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Bidder - RTB4FREE Bidder

This is the bidder component to the RTB4Free open source DSP. The bidder is a JAVA 1.8 based openRTB bidding system, scalable to 25K+ QPS per node.

An image of this repo is available directly from Docker Hub

Getting Help

User documentation can be found on Read The Docs

Source Code

To start working with code, first make sure you have the following installed on your computer:

Next, get the code from this Github repo:

git clone git@github.com:RTB4FREE/bidder.git
cd bidder

Make a sample database, and use default settings:

cp database-sample.json database.json
cp Campaigns/payday-default.json payday.json

Install using Maven:

mvn assembly:assembly -DdescriptorId=jar-with-dependencies  -Dmaven.test.skip=true

Run the tests:

mvn test

Start the bidder:

./tools/rtb4free

Note: Remember to submit changes back to this project via a pull request!

Docker Image

RTB4Free bidder can be deployed using Docker.

Build the Docker image:

docker build -t rtb4free/bidder:latest -t rtb4free/bidder:1 -t rtb4free/bidder:1.0 .

To push to the image to the RTB4Free repo in Docker:

docker push rtb4free/bidder:1.0
docker push rtb4free/bidder:1
docker push rtb4free/bidder:latest

Note: Dockerhub automatically builds this container when code gets pushed to this Github repo

Docker Deployment

The bidder can be deployed using Docker Compose. The default docker-compose.yml is included in the root directory, and it can be modified to suit your needs. To deploy the bidder using Docker Compose, run this from the root directory of this repo:

docker-compose up -d

This will run a Docker container, initialize the database and expose the service on port 8080.

To stop the container, run the command:

docker-compose down

Using Bidder

To configure the bidder locally, open a browser to the host:

http://localhost:8080

Username: demo@rtb4free.com Password: rtb4free

For information about the campaign manager functionality:

User Documentation

Getting Support

There are various ways of getting support:

Deployment Using Docker Swarm

Use Docker Swarm to run Crosstalk, Bidder, Zerospike, Kafka and Zookeeper

Step 1: Copy docker-compose.yml from Project's docker/ directory

cp docker/docker-compose.yml .

Step 2: Start the swarm

$docker swarm init

Step 3: Start the network

$docker network create --driver overlay rtb_net --subnet=10.0.9.0/24

Step 4: Deploy

$docker stack deploy -c docker-compose.yml bidder

Changing Operational Parameters

The bidder uses a container based file in Campaigns/payday.json. If you need to change the parameters within it, do it in your own copy and use volumes command to mount into it.

For example, suppose you made your own copy of payday.json, modified it and called it ./myconfig.json. In this case, modify the bidder services section in docker-compose.yml to mount. Note the volumes directive:

  bidder:
    image: "jacamars/rtb4free:v1"
    environment:
      BROKERLIST: "kafka:9092"
      PUBSUB: "zerospike"
      EXTERNAL: "http://localhost:8080"
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"
      - "8100:8100"
      - "7379:7379"
    volumes:
      - ./myconfig.json:Campaigns/payday.json
    networks:
      - rtb_net
    depends_on:
      - kafka
      - crosstalk
      - zerospike
    command: bash -c "./wait-for-it.sh kafka:9092 -t 120 && ./wait-for-it.sh zerospike:6000 -t 120 && sleep 1; ./rtb4free"

Zerospike uses a cache.db file located within the container. For operational use, the real cache.db must be mounted using the volumes command. For example, suppose you wanted to use the file mycache.db in your current working directory. The docker-compose.yml file would be modified as follows:

  zerospike:
    image: "jacamars/zerospike"
    environment:
      BROKERLIST: "kafka:9092"
    ports:
      - "6000:6000"
      - "6001:6001"
      - "6002:6002"
    volumes:
      - "./mycache.db:/cache.db"
    networks:
      - rtb_net
    depends_on:
      - kafka
    command: bash -c "./wait-for-it.sh kafka:9092 -t 120 && sleep 1; ./zerospike"

Changing port assignments is not encouraged. Stick to the defaults to keep from losing your mind. There are a lot of interdependencies.

Connect Intellij Debugger to Bidder, Crosstalk or Zerospike

Bidder: In the service for the bidder in docker-compose.yml, use ./rtb4free-jmx instead of ./rtbf4free Then in your Intellij system, create a remote debug and connect using port 9000.

Zerospike In the service for the zerospike in docker-compose.yml, use ./zerospike-jmx instead of ./zerospike Then in your Intellij system, create a remote debug and connect using port 9000.

