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Synology ContainerStation
Patrick Gniza edited this page 2026-08-23 20:26:54 +02:00
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Romexis Docker on Synology NAS

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Demo: In the following video, Romexis Server and Romexis Client are both running on the Synology NAS at the same time. The full Romexis Client runs inside a container and is operated through VNC/noVNC directly in a web browser. The demo was recorded on a Synology DS-218+ with 10 GB RAM and 2 × 4 TB HDDs. The client container also includes the 3D support required by Romexis through Java3D/JogAmp; in the current container, OpenGL rendering is software-based, so 3D performance depends on the CPU performance of the NAS.

This guide describes how to run Romexis in Docker containers on a Synology NAS using Synology Container Manager or the older Synology Docker package.

The setup starts the following components on the NAS:

  • Romexis Server in a Docker container
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2017 in a Docker container
  • Romexis Client in a Docker container with browser access through VNC/noVNC and 3D support
  • Romexis Configuration via browser access

The installation is done through the Synology web interface, mainly using File Station, the Synology Text Editor, and Container Manager.


Requirements

You need:

  • a Synology NAS with Docker support
  • Synology Container Manager or the older Synology Docker package
  • access to File Station
  • access to the Synology Text Editor
  • the provided ZIP package containing the Docker Compose files and folder structure

Download link:

https://nextcloud.buchhorster.de/public.php/dav/files/8ByCodK2rL6FZQ7/synology-romexis-server-and-client.zip

Password:

Plandent2026!

1. Create the target directory on the NAS

Open File Station on the Synology NAS.

Create a new directory below /volume1/docker for the Romexis Docker project.

Example:

/volume1/docker/romexis

This directory will later be used as the project directory in Container Manager.


2. Download and extract the ZIP package

Download the provided ZIP package:

https://nextcloud.buchhorster.de/public.php/dav/files/8ByCodK2rL6FZQ7/synology-romexis-server-and-client.zip

Save the ZIP file via File Station into the previously created directory, for example:

/volume1/docker/romexis

Extract the ZIP file directly into this directory.

After extraction, the directory should contain, among other files:

docker-compose.yml
.env

as well as the required subdirectories for the Romexis Server, Romexis Client, and SQL Server containers.


3. Adjust the .env file

Open the following file in File Station:

/volume1/docker/romexis/.env

Use the Synology Text Editor to edit the file.

At minimum, adjust the following two values to match the NAS:

HOST_IP=192.168.xxx.xxx
ROMEXIS_CONTAINER_DATADIR=/volume1/docker/romexis

HOST_IP

Enter the IP address of the Synology NAS.

Example:

HOST_IP=192.168.100.50

ROMEXIS_CONTAINER_DATADIR

Enter the path where the Romexis Docker files are stored on the NAS.

Example:

ROMEXIS_CONTAINER_DATADIR=/volume1/docker/romexis

This path must match the directory where the ZIP package was extracted.

Save the .env file after editing.


4. Create a new project in Container Manager

Open Synology Container Manager.

Go to:

Project

Create a new project.

As the project directory, select the directory created earlier, for example:

/volume1/docker/romexis

Container Manager should detect the existing docker-compose.yml.

If Synology asks whether the existing Compose file should be used, confirm with:

Yes

The project can then be created.


5. Start the project

After the project has been created, start it in Container Manager.

On the first start, it may take some time until all containers are fully initialized.

The MSSQL container in particular needs some time during the first start because Microsoft SQL Server 2017 creates and initializes its system databases.

During this phase, Romexis may not be reachable immediately.

Recommendation:

Wait at least 3 to 5 minutes after the first start.

6. Access Romexis

After a successful start, Romexis should be reachable using the IP address of the Synology NAS as the server address.

Example:

192.168.100.50

The exact usage depends on the Romexis client and the existing Romexis environment.

In addition to locally installed Romexis clients, the package also contains a Romexis Client container that runs directly on the NAS and can be operated from a browser. This access method is described in section 8.


7. Open Romexis Configuration

Romexis Configuration is available in a browser at:

http://NAS-IP:6080

Example:

http://192.168.100.50:6080

The password is:

promax

Important: Use http://, not https://.


8. Open Romexis Client in the browser

The package additionally contains the romexis-client container. It runs the full Romexis Client on the NAS. The graphical session is provided through VNC and displayed through noVNC in a web browser. This allows the client to be used without installing Romexis locally on the workstation.

