ZoneMinder Docker Container

A containerized ZoneMinder surveillance system built on Debian Bullseye, providing a complete video surveillance solution with web interface, database, and SSL support.

⚠️ Project Status

This project is community-maintained and no longer actively used by the original author. While functional, please note:

• AMD64 builds: Available with latest ZoneMinder versions
• ARM64 builds: Fully supported via automated builds
• Testing: Limited testing is performed on new versions - use at your own risk
• Support: Community-based support only

⚠️ Important: Always backup your configuration and recordings before upgrading versions.

Features

• 🔒 SSL/TLS Support - Self-signed certificates or custom SSL certificates
• 🗄️ Persistent Storage - Configuration and recordings stored in mounted volumes
• 📧 Email Notifications - Integrated msmtp for email alerts
• 🔧 Easy Configuration - Environment variable based setup
• 🌐 Multi-Architecture - Support for both AMD64 and ARM64 platforms
• 🔗 SWAG Integration - Compatible with LinuxServer.io SWAG reverse proxy

Quick Start

Docker Run

docker run -d \
  --name=zoneMinder \
  -p 443:443 \
  -e TZ=Europe/Rome \
  -e SELFSIGNED=0 \
  -e FQDN=your.fqdn \
  --shm-size=1g \
  -v /mystorage/ZoneMinder/config:/config \
  -v /mystorage/ZoneMinder/zmcache:/var/cache/zoneminder \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  nardo86/zoneminder

Docker Compose

version: '3.8'
services:
  zoneminder:
    image: nardo86/zoneminder
    container_name: zoneminder
    ports:
      - "443:443"
    environment:
      - TZ=Europe/Rome
      - SELFSIGNED=0
      - FQDN=your.fqdn
    volumes:
      - /mystorage/ZoneMinder/config:/config
      - /mystorage/ZoneMinder/zmcache:/var/cache/zoneminder
    shm_size: '1gb'
    restart: unless-stopped

Technical Details

This container is built following the official ZoneMinder installation guide.

ARM64 builds are compiled from source using the official build process due to lack of pre-built ARM64 packages.

Email Configuration: Uses msmtp (replacing deprecated ssmtp) with Gmail-ready configuration template created at /config/msmtprc.

Image Repository

Available at: https://hub.docker.com/r/nardo86/zoneminder

Configuration

Environment Variables

Variable	Description	Default
TZ	Timezone setting	Etc/UTC
FQDN	Fully Qualified Domain Name for Apache2 configuration	localhost
SELFSIGNED	Use self-signed certificates (1) or custom SSL certificates (0)	0

SSL Certificate Options

Self-signed certificates (SELFSIGNED=1):

• Automatically generated on first run
• Suitable for testing and internal use

Custom SSL certificates (SELFSIGNED=0):

• Mount your certificates to /sslcert/live and /sslcert/archive
• Compatible with Let's Encrypt certificates from SWAG

SWAG Integration Example

version: '3.8'
services:
  zoneminder:
    image: nardo86/zoneminder
    container_name: zoneminder
    ports:
      - "443:443"
    environment:
      - TZ=Europe/Rome
      - SELFSIGNED=0
      - FQDN=your.domain.com
    volumes:
      - /mystorage/ZoneMinder/config:/config
      - /mystorage/ZoneMinder/zmcache:/var/cache/zoneminder
      - /mystorage/Swag/etc/letsencrypt/live:/sslcert/live
      - /mystorage/Swag/etc/letsencrypt/archive:/sslcert/archive
    shm_size: '1gb'
    restart: unless-stopped

Memory Configuration

The shm-size parameter allocates shared memory for ZoneMinder:

• Size depends on number of cameras and recording settings
• Start with 1GB and adjust based on performance
• Warning: Don't over-allocate as it may cause system instability

Access

Once running, access ZoneMinder at: https://your.fqdn:443/zm

Migration & Troubleshooting

Data Migration

To transfer data from another ZoneMinder instance (reference):

1. Backup database on old system:

   mysqldump -p zm > /config/zm-dbbackup.sql

2. Restore database on new system:

   mysql -p zm < /config/zm-dbbackup.sql

3. Sync recordings:

   rsync -r -t -p -o -g -v --progress --delete user@oldSystem:/var/cache/zoneminder/* /var/cache/zoneminder/

4. Cleanup and audit:

   zmaudit.pl

Common Issues

MySQL Startup Problems

If the container gets stuck on "Waiting mysql startup..." message:

1. Access container:

   docker exec -it zoneminder bash

2. Manual database start with detailed logging:

   /usr/bin/mysqld_safe --skip-syslog

3. Check logs for specific error messages to diagnose database issues

Performance Issues

• Monitor shared memory usage: df -h /dev/shm
• Adjust shm-size based on camera count and recording settings
• Check system memory usage to prevent swapping

Security Considerations

• 🔒 Use strong passwords for ZoneMinder admin account
• 🌐 Consider using a reverse proxy with proper SSL certificates
• 🔄 Keep container updated with security patches
• 📋 Regularly backup your configuration and recordings
• 🚫 Avoid exposing directly to internet without additional security layers

Contributing

This is a community-maintained project. Contributions are welcome:

• 🐛 Bug Reports: Please include container logs and system information
• 🔧 Pull Requests: Test thoroughly before submitting
• 📚 Documentation: Help improve this README
• 🧪 Testing: Help test new versions on different architectures

⚠️ AI Disclaimer

This project was developed with the assistance of Claude AI (Anthropic). While functional, please be aware that:

• Security considerations: The configuration may not be optimized for production environments
• Best practices: Some settings might not follow enterprise-grade security standards
• Testing required: Thoroughly test in your environment before production use
• No warranty: Use at your own risk - review all configurations before deployment
• Community input welcome: Issues and improvements are encouraged via GitHub issues/PRs

Recommendation: Have a security professional review the setup before production deployment.

Support & Donations

This is a community project maintained on a volunteer basis.

If this project helped you:

• ⭐ Star the repository on GitHub
• 🐛 Report issues and bugs
• 🔧 Contribute improvements
• ☕ Feel free to consider donating if my work helped you! https://paypal.me/ErosNardi

For issues:

1. Check existing GitHub issues
2. Review security considerations
3. Test in isolated environment
4. Provide detailed reproduction steps
5. Be patient - this is maintained on volunteer basis

Version Information

• AMD64: Latest ZoneMinder version (automatically updated)
• ARM64: Latest ZoneMinder version (fully supported)
• Base Image: Debian Bullseye Slim
• Web Server: Apache2 with SSL
• Database: MariaDB
• Mail: msmtp (replaces deprecated ssmtp)