title: How to reach docker containers by name instead of IP address?
body: <p>Is there a way I can reach my docker containers using names instead of ip addresses?</p>
  
  <p>I've heard of pipework and I've seen some dns and hostname type options for docker, but I still am unable to piece everything together.</p>
  
  <p>Thank you for your time.</p>
  
  <p>I'm not sure if this is helpful, but this is what I've done so far:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>installed docker container host using docker-machine and the vmwarevsphere driver</li>
  <li>started up all the services with docker-compose</li>
  <li>I can reach all of the services from any other machine on the network using IP and port</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>I've added a DNS alias entry to my private network DNS server and it matches the machine name that's used by docker-machine.  But the machine always picks up a different IP address when it boots and connects to the network.</p>
  
  <p>I'm just lost as to where to tackle this:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>network DNS server</li>
  <li>docker-machine hostname</li>
  <li>docker container hostname</li>
  <li>probably some combination of all of them</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>I'm probably looking for something similar to this question:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/27342382/how-can-let-docker-use-my-network-router-to-assign-dhcp-ip-to-containers-easily">How can let docker use my network router to assign dhcp ip to containers easily instead of pipework?</a></p>
  
  <p>Any general direction will be awesome...thanks again!</p>