Overview

This repository hosts the step-by-step installation guides to launch an unmanaged Dragonchain verification node to begin earning $DRGN cryptocurrency for your participation in the Dragon Net blockchain network.

About the Course

In this course on the Dragonchain Academy, you'll be guided from start to finish launching an operational Dragonchain Level 2 verification node running on a Ubuntu server (even if you've never heard the words "Linux" or "command line" before).

In the course, you'll learn and be guided through:

• General preparation and registering on the Dragonchain console website
• How to launch a brand new Ubuntu linux virtual server in the cloud from scratch
• Installation option #1, an automatic process that's almost 100% hands-off
• Installation option #2, the step-by-step, command for command process if you want complete control
• The basics of using the Dragonchain SDK to write code to query your new node for information

Step by Step Guide Quick Links

For first time users and those installing a NEW Dragonchain Level 2 Node

• General Preparation and Registering on Dragon Net
• Launch a Ubuntu Server VPS on Linode
• Installation Option #1: Automatic Installation
• Installation Option #2: Manual Installation
• Installing Multiple Nodes on One VPS (Manually)
• Try the Dragonchain SDK

If you need to UPGRADE an ALREADY RUNNING Dragonchain Level 2 Node

• Upgrade Option #1: Automatic Upgrade
• Upgrade Option #2: Manual Upgrade

Disclaimers

• Basic command-line linux admin skills are very handy but not required
• This is not a production-ready workflow for a large scale kubernetes cluster. It works. That’s about all I’ll guarantee.
• I can provide no guarantees on the security of this setup (especially if running on a local network with open ports).
• This process WILL change: make sure you're referencing the latest version of these documents when installing

Recommendations

• Join the developers Telegram and Slack groups
• Use an SSH client that lets you copy/paste (seriously)
  • I like Git Bash on Windows
• I run on AWS because I know how to and because it makes it easy for me to expose my dragonchain to the public internet safely; any VPS should work fine or even a box or VM in your bedroom/office, just know you have to expose it to traffic FROM the internet

Notes

• Make SURE your server is accessible FROM the internet
  • Specifically, you definitely need port 30000 open to incoming traffic
• You CAN use minikube instead of microk8s. I chose to switch because minikube stores all data in a /tmp subfolder and I don’t trust it to stay there. No easy way to change this option, and microk8s works out of the box
• If you DON’T want to use a Ubuntu server, you’ll need to use minikube; I can’t help with storage issue (I believe devs are looking at it), but here are a few notes for getting minikube running:
  • Make SURE you follow recommended specs below
  • After installing the latest stable minikube version, follow the instructions in the docs to configure it to run with vm-driver “none” and configure it to use AT LEAST 4gb of memory
  • Install docker.io DIRECTLY from your repo of choice (required since running without a vm)
  • Install kubectl from your repo of choice
  • In opensource-config.yaml, change storageClass and storageClassName from “microk8s-hostpath” to “standard” (three changes)
  • Should be good to go otherwise (just skip the microk8s steps)

Resources

• Dragonchain Github:

  • https://github.com/dragonchain/dragonchain

• Dragonchain Telegram:

  • https://t.me/dragontalk/

• Dragonchain Core Docs:

  • https://dragonchain-core-docs.dragonchain.com/latest/deployment/requirements.html

• Minik8s docs:

  • https://microk8s.io/docs/

• Helm docs:

  • https://helm.sh/docs/using_helm/#quickstart-guide

• VirtualBox VM manager:

  • https://www.virtualbox.org/

• Ubuntu server installation image download:

  • https://ubuntu.com/download/server