Crosstalk: In the service for the crosstalk in docker-compose.yml, use ./crosstalk-jmx instead of ./crosstalk Then in your Intellij system, create a remote debug and connect using port 9000.

CONFIGURING THE BIDDER

In order to run the bidder, you will need to load a campaign into the bidders memory and setup some operational parameters. These parameters are stored in a JSON file the bidder uses when it starts. There is a sample initialization file called "./Campaigns/payday.json' you can use to get started. The file describes the operational parameters of the bidder. Look in http://rtb4free.com/details_new.html for an in depth analysis of the configuration file. Also, once you get the bidder running, you can use the System Consolse to change the parameters using the web interface, described here: http://rtb4free.com/admin-mgmt.html

However, here is an example file, and a brief overview

{
  "app" : {
    "concurrency" : "1",
    "deadmanswitch":"accountingsystem",
    "threads": "128",
    "stopped" : false,
    "ttl" : 300,
    "pixel-tracking-url" : "$EXTERNAL/pixel",
    "clickurl" : "$EXTERNAL/click",
    "winurl" : "$EXTERNAL/rtb/win",
    "redirect-url" : "$EXTERNAL/redirect",
    "vasturl" : "$EXTERNAL/vast",
    "eventurl" : "$EXTERNAL/track",
    "postbackurl" : "$EXTERNAL/postback",
    "adminPort" : "0",
    "adminSSL" : false,
    "password" : "startrekisbetterthanstarwars",
    "verbosity" : {
      "level" : -3,
      "nobid-reason" : false
    },
    "geotags" : {
      "states" : "",
      "zipcodes" : ""
    },
    "zeromq" : {
      "bidchannel" : "kafka://[$BROKERLIST]&topic=bids",
      "winchannel" : "kafka://[$BROKERLIST]&topic=wins",
      "requests" : "kafka://[$BROKERLIST]&topic=requests",
      "clicks" : "kafka://[$BROKERLIST]&topic=clicks",
      "pixels" : "kafka://[$BROKERLIST]&topic=pixels",
      "videoevents": "kafka://[$BROKERLIST]&topic=videoevents",
      "postbackevents": "kafka://[$BROKERLIST]&topic=postbackevents",
      "status" : "kafka://[$BROKERLIST]&topic=status",
      "reasons" : "kafka://[$BROKERLIST]&topic=reasons",
      "commands": "tcp://$PUBSUB:6001&commands",
      "responses": "tcp://$PUBSUB:6000&responses",
      "xfrport": "6002",
      "requeststrategy" : "100"
    },
    "template" : {
      "default" : "{creative_forward_url}",
      "exchange" : {
        "adx" : "<a href='$BID:8080/rtb/win/{pub_id}/%%WINNING_PRICE%%/{lat}/{lon}/{ad_id}/{creative_id}/{bid_id}'}'></a><a href='%%CLICK_URL_UNESC%%{redirect_url}></a>{creative_forward_url}",
        "mopub" : "<a href='mopub template here' </a>",
        "mobclix" : "<a href='mobclix template here' </a>",
        "nexage" : "<a href='{redirect_url}/exchange={pub}/ad_id={ad_id}/creative_id={creative_id}/price=${AUCTION_PRICE}/lat={lat}/lon={lon}/bid_id={bid_id}?url={creative_forward_url}'><img src='{creative_image_url}' height='{creative_ad_height}' width='{creative_ad_width}'></a><img src='{pixel_url}/exchange={pub}/ad_id={ad_id}/creative_id={creative_id}/{bid_id}/price=${AUCTION_PRICE}/lat={lat}/lon={lon}/bid_id={bid_id}' height='1' width='1'>",
        "smartyads" : "{creative_forward_url}",
        "atomx" : "{creative_forward_url}",
        "adventurefeeds" : "{creative_forward_url}",
        "gotham" : "{creative_forward_url}",
        "epomx" : "{creative_forward_url}",
        "citenko" : "{creative_forward_url}",
        "kadam" : "{creative_forward_url}",
        "taggify" : "{creative_forward_url}",
        "cappture" : "cappture/{creative_forward_url}",
        "republer" : "{creative_forward_url}",
        "admedia" : "{creative_forward_url}",
        "ssphwy" : "{creative_forward_url}",
        "privatex" : "<a href='{redirect_url}/{pub}/{ad_id}/{creative_id}/${AUCTION_PRICE}/{lat}/{lon}?url={creative_forward_url}'><img src='{pixel_url}/{pub}/{ad_id}/{bid_id}/{creative_id}/${AUCTION_PRICE}/{lat}/{lon}' height='1' width='1'><img src='{creative_image_url}' height='{creative_ad_height}' width='{creative_ad_width}'></a>",
