Strongpool Node

The Strongpool node is a user and operationally friendly bundling of the Arweave server and supporting services.

Status

Alpha

It is currently in use by several miners and should not cause any harm to your data (backups still recommended). However, it provides minimal functionality beyond a marginally better getting started experience. It is being made publicly available to get early feedback from those interested in its future development.

Current Features

• User friendly node control interface
• Improved config validation
• Containerized Arweave server
• Server healthcheck

Prerequisites

• A computer or virtual machine with Linux installed. Ubuntu 20.04 is recommended, but other distributions should also work.
• 16GB RAM
• Free disk space for Arweave data. For mining, at least a 6TB NVMe drive is recommended. Smaller or slower drives will work, but your hash rate will be reduced as a result. Note: If you have already been mining with the official miner, you don't need to delete that data, the Strongpool node can use it.
• Reasonably stable public IP with port 1984 forwarded to your miner.
• git installed. On Ubuntu 20.04, run sudo apt install git to install it.
• Docker installed. On Ubuntu 20.04, run sudo apt install docker.io to install it. For other distributions, follow the official Docker install instructions.

Getting Started

1. Clone the main branch of this repo: git clone -b main https://github.com/Strongpool/strongpool-node.git
2. Change into the strongpool-node directory: cd strongpool-node
3. If you have existing miner data, copy it into data/arweave0 in the strongpool-node directory (created by git clone above).
4. Copy config/strongpool-example.edn to config/strongpool.edn in the stongpool-node directory: cp config/strongpool-example.edn config/strongpool.edn
5. Edit the config file (config/strongpool.edn) and set your miner address (e.g. with nano: nano config/strongpool.edn). We recommend using the Arweave Faucet or ArConnect to create a wallet if you don't already have one.
6. Copy your mining wallet key into wallets/arweave with a file name matching your mining address (e.g. wallets/arweave/V6iZkMkNEqfEYYiXdqS0AkvPNbAV8cfj6FOAwPl2vUU.json). Note: the name of the file must exactly match the miner address you set in the config file (with a .json extension appended).
7. Ensure your user has beed added to the Docker group: sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
8. Start the node by running ./spnctl start.

Upgrading

1. Change into the strongpool-node directory: cd strongpool-node
2. Stop the strongpool-node if it's running: ./spnctl stop
3. Pull the latest update: git pull
4. Start the strongpool-node: ./spnctl start

Usage

Start the node

$ ./spnctl start
Starting Strongpool node...
Strongpool node started.

Stop the node

./spnctl stop
Stopping Strongpool node...
Strongpool node stopped.

Show logs

./spnctl logs
arweave_1  | Launching Erlang Virtual Machine...
arweave_1  | Exec: /arweave/erts-11.1.4/bin/erlexec -noinput +Bd -boot /arweave/releases/2.4.2.0/start -mode embedded -boot_var SYSTEM_LIB_DIR /arweave/lib -config /arweave/releases/2.4.2.0/sys.config -args_file /arweave/releases/2.4.2.0/vm.args -- foreground +Ktrue +A20 +SDio20 +sbwtvery_long +sbwtdcpuvery_long +sbwtdiovery_long +swtvery_low +swtdcpuvery_low +swtdiovery_low +Bi -run ar main data_dir /data mine mining_addr ...

Rationale

Arweave differs from other crypto currencies in providing a permanent immutable storage service in addition to a token that can be used for transactions and as a store of value. As such, those building on Arweave are likely to care both about the security of the token and access to the data in the network. While adding one or two nodes to the Arweave network adds only marginal additional hashing power to secure the token, it can make a large difference in how quickly and reliably data can be accessed for a given purpose or at a particular location. Given this dynamic, we expect many Arweave developers will either run their own nodes or use a service or protocol that guarantees nodes with a given set of properties are running (e.g. in a particular geographic location and having copies of certain parts of the Permaweb). By providing a user and operationally friendly bundling of the Arweave server and supporting services, the Strongpool node seeks to become the preferred way for those developers and others interested in Arweave as a permanent storage system to run Arweave nodes.