IP Addresses on the Threefold Grid

#1

Hey TFarmers and TFolders of the New Internet,

While we get ready for the Internet of internets, let’s talk IP addresses.

In your farming adventure on the TF Portal, you will have to deal with public IP addresses. Let’s cover the basics here. Please share your thoughts and feedback if we are missing something, or if you want to add something to the discussion!

IP Addresses on the Threefold Grid

1. IP Address: Creating a Twin on the TF Portal

Note: It is necessary to create a TF farm on the TF Portal.

When you set up your Twin from the TF Portal on the polkadot.js extension, you will be asked to set the Twin IP address.

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In this case, you want to create a Twin and let the standard IP address already written, as shown in the picture above:

::1

Note that this is a IPv6 address as the twin is using the Planetary Network.

2. IP Address: Setting Public IP Addresses for TF Network

Note: Assuming you are a farmer operating from your home, this field can usually be left blank. You do not have to fill in any details. The add IP option is for farmers that have a block of IP addresses routed to their router (in data centers mostly) and want to present “dedicated IP” addresses for deployments.

The add IP option is for farmers that have a block of IP addresses routed to their router. This is mainly for data centers, but some ISP can provide this for residential location. With such public IP addresses, your TF farm and/or your 3nodes can present “dedicated IP” addresses for deployments.

The Threefold simulator is referring to this IP address. Only check the Public IP option in the simulator if you have such block of IP addresses.

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How to configure public IP addresses for a Threefold farm or a 3node

To configure public IP addresses for your 3node farm, head to the Farm section of the Threefold Portal, expand your farm by clicking on the arrow on the left, then click on Public IPs and then click on Add IP . Specify the IP address using CIDR format and then add the gateway.

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The same process can be done for individual 3nodes. This is available in the Nodes section, just below the Farms section of the Farms page.

To configure public IP addresses to a specific 3node, click on the Actions Add a public config (Earth button) and fill in the necessary information.

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As it is written, only the IPV4 address and gateway are necessary. IPV6 and the Domain are optional.

The difference between IPs assigned to nodes versus a farm

IPs assigned to a farm are available to be rented by workloads. They can be assigned to virtual machines for example. IPs assigned to nodes enable each node to become a gateway.

3. IP Address: Setting the Remote Management of a Server

Note: You do not need any specific port configuration when booting a 3node.

As long as the 3node is connected to the Internet via an ethernet cable (WiFi is not supported), Zero-OS will be able to boot. By setting DHCP in BIOS, an IP address is automatically assigned to your 3node every time you boot it.

You can set up a node through static routing at the router without DHCP by assigning the MAC address of the NIC to a IP address within your private subnet. This will give a static IP address to your 3node.

With a static IP address, you can then configure remote management on servers. For Dell, iDRAC is used, and for HP, ILO is used.

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#2

Hey Mik, something important of note on remote management, I haven’t played with idrac but use ipmi and Ilo, that nic that supports that has its own Ip that is configured in the bios, and one of your network cables has to be attached to that port.

So for instance on 3081,
I have one Mac and ip “DMZ”
Another for “ZOS”
a third for “Public Config”

Then my fourth IP address, whitch is the management interface, in the case of ilo and ipmi, this is only manually configured on the server and does not do dhcp.

I’m sure this is basic stuff for experienced server users, but it took me a long while as a layman to figure it out, thought it might help

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#3

Thanks @parkers for this additional information. I will add this to the documentation. It’s a very good point.

Can you elaborate on the distinction between MAC & IP DMZ and the other being for ZOS?
I understand well the public config and management interface (2 different IP addresses).

To be clear, you need 4 ports, one for each IP address, right?

#4

Someone from the team is probably going to need to weigh in for this completely explained because I don’t know the whys behind it but,

When you boot your 3 node, without public config you need one cable/port, but it actually has 2 macs on that port ones a virtual interface, on the status screen this is displayed as “zos” and “dmz”

In the case my hp server it has a dedicated ilo port that requires its own cable, but my supermicro could use one cable for all the theoretically, i say theoretically because weird things happened when I used that port, in that way.

Anytime you have a public config you need 2 ports/cables to be connected to the node, advisably with remote management your likely going need or atleast want 3 (1 primary node, 1 public node, 1 management)

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#5

Here’s my understanding, which I’ll admit still isn’t complete. Zos networking is rather complex!

  • zos is used for all internal Zos functions, like booting itself up and making operations on TF Chain
  • dmz is used for outbound public traffic from workloads, that is, anything not running through Yggdrasil or Wireguard
  • public interface, when applicable, handles inbound gateway and Wireguard connections. I don’t know how public IPs assigned to workloads fit into the mix

At least on my HPE ec200a, I’m able to add a public config (for testing this is just an address inside my LAN) using only a single NIC and cable. Two NICs enables clean separation between zos and dmz, whether or not the node has a public config, but I don’t know what the real advantage is.

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#6

There is definitely a lot going on in the networking section of things, I’ve taken a huge interest in the Yggdrasil side of things, it’s quite the technology. Learning more everyday, I’m sure the experts will surpass my farm soon but it’s cool fact the first us gateway was someone without formal it experience despite all the complication behind the scenes. It would be nice to See the “engines”(think cars not codes) showcased oh how some of it works. It seems like you guys are really doing amazing work.

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#7

That’s good to know. I could add this to the documentation if we think it’s clear and official enough (?).À

Thanks for sharing.

#8

Sure thing. I’d like to put together a more comprehensive guide on networking for 3Nodes and maybe get some review from tech team. For now, I’d say this is good enough for an FAQ but maybe not for the manual.

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#9

What you wrote here is very interesting. I think one of the strengths of Threefold is that it attracts people with diverse interests and backgrounds.

I think it’d be nice to have a podcast with you talking about your experience building and exploring the Yggdrasil side of things. The fact that you don’t have formal IT experience and you did manage to get it working shows how more accessible Threefold can be compared to other projects or older technologies.

Of course it would be the most technical podcast, but why not! haha

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#10

Let’s do it I’m off Monday and Tuesday

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#11

That’s what people want, not ideas.

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