        "smaato" : "richMediaBeacon='%%smaato_ct_url%%'; script='{creative_forward_url}'; clickurl='{redirect_url}/exchange={pub}/{ad_id}/creative_id={creative_id}/price=${AUCTION_PRICE}/lat={lat}/lon={lon}/bid_id={bid_id}?url={creative_forward_url}'; imageurl='{creative_image_url}'; pixelurl='{pixel_url}/exchange={pub}/ad_id={ad_id}/creative_id={creative_id}/{bid_id}/price=${AUCTION_PRICE}/lat={lat}/lon={lon}/bid_id={bid_id}';",
        "smaato-builtin" : "{creative_forward_url}",
        "pubmatic" : "{creative_forward_url}"
      }
    },
    "campaigns" : [ "" ]
  },
  "seats" : [ {
    "name" : "google",
    "id" : "google-id",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/google=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.google.OpenRTB",
    "extension" : {
      "e_key" : "$GOOGLE_EKEY",
      "i_key" : "$GOOGLE_IKEY"
    }
  }, {
    "name" : "openx",
    "id" : "openx-id",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/openx=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.openx.OpenX",
    "extension" : {
      "e_key" : "$OPENX_EKEY",
      "i_key" : "$OPENX_IKEY"
    }
  }, {
    "name" : "appnexus",
    "id" : "test-appnexus-id",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/appnexus=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.appnexus.Appnexus"
  }, {
    "name" : "adx",
    "id" : "adx-seat-id",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/adx=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.adx.DoubleClick",
    "extension" : {
      "e_key" : "$ADX_KEY",
      "i_key" : "$ADX_IKEY"
    }
  }, {
    "name" : "c1xus",
    "id" : "c1xus",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/c1xus=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.C1XUS&usesPiggyBackWins"
  }, {
    "name" : "stroer",
    "id" : "stroer-id",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/stroer=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.Stroer"
  }, {
    "name" : "waardx",
    "id" : "waardx-id",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/waardx=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.Generic&!usesEncodedAdm"
  }, {
    "name" : "index",
    "id" : "index-id",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/index=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.Generic"
  }, {
    "name" : "intango",
    "id" : "intango-id",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/intango=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.Generic"
  }, {
    "name" : "vdopia",
    "id" : "vdopia-id",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/vdopia=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.Generic"
  }, {
    "name" : "vertamedia",
    "id" : "vertamedia-id",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/vertamedia=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.Generic&!usesEncodedAdm&usesPiggyBackWins"
  }, {
    "name" : "ventuno",
    "id" : "ventuno-id",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/ventuno=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.Generic"
  }, {
    "name" : "medianexusnetwork",
    "id" : "mnn-id",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/medianexusnetwork=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.Generic"
  }, {
    "name" : "wideorbit",
    "id" : "wideorbit-id",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/wideorbit=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.Generic"
  }, {
    "name" : "smartadserver",
    "id" : "smartadserver-id",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/smartadserver=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.Generic"
  }, {
    "name" : "c1x",
    "id" : "c1x",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/c1x=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.C1X&usesPiggyBackWins"
  }, {
    "name" : "axonix",
    "id" : "axonix-id",
    "bid" : "/rtb/bids/axonix=com.jacamars.dsp.rtb.exchanges.Generic"
  }, {
    "name" : "adventurefeeds",
    "id" : "adventurefeedid",These are the Docker instructions for working with Bidder, Crosstalk, Zerospike, Kafka and Zookeeper.

