev/vhost-net
device_cgroup_rules:
  - 'c *:* rwm'

To pass-through your Intel GPU, add the following lines to your compose file:

environment:
  GPU: "Y"
devices:
  - /dev/dri

By default, version 7.2 will be installed, but if you prefer an older version, you can add the download URL of the .pat file to your compose file as follows:

environment:
  URL: "https://global.synologydownload.com/download/DSM/release/7.0.1/42218/DSM_VirtualDSM_42218.pat"

With this method, it is even possible to switch back and forth between versions while keeping your file data intact.

Alternatively, you can also skip the download and use a local file instead, by binding it in your compose file in this way:

volumes:
  - ./DSM_VirtualDSM_42218.pat:/boot.pat

Replace the example path ./DSM_VirtualDSM_42218.pat with the filename of your desired .pat file. The value of URL will be ignored in this case.

There are only two minor differences: the Virtual Machine Manager package is not available, and Surveillance Station will not include any free licenses.

Yes, this project contains only open-source code and does not distribute any copyrighted material. Neither does it try to circumvent any copyright protection measures. So under all applicable laws, this project will be considered legal.

However, by installing Synology's Virtual DSM, you must accept their end-user license agreement, which does not permit installation on non-Synology hardware. So only run this container on an official Synology NAS, as any other use will be a violation of their terms and conditions.

Only run this container on Synology hardware, any other use is not permitted by their EULA. The product names, logos, brands, and other trademarks referred to within this project are the property of their respective trademark holders. This project is not affiliated, sponsored, or endorsed by Synology, Inc.