Merge !227

add proposal for monero kubernetes operator

See merge request !227

utxobr-monero-k8s-operator.md

+---
+layout: fr
+title: Monero Kubernetes Operator
+author: Ciro S. Costa (utxobr)
+date: May 3, 2021
+amount: 22.86
+milestones:
+  - name: Proof of concept
+    funds: 0
+    done: 02 May 2021
+    status: finished
+  - name: Prototype refactoring, installation improvements and docs
+    funds: 2.47
+    done:
+    status: unfinished
+  - name: Support annonimity networks
+    funds: 3.71
+    done:
+    status: unfinished
+  - name: Improve observability of nodes
+    funds: 3.71
+    done:
+    status: unfinished
+payouts:
+  - date:
+    amount:
+  - date:
+    amount:
+  - date:
+    amount:
+---
+
+
+## Brief Intro
+
+My name is Ciro S. Costa (https://github.com/cirocosta,
+https://twitter.com/utxobr), I'm currently a staff engineer, having previously
+being a core contributor to https://concourse-ci.org.
+
+Monero-wise, I've been mostly focused on the networking side of it, having
+implemented the basics of Levin's handshake in Go
+(https://github.com/cirocosta/go-monero) with full support for the
+Portablestorage format, which lets me create some interesting reports on node
+distribution (see https://twitter.com/utxobr/status/1386458317405540360) by
+crawling the P2P network.
+
+
+## Problem
+
+_**tl;dr**: there's no good solution for running a large number of monero
+nodes_
+
+For those with more than a machine or two to run Monero nodes (or even miners),
+there's not a good solution out there for having those up and running in an
+easy to upgrade fashion.
+
+It's great that folks like Seth provide wonderful guides on how to run Monero
+nodes (see https://sethsimmons.me/guides/run-a-monero-node-advanced/), and that
+within the functional tests in the codebase we can tell how to run regtest, but
+none of that helps with running a larger-scale setup.
+
+
+## Proposal
+
+_**tl;dr**: extend the Kubernetes API via its common extension system to provide
+semantics that make deploying clusters of monero nodes or miners with ease. See
+proof of concept at https://github.com/cirocosta/monero-operator_
+
+Kubernetes (see [what is kubernetes]) provides us with this vendor-neutral API
+for expressing what the desired state should be, and then behind the scenes,
+having that state achieved (and maintained) through the use of small
+programs whose whole job is to deal with going from current state to desired state.
+
+Aside from being offered by pretty much every cloud provider (and many VPS
+offerings out there too) and still remaining not vendor-specific, its API is
+open for extension, which we can leverage to provide extra functionality that
+it didn't have before.
+
+By extending the Kubernetes API via the use of [Custom Resources], we're able
+to provide a new semantics for the users of those clusters so that we simplify
+*a lot* running, say a few Monero nodes all configured the same across
+different machines
+
+
+```yaml
+kind: MoneroNodeSet
+apiVersion: utxo.com.br/v1alpha1
+metadata:
+  name: nodes
+spec:
+  replicas: 3
+  hardAntiAffinity: true
+  monerod:
+    image: utxobr/monerod:v0.17.2.0     # if testing a release candidate,  then
+    args:                               # just bump the image and the operator
+      - --public                        # will take care of rolling out, preserving
+      - --enable-dns-blocklist          # the data already synced.
+      - --enforce-dns-checkpointing
+      - --out-peers=1024
+      - --in-peers=1024
+      - --limit-rate=128000
+```
+
+which could be very useful for businesses like CakeWallet that run sets of full
+nodes (or literally anyone wanting to run highly-available monerod
+deployments), but it can be also useful for folks doing research like me,
+wanting to roll out a regtest network with many peers:
+
+```yaml
+kind: MoneroNetwork
+apiVersion: utxo.com.br/v1alpha1
+metadata:
+  name: regtest
+spec:
+  replicas: 20
+
+  template:
+    spec:
+      monerod:
+        args:                           # each replica has these args
+          - --regtest                   # plus `--add-exclusive-node`
+          - --fixed-difficulty=1        # pointing just at the other
+                                        # peers, forming a closed net
+```
+
+_(^ which under the hood gets materialized in the form of `monerod` instances
+pointing one at each other, with volumes attached and everything you'd want for
+a real setup.)_
+
+Naturally, we can do the same for miners, for instance, we can get to run 10
+replicas of `xmrig` against a pool like so:
+
+```yaml
+kind: MoneroMiningNodeSet
+apiVersion: utxo.com.br/v1alpha1
+metadata:
+  name: miners
+spec:
+  replicas: 10
+  hardAntiAffinity: true
+
+  xmrig:
+    args:
+      - -o
+      - cryptonote.social:5556
+      - -u
+      - 891B5keCnwXN14hA9FoAzGFtaWmcuLjTDT5aRTp65juBLkbNpEhLNfgcBn6aWdGuBqBnSThqMPsGRjWVQadCrhoAT6CnSL3.node-$(id)
+      - --tls
+```
+
+and then, if we regret chosing that pool, all it takes is patching the object
+and under the hood, our extension to Kubernetes takes care of rolling the
+updates out.
+
+_(aside: couple this with [horizontal pod autoscaler (HPA)] and you don't even
+need to pre-provision any underlying machines - if your provider supports HPA -
+as by making use of proper resource reservation, asking for extra replicas
+would trigger the creation of new machines)._
+
+
+[what is kubernetes]: https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/overview/what-is-kubernetes
+[Custom Resources]: https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/extend-kubernetes/api-extension/custom-resources
+[horizontal pod autoscaler (HPA)]: https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/run-application/horizontal-pod-autoscale/
+[OpenMetrics]: https://github.com/OpenObservability/OpenMetrics/blob/main/specification/OpenMetrics.md
+[Prometheus]: https://prometheus.io/
+
+
+## The scope
+
+I currently have a working proof of concept
+(https://github.com/cirocosta/monero-operator) that implements those three
+custom resources mentioned above (`MoneroMiningNodeSet`, `MoneroNodeSet`, and
+`MoneroNetwork`).
+
+This CCS would cover:
+
+1. boosting the confidence in the codebase by providing more tests to cover
+   edge cases glanced over while building the prototype, as well as improving
+   installation and documentation as a whole
+
+2. adding support for Tor and I2P so that nodes and networks can be deployed on
+  annonimity networks with a line or two in the yaml while still running the
+  services with high availability
+
+3. improving the observability of the deployed `monerod` instances introducing a
+  sidecar to expose `monerod` metrics for any [OpenMetrics] consumer (like
+  [Prometheus])
+
+
+As a result, the community will end up with:
+
+- a Kubernetes extension that lets anyone deploy highly-available `monerod`
+  (and miners) on any Kubernetes-enabled platform
+
+- a Go package that they can rely on for interacting with `monerod`
+
+
+## The structure, milestones, and price.
+
+Working on this during my personal hours, I plan to do the work a few hours a
+day on the side (with a few healthy periods of break) until completion.
+
+The proposal is structured to be paid along with the delivery of the three points above:
+
+1. confidence in the codebase + installation/doc guides: ~10Hr
+2. support for Tor and I2P for full nodes and whole networks: ~15Hr
+3. observability of `monerod`: ~15Hr
+
+Assuming a rate of 100$/hr and a current rate of 404 USD/xmr (May 3rd, 2021):
+
+| deliverable | hours | usd | xmr |
+|-----|------|-----|-----|
+| 1 | 10 | $ 1000 | XMR 2.47 |
+| 2 | 15 | $ 1500 | XMR 3.71 |
+| 3 | 15 | $ 1500 | XMR 3.71 |
+