Nebula Infrastructure
An In-depth Look at Nebula's Network Structure
Last updated
An In-depth Look at Nebula's Network Structure
Last updated
Visualization of the Network Structure
For a comprehensive understanding, an illustrative representation of the network structure for each server farm is provided below.
Nebula's Vision for Scalability and Minimal Downtime: Nebula has meticulously crafted and developed its network structure with the primary objective of achieving maximum scalability and minimizing the risk of downtime. This accomplishment is realized through the deployment of nodes on several reliable cloud providers, akin to specialized server farms.
Security Measures and Configuration within Server Farms: Within each server farm, a pfSense firewall serves as a robust layer for port forwarding and blocking potential security threats. The internal configuration varies based on the managed blockchain. Farms utilize environments like Proxmox, VMware, Docker, and Portainer for container creation. Downstream of the firewall, containers or virtual machines are randomly assigned to users.
Assignment Protocol and Ongoing Monitoring: Details about Nebula's protocol for assigning virtual machines will be elaborated later. Each server farm incorporates the CheckMK monitoring system, ensuring continuous observation of CPU usage, network congestion, and disk space utilization. This proactive tool is vital for individual node monitoring and overall farm efficiency, addressing scalability issues promptly.
User Interaction with Nodes: User interaction with nodes differs based on the blockchain. Ethereum (ETH) utilizes Prometheus for monitoring, TAO relies on its official GUI, and SpaceMesh is managed directly from users' desktops. To standardize interaction, an additional layer is introduced using reverse proxy load balancers implemented through open-source software, such as HAProxy.
Current Overview of Server Farms Presently, Nebula operates six server farms, two dedicated to each blockchain, complemented by three reverse proxy load balancers, one for each blockchain.
Machine Allocation Process in Nebula's System
Nebula's Random Assignment Algorithm When users submit a request meeting token budget requirements, Nebula's random assignment algorithm comes into play. An active wallet is randomly assigned to a server farm, initiating pre-provisioning based on blockchain specifications. This includes setting up dependencies, network ports, automatic restarts, disk encryption, and VM and service restarts. Nebula stores only the VM's identity for support and deletes machines for users not complying with balance values.
Future Developments
Nebula's Evolving Landscape The current structure marks just the beginning of Nebula's potential. Continuous development and research aim to enhance performance, introducing Kubernetes for VM provisioning to address scalability challenges. Another significant upgrade involves the introduction of a ZFS-type file system, enabling identical copies of each node and traffic rerouting in the rare event of provider downtime.
Confidence in the Future The team remains confident that ongoing advancements will solidify Nebula's position as a pioneer in the realm of pre-configured nodes for Layer 1 blockchains. The introduction of new technologies and strategies showcases Nebula's commitment to delivering a cutting-edge and robust network structure.
