kernel module openvswitch removed between version 2.2.0.5 and 3.3.0.3

[aharonnovo]

I tried to upgrade docker for mac from version 2.2.0.5 to newest version 3.3.0.3 and it looks like this kernel module was gone between the two versions. Looking at kernel image it looks like both running the same linuxkit, the only difference is the supported module. Is there any intention to return this module? is this feature or bug?

The command I used:
docker run --privileged --pid=host justincormack/nsenter1 /sbin/modprobe openvswitch

Output for 2.2.0.5 - no output (return 0)
Output for 3.3.0.3:
modprobe: module openvswitch not found in modules.dep

[aharonnovo]

Link another issue for feature that vanished from 2.3.0.x series - #4560

[slushie]

There are quite a few other modules that were removed as well, see #4552, #4581, #4570 for some currently open issues. They also removed dev-mapper (#4549), but added it back in with no comments on the other issues. In fact, there's been almost no word from Docker, Inc on any of the recent breaking changes they've made to Docker for Mac.

The biggest problem here is that Docker for Mac does not document or even version any interfaces around the HyperKit VM. This makes it effectively impossible to target the Docker for Mac environment for any production workloads.

If you're curious about building this yourself, even that will be difficult because the VM's kernel is built by LinuxKit against a patched kernel, so stock modules won't even compile. If you want to build your own kernel module, you'll need to follow steps like those outlined here. At least for now, they're publishing the kernel sources. But I fear this will disappear as well.

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TL;DR: Do not target any Linux features when using Docker for Mac in production environments, there seems to be no guarantee of compatibility and no version information in the Docker Desktop daemon indicating the available Linux VM features.

[slushie]

I've been motivated by the lack of response from Docker, Inc. that I put together my own solution to build kernel modules for Docker VMs. I'm using it now to build the wireguard module for my users.

[eitanb]

This lack of backwards compatibility & then on top of it ignoring the issues is really bad news for the level of trust within the community.
we're investing many month, sometimes years into a service that is based on these features & its been obvious for decades that Software release have backwards compatibility support.

i hope this trend changes to the better

[docker-robott]

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[aharonnovo]

/remove-lifecycle stale
/lifecycle frozen

[stephen-turner]

As of Docker Desktop 2.5, we are up to date with upstream LinuxKit, so any modules there should now be available.

[docker-robott]

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