7db9a / private-ipfs-docker

Private and Containerized IPFS Network

Private IPFS Network - Docker

Create a private and dockerized ipfs network.

This repo uses private-network-ipfs as a submodule. So credits to its author. However, this README (you are reading from it now) is more understandable for me and is in English.

Table of Contents

1. Setup
2. Gotcha's
3. Helpful resources

Setup

• On a single machine (bootstrap node): steps 1 - 3a and 4 - 6a.
• Other machines (nodes): steps 1, 2, 3b, 4, and 6b.
• All machines: step 7.
• Any machine: step 8.

1. Download and install

git clone --recursive https://github.com/7db9a/private-ipfs-docker.git/
cd private-ipfs-docker/private-network-ipfs
make up

2. Ensure that the IPFS API is configured to allow cross-origin (CORS) requests

docker exec ipfs_host ipfs config --json API.HTTPHeaders.Access-Control-Allow-Origin '["*"]'
docker exec ipfs_host ipfs config --json API.HTTPHeaders.Access-Control-Allow-Methods '["PUT", "GET", "POST"]'

3a. Generate key and copy

docker run -it --name my-go golang:1.13 bash

Get the key:

go get -u github.com/Kubuxu/go-ipfs-swarm-key-gen/ipfs-swarm-key-gen
./bin/ipfs-swarm-key-gen > swarm.key

Keep the shell open.

In another shell.

docker cp my-go:go/swarm.key private-network-ipfs/data/

You may now exit the container shell.

3b. Copy key into other nodes.

The swarm.key you generated must be on all the nodes. Your nodes may be across the internet or on the same local area network. You don't want to publish your key to the world. I used rsync, but you can do what's best for you.

rsync -ve ssh \
data/swarm.key \
me@machine2:/home/me/projects/private-ipfs-docker/private-network-ipfs/data/

Generally, like this:

rsync -ve ssh path/to/file.txt username@address:/home/path/to/dir/

4. Remove the default bootstrap node

docker exec ipfs_host ipfs bootstrap rm --all

Check that the bootstrap is empty

docker exec ipfs_host ipfs config show

5. Get node information

docker exec ipfs_host ipfs id

{
	"ID": "QmRBMTxuQhk8fYmtwBb7JbYPFzydMznkTTrmWDf7AY62Pb",
	"PublicKey": "CAASpgIwggEiMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4IBDwAwggEKAoIBAQCvGy9C9tzw0oJH0cdlrLSYORpFmaA53XB7XEd9u5rsY7X6jzUsR0n/X/T0+JblxZHqNC5xgL/kwGNYU7Pgr2mEuP6p3rokAufZSZUCXl0sqXjl53LDJsvWK8czpdSAg+ljWto7VbQAiz56hd7y0KCdrNpH/qySsOdRpJUbsvirG/AGKsJfYJrxNyfO1S9+prbi2XQHLywH1b7Z6dN7NZVVU5Ob/qp8RCRoqiSeZFtHCcsdGdExqh6z8u/pwVo0+O2gtdV2eFdw32T8rnVUrzHn+m3Y4RDwKuSSLeWBgHi5YzR3uVX/3QV78TOf94G+87y855Jj07hYn1qc82TKZ9XTAgMBAAE=",
	"Addresses": [
		"/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/4001/ipfs/QmRBMTxuQhk8fYmtwBb7JbYPFzydMznkTTrmWDf7AY62Pb",
		"/ip4/192.168.96.2/tcp/4001/ipfs/QmRBMTxuQhk8fYmtwBb7JbYPFzydMznkTTrmWDf7AY62Pb",
		"/ip4/172.16.254.1/tcp/4001/ipfs/QmRBMTxuQhk8fYmtwBb7JbYPFzydMznkTTrmWDf7AY62Pb"
	],
	"AgentVersion": "go-ipfs/0.4.23/5b1687d",
	"ProtocolVersion": "ipfs/0.1.0"
}

The above is an examaple. You will have different information.

6a. Add bootsrap node on bootsrap node

docker exec ipfs_host ipfs bootstrap add \
/ip4/192.168.96.2/tcp/4001/ipfs/QmRBMTxuQhk8fYmtwBb7JbYPFzydMznkTTrmWDf7AY62Pb

Your command will have a different path. See Step 5.

6b. Add bootsrap node on other nodes

On the other machines (non-bootsrap), you'll need to get the ip address of the bootsrap host.

In the below example, it's 192.168.1.5. Step 6a's ip address is different because that one is running in docker. In this step, we need the actual host that docker is running on.

You can login to the host of the bootstrap and do ip route get 1.2.3.4 | awk '{print }'. If you want to find it from the node you're on, try arp -a.

docker exec ipfs_host ipfs bootstrap add \
/ip4/192.168.1.5/tcp/4001/ipfs/QmRBMTxuQhk8fYmtwBb7JbYPFzydMznkTTrmWDf7AY62Pb

7. Restart nodes

Do this on all the nodes, including bootrap.

docker restart ipfs_host

See if you're connected. Run this on all nodes, too.

docker exec ipfs_host ipfs swarm peers

/ip4/192.168.96.2/tcp/4001/ipfs/QmRBMTxuQhk8fYmtwBb7JbYPFzydMznkTTrmWDf7AY62Pb

If you get no response, see below about network issues.

8. Try and add a file to the network

echo 'Hello World!' > private-network-ipfs/staging/hello.txt
docker exec ipfs_host ipfs add /export/hello.txt

added QmfM2r8seH2GiRaC4esTjeraXEachRt8ZsSeGaWTPLyMoG hello.txt
 13 B / 13 B  100.00%%

On all the nodes, including the bootsrap:

docker exec ipfs_host ipfs cat QmfM2r8seH2GiRaC4esTjeraXEachRt8ZsSeGaWTPLyMoG

Gotcha's

Network issues

Can't connect to the bootstrap node? Go get the bootstrap node's address and port number.

You can the address and port number from step 5.

... or you can do.

hostname -I

The port number is typically 4001.

Then on the peer node machines, check that the bootstrap node is listening. For example:

telnet 192.168.1.5 4001

If you can't connect, then maybe try another machine that all other peers can connect to.

Helpful resources

https://medium.com/@s_van_laar/deploy-a-private-ipfs-network-on-ubuntu-in-5-steps-5aad95f7261b

Detailed guide and appears clearly written, but it's not for Docker.

https://github.com/Sitoi/private-network-ipfs

Has a detailed README for private network using Docker. Has a docker-compose.yml. It's in Chinese (?), but the Google translation is good enough.

This fine repo is a git submodule of the repo (you are reading from). I basically 'wrapped' my own README.md.

https://github.com/mohdrashid/docker-ipfs-cluster

Couldn't makes sense of Change “/cluster daemon --bootstrap /ip4//tcp/9096/ipfs/” with. With what?

https://github.com/psprings/docker-ipfs

It's for a private network, but there is no docker-compose file.

https://github.com/rongfengliang/ipfs-clutser-docker-compose

Unclear if this is a private network setup.

https://github.com/qnib/docker-ipfs

Looks good, but it's not a private network setup.