Teleport Docker Compose Setup

A Docker Compose configuration for running Teleport - a modern security gateway for remotely accessing Linux servers, Kubernetes clusters, databases, and web applications.

What is Teleport?

Teleport provides secure access to infrastructure with:

• SSH access to servers
• Kubernetes cluster access
• Database access (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, etc.)
• Web application access
• Built-in audit logging and session recording
• Certificate-based authentication

Service Details

Teleport

• Image: public.ecr.aws/gravitational/teleport-distroless:17.7.1
• Ports:
  • 3025: Auth service (API and SSH)
  • 3080: Web UI
• Web Access: http://localhost:3080

Prerequisites

• Docker and Docker Compose installed
• Teleport configuration file at ./teleport/config/teleport.yaml
• Port availability: 3025, 3080

Getting Started

1. Create the directory structure:

   mkdir -p teleport/config teleport/data
   

2. Create a basic configuration (teleport/config/teleport.yaml):

   version: v3
   teleport:
     data_dir: /var/lib/teleport
     nodename: localhost
   
   auth_service:
     enabled: true
     listen_addr: 0.0.0.0:3025
   
   proxy_service:
     enabled: true
     web_listen_addr: 0.0.0.0:3080
     public_addr: localhost:3080
   
   ssh_service:
     enabled: true
   

3. Start Teleport:

   docker-compose up -d
   

4. Create an admin user:

   docker exec -it teleport tctl users add admin --roles=editor,access --logins=root
   

   This will output a signup link - open it in your browser to set your password.

5. Access the Web UI: Open http://localhost:3080 and log in with your admin credentials.

Common Commands

Create a new user:

docker exec -it teleport tctl users add <username> --roles=editor,access

View cluster status:

docker exec -it teleport tctl status

Reset admin password:

docker exec -it teleport tctl users reset admin

Stop Teleport:

docker-compose down

Using Teleport

Connecting to Servers

1. Add servers to Teleport by installing the Teleport agent on them
2. Access servers via the web UI or using tsh CLI client
3. All sessions are recorded and auditable

CLI Access

Install the tsh client on your machine and connect:

tsh login --proxy=localhost:3080 --user=admin
tsh ls  # List available servers
tsh ssh root@hostname  # SSH into a server

Data Persistence

• Config: ./teleport/config - Configuration files
• Data: ./teleport/data - Certificates, audit logs, and session recordings

Troubleshooting

• Cannot access web UI: Ensure port 3080 is available and Teleport has fully started (check logs)
• "No nodes available": This is normal for a fresh install - add nodes by installing Teleport agents
• Certificate errors: Ensure public_addr in config matches how you access Teleport
• View logs: docker-compose logs -f teleport

Notes

• This is a minimal single-instance setup for development/testing
• For production, use a proper domain with HTTPS and external authentication
• Consider using Teleport Cloud for managed hosting
• Documentation: https://goteleport.com/docs/