Scaling Ghost for Client Success: Inoryum's Docker-Powered Multi-Site Case Study

At Inoryum, we empower clients with stunning, high-performing Ghost blogs. But managing numerous Ghost installations, each tailored to unique client needs or showcasing our Visioun themes presents a challenge.

Our solution? A streamlined Docker-based infrastructure that maximizes efficiency and minimizes overhead. In this case study, we'll walk you through our setup, the scripts we've developed, and the benefits we've gained.

Why Docker for Ghost?

Docker is a game-changer for managing multiple Ghost instances:

• Client Isolation: Each client's Ghost instance (or Visioun theme demo) operates in its isolated container, ensuring resources aren't shared and performance remains consistent across all sites.
• Rapid Deployment: Docker containers are incredibly portable, allowing us to quickly spin up new Ghost installations for clients or create demo environments for Visioun themes.
• Effortless Scaling: As our client base or demo needs grow, Docker makes it simple to scale our resources to maintain optimal performance.
• Consistent Environments: Docker ensures that every Ghost instance, whether for a client or a demo, runs in an identical environment, reducing the risk of unexpected bugs or inconsistencies.

Our Dockerized Ghost Architecture

• MySQL Database Container: A dedicated container running MySQL serves as the centralized data repository for all Ghost instances.
• Ghost Instance Containers: Each client site or Visioun theme demo resides in its container, linked to the shared database.

Docker Compose: The Orchestration Engine

Our infrastructure is managed with Docker Compose. We utilize two Compose files:

Database Compose File:

version: '3.5'

services:

  db:
    container_name: [container_name]
    image: mysql:latest
    command: --mysql-native-password=ON
    restart: always
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: [your_secure_password]
    volumes:
      - ./data:/var/lib/mysql
    networks:
      - network-name
  
networks:
  network-name:
    driver: bridge

This file sets up our MySQL database container, storing data persistently for all Ghost instances. It also defines a custom network for communication between the database and Ghost containers.

Ghost Instance Compose File:

version: '3.5'

networks:
  default:
    external:
       name: folder_network-name

services:

  ghost:
    container_name: [container_name]
    image: ghost:latest
    restart: always
    ports:
      - 8301:2368
    volumes:
      - ./content:/var/lib/ghost/content
    environment:
      url: https://yourdomain.com
      database__client: mysql
      database__connection__host: [database_container_name]
      database__connection__user: [user]
      database__connection__password: [your_secure_password]
      database__connection__database: [database_name]
      mail__transport: SMTP
      mail__from: "Example <[email protected]>"
      mail__options__host: "smtp.provider-name.net"
      mail__options__port: [port]
      mail__options__auth__user: "[SMTP_user_name]"
      mail__options__auth__pass: "[SMTP_password]"

Each Ghost instance has its file like this, linking to the database and setting up site-specific configurations. Replace placeholders with your actual values.

Custom Scripts: Streamlining Updates

Updating multiple Ghost instances could be a tedious task. To tackle this, we developed a bash script that automates the process:

#!/bin/bash

cd /path/to/your/ghost/projects

containers=$(ls -d */ | grep -v 'database/')

for container in $containers; do
  cd "$container"
  docker-compose pull
  cd ..
done

docker-compose down # Stop all containers

docker-compose up -d # Start all containers

docker image prune -f

This script iterates through each Ghost instance directory, pulls the latest Docker image, and gracefully restarts the containers to apply the updates.

Prioritizing Security

Security is paramount. We employ environment variables to avoid exposing sensitive data like database passwords in our Compose files. We also adhere to Docker security best practices, such as:

• Least privilege principle for container access.
• Regular updates to both Docker and Ghost images.
• Continuous monitoring for vulnerabilities.

Benefits Realized

Our Docker-powered approach has delivered significant advantages:

• Reduced Server Costs: Containerization optimizes resource usage, allowing us to host more Ghost instances on the same hardware.
• Faster Onboarding: New client sites or Visioun theme demos can be deployed rapidly, often within minutes.
• Simplified Maintenance: Updates and troubleshooting are streamlined, thanks to our custom scripts and the isolated nature of containers.
• Enhanced Reliability: Containerization minimizes the risk of configuration conflicts, leading to more stable and reliable Ghost installations.

Conclusion

By embracing Docker, Inoryum has transformed the way we manage Ghost for our clients and showcase Visioun themes. We highly recommend exploring a Docker-based solution if you're looking for a scalable, efficient, and secure way to run multiple Ghost blogs.

We're always eager to discuss how we can help you achieve your Ghost blogging goals.