Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure (AZ-800) Practice

Using a Dockerfile is primarily focused on automating the creation of Docker images, which encapsulates everything needed for an application to run in a container. The Dockerfile contains a set of instructions that specifies the base image, application code, dependencies, environment variables, and any commands required to run the application.

By utilizing a Dockerfile, administrators can streamline the packaging and deployment of applications, ensuring that the same configurations and dependencies are consistently applied across different environments. This minimizes the chances of errors stemming from manual installation processes and promotes reproducibility, which is essential for both development and production scenarios.

In contrast, manual installation of applications lacks the automation and consistency provided by a Dockerfile. Tracking usage statistics is outside the scope of a Dockerfile's purpose, as it is more concerned with application configuration and deployment. Securing network communication also does not align with the primary role of a Dockerfile, which is about building application environments rather than managing security settings.