THEORY OF OPERATION

Zerospike is used as the shared context between all bidders. All shared data is kept in Zerospike, and all bidders connect to this service to share data. Specifically, the response to a bid request, a 'bid', is stored in Zerospike after it is made, because on the win notification, a completely separate bidder may process the win, and the original bid must be retrieved as quickly as possible to complete the transaction. A database query is far to slow to accomplish this. The frequency caps are also kept in Zerospike.

ZeroMQ is used as the publish/subscribe system. Commands are sent to running bidders over ZeroMQ publish channel. Likewise responses to commands are sent back on another ZeroMq channel, 'responses'. Clickthrough, wins, and pixel-file notification is sent on yet channels, as set forth in the app.zeromq object.

Shared Database

A database of Users and their campaigns is kept in a ConcurrentHashMap, that is stored in Zerospike as a Map. This allows the bidders to maintain a shared database.

Configuration

A configuration file is used to set up the operating parameters of the bidder (such as Aerospike host and ZeroMQ addresses), located at ./XRTB/SampleCampaigns/payday.json; and is used to load any initial campaigns from the Database Aerospike. Upon loading the configuration file into the Configuration class, the campaigns are created, using a set of Node objects that describe the JSON name to look for in the RTB bid, and the acceptable values for that constraint.

For details look here: http://rtb4free.com/admin-mgmt.html#configuration-section

Receive Bid

When the RTBBidder starts, it creates a an HTTP handler based on Jetty that handles all the HTTP requests coming into the bidder. The handler will process mundane gets/posts to retrieve resources like images and javascript files placed in the ./web directory. In addition, the bidder will produce a BidRequest object from the JSON payload of the HTTP post. The URI will determine the kind of exchange, e.g. Nexage.

Note, each bid request is on a thread started by JETTY, For each one of these threads, N number of threads will be created for N campaigns. The number of total threads is limited by a configuration parameter "maxConnections". When max connections is reached, the bid request will result in a no-bid.

Campaign Select

Once the Handler determines the bid request and instantiates it, the BidRequest object will then determine which, if any of the campaigns are to be selected. If no campaign was selected, the Handler will return an HTTP 204 code to indicate no reply. Each of the campaigns is loaded into a future task to hold it, and then the tasks are started. When the tasks join, 0 or more of the campaigns may match the bid request. In this case, the campaign is chosen among the set at random

Note, the RTBServer will place an X-REASON header in the HTTP that explains why the bidder did not bid on the request. Also note, the RTBServer always places an X-TIME header in the HTPP that describes the time the bidder spent processing a bid request (in milliseconds).

Create Bid Response

The BidRequest then produces a BidResponse that is usable for this bid request. The bid is first recorded in Aerospike as a map, then the JSON form is serialized and then returned to the Handler. The bid will then be written to the HTTP response. Note, it is possible to also record the bid requests and the bids in respective ZeroMQ publish channels. This way these messages can be analyzed for further review.

Win the Auction

If the exchange accepts the bid, a win notification is sent to the bidder. The handler will take that notification, which is an encoded URI of information such as auction price, lat, lon, campaign attributes etc. and writes this information to the ZeroMQ channel so that the win can be recorded by some downstream service. The ADM field of the original bid is returned to the exchange with the banner ad, the referer url and the pixel url.

Ad Served

When the user's screen receives the ad, the pixel URL is fired, and URI encoded GET is read by the Handler to associate the loading of the page in the web browser with the winning bid and this information is sent to a ZeroMQ 'clicks' channel, so that it can be reconciled by some downstream service with the originating bid.

User Clicks the Ad

When the user clicks on the ad, the referrer URL is fired and this is also handled by the handler. The handler then uses the URI encoding to transmit the information to a ZeroMQ channel, usually called 'clicks', for further processing and accounting downstream.

Budgeting

The bidder is designed for maximum bidding. It does not handle budgeting. Instead, the companion program Crosstalk handles the budgeting in coordination with the Campaign Manager. The Campaign manager will allow you to specify hourly, daily and total budgeting by campaign.

USING THE SIMULATOR WEB PAGE

After starting the RTB server you can send it a test bid by pointing your browser to http://localhost:8080/xrtb/simulator/exchange.

(The test page presumes you are using the Campaigns/payday.json campaign definition file. The test page will let you change the advertiser domain and the geo.country field in a canned bid. You can also add other constraints to customize the bid request.

If you like, you can use the JavaScript window to set the values of the bid request. For example, you can override the id by using bid.id = '11111'; in the window. Push the Free Form "Show" button and the bid is shown as a JavaScript object. Make the changes you want in that object and then hit the 'Test' button.

Press the Test button - The X-TIME of the bid/response will be shown. The NURL will be returned and the image of the advertisement is displayed. Below this you can see the contents of the bid/response. If the server bid, You can send a win notification by pressing the "Send Win" button. This will also cause the pixel handler to transmit a 'pixel loaded' notification that the image was returned to the browser.

Clicking the ad sends you to a dummy ad page, and also causes the handler to transmit a 'click notification' notifying you that the user actually clicked on the ad.

To see a no bid, input GER for bid.user.geo.country. The X-REASON will then be displayed on the page.

Accessing the Site

There is a test page located at http://localhost:8080

It provides a system console, a campaign manager, and bid test page.

For information on the ZeroMQ based commands for the RTB4FREE bidder look here: http://rtb4free.com/details_new.html#ZEROMQ