In a browser, open the NAS IP address together with the noVNC port published for the Romexis Client:

Romexis is available in a browser at:

http://NAS-IP:6081

Example:

http://192.168.100.50:6081

The password is:

promax

Important: Use http://, not https://.

The actual port is defined by the supplied .env or docker-compose.yml configuration. If the port is changed there, use the corresponding changed port for browser access.

3D support in the client container

The client container includes Linux support for Java3D, JOGL, and GlueGen/JogAmp. During the image build, the JogAmp version embedded in the respective Romexis.jar is detected and the matching native Linux libraries for the target architecture are included. This makes the Romexis functions that rely on Java3D/JogAmp 3D rendering available in the container as well.

OpenGL rendering in the current client container is software-based. This means that a graphics adapter does not have to be passed directly through to the container; however, demanding 3D views depend more strongly on the CPU performance of the NAS.

The demo embedded at the top of this page was recorded entirely on a Synology DS-218+ with 10 GB RAM and 2 × 4 TB HDDs. Both the Romexis Server and the Romexis Client were running on the same NAS while the client was operated through noVNC in the browser.


9. Common issues

Container Station Project does not start

  • Check folder /volume1/docker/romexis permissions test - everybody read write

Romexis is not reachable

Check the following:

  • Is the project started in Container Manager?
  • Are all containers running?
  • Did you wait long enough after the first start?
  • Is the correct NAS IP address set in .env as HOST_IP?
  • Is the correct path set in .env as ROMEXIS_CONTAINER_DATADIR?
  • Was the .env file saved after editing?
  • Was the project restarted after changing .env?

Romexis Configuration is not reachable

Check that the URL is correct:

http://NAS-IP:6080

Example:

http://192.168.100.50:6080

Also check:

  • the project is running in Container Manager
  • the Romexis Configuration container is running
  • port 6080 is not blocked by another service
  • the correct NAS IP address is being used

Romexis Client or 3D rendering does not work

Check the following:

  • is the romexis-client container running?
  • is the noVNC port configured for the client published by the NAS and not blocked by another service?
  • was a JogAmp version detected successfully when the client image was built?
  • were the matching native JogAmp libraries for the NAS architecture included in the image?
  • does the browser show the noVNC interface and can it establish a VNC connection to the client?

With software-based OpenGL, demanding 3D rendering can be noticeably slower on lower-performance NAS hardware than on a workstation with a dedicated GPU.

MSSQL starts slowly

This is normal during the first start.

The SQL Server 2017 container first creates its system databases. During this initialization, Romexis may not yet be able to connect to the database.

Check the MSSQL container

Via SSH on the Synology NAS, the container log can be checked with:

docker logs --tail 300 romexis-mssql

Live log:

docker logs -f romexis-mssql

10. Useful SSH checks

Show running containers:

docker ps

Show logs of the MSSQL container:

docker logs --tail 300 romexis-mssql

Show logs of the Romexis Client container:

docker logs --tail 300 romexis-client

Follow logs live:

docker logs -f romexis-mssql

Test SQL Server from inside the container:

docker exec -it romexis-mssql /opt/mssql-tools/bin/sqlcmd \
  -S 127.0.0.1,1433 \
  -U sa \
  -P 'YOUR_PASSWORD' \
  -Q "SELECT @@VERSION"

Note: With SQL Server 2017, sqlcmd is usually located at:

/opt/mssql-tools/bin/sqlcmd

11. Quick summary

1. Download the ZIP package.
2. Create /volume1/docker/romexis in File Station.
3. Copy the ZIP package to /volume1/docker/romexis.
4. Extract the ZIP package there.
5. Open .env with the Synology Text Editor.
6. Adjust HOST_IP to the NAS IP address.
7. Adjust ROMEXIS_CONTAINER_DATADIR to the NAS path.
8. Open Container Manager.
9. Create a new project.
10. Select /volume1/docker/romexis as the target directory.
11. Use the existing docker-compose.yml.
12. Create and start the project.
13. Wait a few minutes until MSSQL is initialized.
14. Use Romexis with the NAS IP address.
15. Open Romexis Configuration at http://NAS-IP:6080.
16. Optionally open the Romexis Client container in the browser through its published noVNC port.
17. Use the client container for 3D functions; the matching JogAmp native libraries are included in the image.

Romexis Configuration credentials

Address:

http://NAS-IP:6080

Password:

promax