Original: https://zwischenzugs.wordpress.com/2015/05/24/convert-any-server-to-a-docker-container/

#Step 1 Install ShutIt as root:

sudo su -
pip install shutit

The pre-requisites are python-pip, git and docker. The exact names of these in your package manager may vary slightly (eg docker-io or docker.io) depending on your distro.

You may need to make sure the docker server is running too, eg with ‘systemctl start docker’ or ‘service docker start’.

#Step 2 Check out the copyserver script:

git clone https://github.com/ianmiell/shutit_copyserver.git

#Step 3 Run the copy_server script:

cd shutit_copyserver/bin
./copy_server.sh

There is a prompt to ask what docker base image you want to use. Make sure you use one as close to the original server as possible.

#Step 4 Run the built image:

docker run -ti [username]/copyserver /bin/bash

You are now in a practical facsimile of your server within a docker container!