HCL Domino on Linux native Installation vs. Containerized Deployment

1. Native Domino on Linux – The Traditional Server Model

A native Domino installation means Domino is installed directly into a Linux operating system, running on:

• Bare metal
• A virtual machine

Installation & Lifecycle

• Domino is installed via Domino web-kits
• The Linux OS is persistent and long-lived
• Domino startup is typically controlled by systemd
• Configuration changes are applied directly on the server on Linux level

Operational Characteristics

• The server is treated as a long-lived system
• Hostname and network identity are stable
• Domino upgrades are performed in place
• Rollbacks usually require backups or snapshots

Admin Experience

This is the classic Domino mindset:

• “This server exists”
• “We patch it carefully”
• “We don’t recreate it unless something breaks”

Native Domino aligns perfectly with VM-centric and conservative infrastructures.

2. Containerized Domino – Same Domino, Different Contract

A containerized Domino deployment runs the same Domino binaries inside a container runtime (Docker, Podman, Kubernetes, etc.).

The critical shift:

You no longer install Domino on a server — you run Domino as an instance.

Installation & Startup

• Domino is pre-installed in a container image
• Starting Domino means starting a container
• There is no traditional OS boot or systemd
• The container runtime controls life-cycle

Runtime Assumptions

• Containers are ephemeral by design
• The container itself is disposable
• Restarting or replacing the container is normal, not exceptional

Upgrade & Rollback Model

• Upgrades = start a new container image
• No in-place patching
• Rollback = restart the previous image

Admin Experience

The admin mindset changes to:

• “This server can be recreated”
• “Upgrades are reversible”
• “Consistency matters more than manual tuning”

Containerized Domino favors automation, repeatability, and fast recovery.

What Does Not Change

Regardless of native or containerized deployment:

• Domino binaries are the same
• Domino configuration logic is the same
• Domino server identity rules still apply
• Domino clustering, replication, and security behave identically

Containers change how Domino is operated, not what Domino is.

Summary for Domino Admins

Aspect	Native Linux	Containerized
Install model	In-place	Image-based
Server life-time	Long-lived	Disposable
Upgrade style	Patch	Replace
Rollback	Manual	Trivial
Admin mindset	Server-centric	Instance-centric

Running Domino in containers is an operational choice, not a functional one.