Introduction

Apache Guacamole is a clientless remote desktop gateway that allows users to access their desktops remotely through a web browser. This guide will show you how to install Apache Guacamole as a Docker container on Ubuntu. This setup is ideal for environments hosted on a Windows VPS UK.

Prerequisites

• An Ubuntu server with root access
• Docker installed on your server
• Docker Compose installed
• An active internet connection

Step 1: Update Your System

Start by updating your package index and upgrading existing packages:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Docker

If you haven't installed Docker yet, run the following commands:

sudo apt install apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl software-properties-common -y
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo apt-key add -
sudo add-apt-repository "deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable"
sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker-ce -y

Verify the Docker installation:

docker --version

Step 3: Install Docker Compose

Install Docker Compose using the following command:

sudo curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/latest/download/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

Verify the installation:

docker-compose --version

Step 4: Create a Docker Compose File

Create a directory for Guacamole:

mkdir guacamole
cd guacamole

Create a docker-compose.yml file:

nano docker-compose.yml

Add the following configuration to the file:

version: '2'
services:
  guacamole:
    image: guacamole/guacamole
    restart: always
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"
    depends_on:
      - guacd
    environment:
      GUACAMOLE_HOME: /guacamole_home
      MYSQL_HOST: db
      MYSQL_PORT: 3306
      MYSQL_USER: guacamole_user
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: guac_password
      MYSQL_DATABASE: guacamole_db

  guacd:
    image: guacamole/guacd
    restart: always

  db:
    image: mysql:5.7
    restart: always
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: root_password
      MYSQL_DATABASE: guacamole_db
      MYSQL_USER: guacamole_user
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: guac_password
    volumes:
      - db_data:/var/lib/mysql

volumes:
  db_data:

Make sure to replace root_password and guac_password with secure passwords of your choice.

Step 5: Start the Guacamole Stack

Run the following command to start the Guacamole stack:

sudo docker-compose up -d

Step 6: Access Guacamole

After the containers are up and running, you can access Guacamole by navigating to:

http://your_server_ip:8080

Log in with the default credentials:

• Username: guacadmin
• Password: guacadmin

Remember to change the default password after the first login.

Step 7: Conclusion

You have successfully installed Apache Guacamole as a Docker container on Ubuntu. This remote desktop solution can greatly enhance productivity and accessibility, particularly when hosted on a Windows VPS. For additional options, explore various VPS UK Windows solutions, including Windows Virtual Private Server Hosting and Windows VPS Hosting UK for optimal performance and security.