golem-vm-provider 0.1.2

VM on Golem Provider Node - Run your own provider node to offer VMs on the Golem Network

VM on Golem Provider Node

The Provider Node enables participation in the Golem Network by managing virtual machines and computing resources. It handles VM lifecycle management, resource allocation, network proxying, and automated discovery advertisement.

System Architecture

graph TB
    API[FastAPI Service] --> VMM[VM Manager]
    API --> RT[Resource Tracker]
    API --> PV[Port Verifier]
    VMM --> MP[Multipass Provider]
    VMM --> PM[Proxy Manager]
    RT --> RM[Resource Monitor]
    RT --> AD[Resource Advertiser]
    AD --> DS[Discovery Service]
    PM --> SSH[SSH Proxy]
    PV --> PM
    MP --> VM1[VM 1]
    MP --> VM2[VM 2]

The Provider Node implements a clean, modular architecture where each component handles a specific responsibility:

Core Components

Port Verification

The port verification system ensures proper network connectivity:

sequenceDiagram
    participant S as Startup
    participant PV as Port Verifier
    participant PM as Port Manager
    participant D as Display

    S->>PV: Initialize
    PV->>PV: Check Local Ports
    PV->>PV: Verify External Access
    PV->>D: Update Status
    D-->>S: Show Progress
    PV->>PM: Register Verified Ports
    PM-->>S: Verification Result

• Comprehensive port accessibility verification
• Real-time status display with progress indicators
• Local and external port validation
• Automatic port allocation management

Future Developments

The current port verification system uses dedicated port check servers to verify external accessibility. In future releases, this functionality will be integrated into the Golem Network's verifier nodes, providing:

• Decentralized port verification through the network
• Increased reliability with multiple verification sources
• Consensus-based verification results
• Reduced dependency on centralized services
• Enhanced security through the network's trust system

This integration aligns with Golem's vision of a fully decentralized computing platform, moving critical infrastructure services like port verification into the network itself.

Resource Management

The resource management system ensures optimal allocation and utilization of system resources:

• Real-time monitoring of CPU, memory, and storage
• Intelligent resource allocation with minimum requirement enforcement
• Threshold-based resource protection
• Automatic resource reclamation

sequenceDiagram
    participant API as API
    participant RT as Resource Tracker
    participant RM as Resource Monitor
    participant AD as Advertiser
    
    API->>RT: Request Resource Allocation
    RT->>RM: Check Available Resources
    RM-->>RT: Resource Status
    RT->>RT: Validate Requirements
    RT-->>API: Allocation Result
    RT->>AD: Notify Resource Update
    AD->>DS: Update Advertisement

VM Management

VM operations are handled through Multipass integration:

sequenceDiagram
    participant API as API
    participant MP as Multipass
    participant CI as Cloud Init
    participant VM as Virtual Machine
    
    API->>MP: Create VM Request
    MP->>CI: Generate Config
    CI-->>MP: SSH Configuration
    MP->>VM: Launch Instance
    VM-->>MP: Status Update
    MP-->>API: VM Info

• Automated VM provisioning with cloud-init
• Secure SSH key management
• Status monitoring and health checks
• Automatic cleanup procedures

Network Proxy System

A pure Python implementation manages SSH connections:

sequenceDiagram
    participant C as Client
    participant PM as Proxy Manager
    participant P as Proxy
    participant VM as Virtual Machine
    
    C->>PM: SSH Connection
    PM->>P: Create Proxy
    P->>VM: Forward Connection
    VM-->>P: Response
    P-->>C: Forward Response

• Dynamic port allocation and management
• Connection state persistence
• Clean connection handling
• Automatic proxy cleanup

Installation

1. Prerequisites:

   • Python 3.9+
   • Multipass
   • Poetry

2. Install dependencies:

   cd provider-server
   poetry install
   

3. Configure environment:

   cp .env.example .env
   # Edit .env with your settings
   

Configuration

Key configuration options in .env:

# Provider Settings
GOLEM_PROVIDER_ID="your-provider-id"
GOLEM_PROVIDER_NAME="your-provider-name"
GOLEM_PROVIDER_COUNTRY="SE"

# Resource Limits
GOLEM_PROVIDER_MAX_VMS=10
GOLEM_PROVIDER_MIN_CPU_CORES=1
GOLEM_PROVIDER_MIN_MEMORY_GB=1
GOLEM_PROVIDER_MIN_STORAGE_GB=10

