Docker licensing impacts to ECR, EKS

Question

Docker has changed it's license terms August 31, 2021 with the grace period ending January 31, 2022 where Docker Desktop is no longer free except under certain circumstances.    They say that Docker Desktop includes the docker engine, but there is some mention of "Do-it-yourself with Docker Engine" being separate from Docker Desktop.

* Do the Docker licensing changes impact services like ECR or EKS ?     Do companies need to seek licensing directly with Docker to be in compliance?

Answer

None of the AWS container services, including Amazon ECS, Amazon EKS, Amazon ECR, AWS App Runner, etc. uses Docker Desktop to launch or execute containers. You do not need a Docker Desktop license if all you are doing is running containers with these services.

However, if you are running Docker Desktop in your organization -- for example, to develop container images or test them on your local desktops or laptops -- you may need to purchase a license from Docker, depending on the circumstances. Consult Docker to determine whether this is the case.

Docker licensing impacts to ECR, EKS

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