Docker as a company was originally known as dot Cloud. It changed its name in 2013 to reflect a shift in strategy and to capitalize on the brand recognition of its open-source Docker container virtualization software efforts.
Instead of using a virtual machine hypervisor to virtualize applications and the supporting operating system, Docker is a container technology. The container approach leverages the existing host system’s operating system and virtualizes the application delivery, making for a potentially more efficient approach.
As to why Docker is raising new funds now, CEO Ben Golub told eWEEK that it’s not because his company was running out of operating funds. Prior to the Series B funding being raised, Docker still had a substantial portion of its Series A funding left, he said.