Proper maintenance of an Encrypted Data Vault (EDV) node is crucial for ensuring reliable operation, optimal performance, and data security. This guide covers essential maintenance tasks, monitoring procedures, and best practices for long-term node operation.

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Performance Monitoring

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Metrics Collection

EDV nodes export metrics in Prometheus format on port 1234 by default. These metrics provide valuable insights into node performance and health. Access the metrics endpoint through:

curl http://<your-node-ip>:1234/metrics

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Setting Up Prometheus and Grafana

For comprehensive monitoring, set up Prometheus to scrape your node’s metrics. Create a basic Prometheus configuration:

global:
  scrape_interval: 15s

scrape_configs:
  - job_name: "edv-node"
    static_configs:
      - targets: ["<your-node-ip>:1234"]

Grafana can visualize these metrics with custom dashboards. Essential panels should display:

  • Storage capacity and usage trends
  • Network bandwidth utilization
  • Operation throughput and latency
  • Error rates and types
  • System resource utilization

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System Updates

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EDV Software Updates

The update process should be performed regularly to ensure security and performance improvements:

# Check current version
docker images gatewaylabs/edv

# Pull latest version
docker pull gatewaylabs/edv:testnet

# Gracefully stop current node
docker-compose down

# Update docker-compose.yml if necessary
# Start node with new version
docker-compose up -d

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System Maintenance

Regular system maintenance ensures optimal node performance:

# Update system packages
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

# Clean up Docker resources
docker system prune -f --volumes

# Check disk usage
df -h /data

# Monitor system logs
journalctl -u docker.service

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Backup Procedures

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Configuration Backup

Maintain backups of essential configuration files:

/etc/docker/daemon.json
docker-compose.yml
.env files
Custom scripts and configurations

Store these backups securely and maintain version control for configuration changes.

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Data Backup

While the EDV network provides redundancy through sharding, local backups of critical data are recommended:

# Create backup directory
mkdir -p /backup/edv

# Stop the node temporarily
docker-compose down

# Backup data directory
tar czf /backup/edv/data-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz /data

# Restart the node
docker-compose up -d

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Security Maintenance

Regular security maintenance helps protect your node and the network. Implement these security practices:

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Access Control

Configure appropriate firewall rules to restrict access to required ports. Update SSH configuration to enhance security:

# Edit SSH configuration
sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

# Recommended settings
PermitRootLogin no
PasswordAuthentication no
MaxAuthTries 3

# Restart SSH service
sudo systemctl restart sshd

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SSL/TLS Configuration

Maintain up-to-date SSL certificates for secure communication:

# Install certbot
sudo apt install certbot

# Obtain and renew certificates
sudo certbot renew --dry-run

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Resource Management

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Storage Management

Monitor and manage storage resources effectively:

# Check storage usage
du -sh /data/*

# Clean up old logs
find /data/events -type f -name "*.log" -mtime +30 -delete

# Monitor inode usage
df -ih /data

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Memory Management

Monitor memory usage and adjust configurations as needed:

# Check memory usage
free -h

# Monitor specific container resources
docker stats volume1

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

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Network Connectivity

When experiencing network issues:

# Check network connectivity
ping testnet.edv.gateway.tech

# Verify port availability
netstat -tulpn | grep LISTEN

# Test internal network performance
iperf3 -c testnet.edv.gateway.tech

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Storage Performance

For storage-related issues:

# Check disk performance
fio --name=random-write --ioengine=posixaio --rw=randwrite --bs=4k --size=4g --numjobs=1 --runtime=60

# Monitor IO operations
iostat -x 1

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Emergency Procedures

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Node Recovery

In case of node failure:

# Stop the node
docker-compose down

# Check logs for errors
docker logs volume1 > debug.log

# Verify data integrity
find /data -type f -exec md5sum {} \; > checksums.txt

# Restart with debug logging
VOLUME_LOG_LEVEL=5 docker-compose up -d

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Performance Recovery

When experiencing performance degradation:

# Restart the node gracefully
docker-compose restart

# Clear system caches
echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches

# Check for resource constraints
top -b -n 1

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Maintenance Schedule

Implement a regular maintenance schedule:

Daily:
- Monitor metrics and logs
- Verify node connectivity
- Check storage usage

Weekly:
- Review error logs
- Update system packages
- Backup configurations

Monthly:
- Perform full system backup
- Review security configurations
- Clean up old logs and temporary files

Quarterly:
- Evaluate hardware performance
- Update SSL certificates
- Review and update firewall rules

Contact Gateway Protocol support if you need assistance with maintenance procedures or encounter issues requiring expert attention.

Running a Node