# Port Verification Settings
GOLEM_PROVIDER_PORT={provider_port}  # Default: 7466
GOLEM_PROVIDER_PORT_CHECK_SERVERS=[
    "https://ports1.golem.network",
    "https://ports2.golem.network"
]

# Network Settings
GOLEM_PROVIDER_PORT_RANGE_START={start_port}  # Default: 50800
GOLEM_PROVIDER_PORT_RANGE_END={end_port}      # Default: 50900
GOLEM_PROVIDER_PUBLIC_IP="auto"

# Discovery Settings
GOLEM_PROVIDER_DISCOVERY_URL="http://discovery.golem.network:7465"
GOLEM_PROVIDER_ADVERTISEMENT_INTERVAL=240

API Reference

Create VM

POST /api/v1/vms

Request:

{
    "name": "my-webserver",
    "cpu_cores": 2,
    "memory_gb": 4,
    "storage_gb": 20
}

Response:

{
    "id": "golem-my-webserver-20250219-130424",
    "name": "my-webserver",
    "status": "running",
    "ip_address": "192.168.64.2",
    "ssh_port": 50800,
    "resources": {
        "cpu": 2,
        "memory": 4,
        "storage": 20
    }
}

VM Operations

• List VMs: GET /api/v1/vms
• Get VM Status: GET /api/v1/vms/{vm_id}
• Delete VM: DELETE /api/v1/vms/{vm_id}
• Get Access Info: GET /api/v1/vms/{vm_id}/access

Operations

Starting the Provider

poetry run python run.py

The provider will:

1. Verify port accessibility
   • Check discovery port (7466)
   • Verify SSH ports (50800-50900)
   • Display verification progress
2. Initialize resource monitoring
3. Start the proxy manager
4. Begin resource advertisement
5. Listen for VM requests

Resource Advertisement Flow

sequenceDiagram
    participant P as Provider
    participant RT as Resource Tracker
    participant AD as Advertiser
    participant DS as Discovery Service
    
    P->>RT: Initialize
    RT->>AD: Register Callback
    loop Every 4 minutes
        AD->>RT: Get Resources
        RT-->>AD: Available Resources
        AD->>DS: Post Advertisement
        DS-->>AD: Confirmation
    end

Monitoring

The provider includes comprehensive logging:

• Resource allocation events
• VM lifecycle changes
• Network proxy operations
• Discovery service interactions

Technical Details

Security

• Resource isolation through Multipass
• Secure SSH key provisioning
• Connection proxying for network isolation
• Rate limiting on API endpoints

Performance

• Asynchronous operations with FastAPI
• Efficient resource tracking
• Connection pooling for proxy servers
• Optimized VM provisioning

Resource Protection

• CPU threshold: 90%
• Memory threshold: 85%
• Storage threshold: 90%
• Minimum resource guarantees

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions:

Port Verification Issues

1. Provider Port ({provider_port}) Issues

   • Check if port is already in use
   • Verify port forwarding on router
   • Check firewall rules
   • Ensure provider is accessible to requestors

2. VM Access Port Range ({start_port}-{end_port}) Issues

   • Verify port range availability
   • Check for port conflicts
   • Configure router port forwarding
   • Review firewall settings for range

3. External Access Issues

   • Verify internet connectivity
   • Check port check servers are accessible
   • Review router NAT/firewall settings
   • Consider using alternative port check servers

Port Verification Monitoring

The provider includes real-time port verification status:

• Visual progress indicators
• Port accessibility status
• Critical issues detection
• Quick fix suggestions
• Links to troubleshooting documentation

Example status output:

🌟 Port Verification Status
==========================
[✅] Provider Port {provider_port}: External ✓ | Internal ✓
[✅] VM Access Ports: 3 ports available ({start_port}-{start_port+2})
[✅] Overall Status: Provider Ready
└─ Can handle up to {n} concurrent VMs

Resource Allocation Issues

• Check system resource availability
• Verify minimum requirements
• Monitor resource thresholds
• Review resource allocation logs

Discovery Service Issues

• Check network connectivity
• Verify discovery service URL
• Check advertisement interval
• Monitor advertisement responses
• Verify provider registration status

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Run the tests
5. Submit a pull request