• Build and Containerize Synchronet

    From Lemac@1:103/705 to All on Sat Jan 16 15:43:34 2021
    Hello,
    Apologies if this is too much of a self-promotion but thought it might be of interest.
    I recently got back into BBSing and got a Synchronet setup online. I built it from source on linux and put it into a Docker container. I created an article/video about how I did that here:
    https://www.diglet.ca/article/view/10912

    I called it a "How Did I" instead of "How To" since I am sure there are things I could have done better/best practices I didn't follow. But I thought it might be a good starting point and welcome feedback on what I could improve.
    Thanks,
    -Lemac

    ---
    � Synchronet � Digital Lethargia BBS - https://www.diglet.ca/bbs
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From deon@1:103/705 to Lemac on Sun Jan 17 10:56:28 2021
    Re: Build and Containerize Synchronet
    By: Lemac to All on Sat Jan 16 2021 03:43 pm

    Howdy Lemac,

    Apologies if this is too much of a self-promotion but thought it might be of interest.
    I recently got back into BBSing and got a Synchronet setup online. I built it from source on linux and put it into a Docker
    container. I created an article/video about how I did that here:
    didn't follow. But I thought it might be a good starting point and welcome feedback on what I could improve.

    I've been running SBBS in docker for a long time now - you might like to take a look at how "I did it".

    My latest build is being used to create an SBBS Game Server to be used in a docker swarm (so that you can scale up the number of nodes across multiple hosts if required). In my build I also have the doorparty connector, so that you could make it a public game server.

    If the game server is not what you need, it can still be a normal SBBS for messaging and optionally connecting to remote game servers.

    Details on my build process is here:
    http://dev.leenooks.net/bbs/sbbs - and if you look at the x86_64 or armv7l branches for details. (One day I'll merge it all back into master and make a multi-arch container, but havent got there yet...)

    ...����

    ... Half Moon tonight. (At least its better than no Moon at all.)

    ---
    � Synchronet � Alterant | an SBBS in Docker on Pi!
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Dream Master@1:103/705 to deon on Sun Jan 17 00:00:08 2021
    Re: Build and Containerize Synchronet
    By: deon to Lemac on Sun Jan 17 2021 10:56 am

    My latest build is being used to create an SBBS Game Server to be used in a docker swarm (so that you can scale up the number of nodes across multiple hosts if required). In my build I also have the doorparty connector, so that you could make it a public game server.

    Although I congratulate you on the efforts but wonder why you consider the need for a swarm for scaling up in the event of demand. The doorparty side of it, okay, I'll give you that. Yet, still interested in the logic behind it.

    If the game server is not what you need, it can still be a normal SBBS for messaging and optionally connecting to remote game servers.

    This makes sense... but why not auto-scaling groups in AWS?

    Details on my build process is here:
    http://dev.leenooks.net/bbs/sbbs - and if you look at the x86_64 or armv7l branches for details. (One day I'll merge it all back into master and make a multi-arch container, but havent got there yet...)

    ARM, huh? What platform for ARM?

    Dream Master

    ---
    � Synchronet � Caught in a Dream - Coming Soon!
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From deon@1:103/705 to Dream Master on Sun Jan 17 21:30:39 2021
    Re: Build and Containerize Synchronet
    By: Dream Master to deon on Sun Jan 17 2021 12:00 am

    Hi,

    Although I congratulate you on the efforts but wonder why you consider the need for a swarm for scaling up in the event of
    demand. The doorparty side of it, okay, I'll give you that. Yet, still interested in the logic behind it.

    Actually, the "auto scalling" using docker swarm was an exercise of me using this technology. I very much doubt that there is a market for this where the value of using swarm will be realised, but setting up "this" application with "that" technology gives me a real use case of how it works and gives me some skills and experience on how I could apply that technology in another setting.

    Should pigs learn to fly, and BBSes become the Internet v2 and game servers become the new fad, then I'm ready ... :)

    This makes sense... but why not auto-scaling groups in AWS?

    I dont use AWS.

    ARM, huh? What platform for ARM?

    Raspberry Pi.

    ...����

    ... Money isn't everything, usually it isn't even enough.

    ---
    � Synchronet � Alterant | an SBBS in Docker on Pi!
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Lemac@1:103/705 to deon on Sun Jan 17 16:27:42 2021
    Re: Build and Containerize Synchronet
    By: deon to Lemac on Sun Jan 17 2021 10:56 am

    Details on my build process is here:
    http://dev.leenooks.net/bbs/sbbs - and if you look at the x86_64 or armv7l branches for details. (One day I'll merge it all back into master and make a multi-arch container, but havent got there yet...)

    Thanks deon,
    That is definitely a more mature setup than mine. I should have thought of something like you are doing with your init script, which I am guessing is a common practice with containers so that it covers all the bases on whether people are mapping folders to the host or not.

    So thanks again for sharing, as it will definitely help with my learnings! -Lemac

    ---
    � Synchronet � Digital Lethargia BBS - https://www.diglet.ca/bbs
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Dream Master@1:103/705 to deon on Sun Jan 17 18:45:02 2021
    Re: Build and Containerize Synchronet
    By: deon to Dream Master on Sun Jan 17 2021 09:30 pm

    ARM, huh? What platform for ARM?

    Raspberry Pi.

    I've contemplated running a second nodeset on Pi and reduce my reliance on AWS. Since I deal with Comcast at home, I'm not a fan of non-static IP addresses and don't wish to rely upon a Dynamic DNS provider. Oh well, I'll think of something.

    Dream Master

    ---
    � Synchronet � Caught in a Dream - Coming Soon!
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Gamgee@1:103/705 to Dream Master on Mon Jan 18 08:48:00 2021
    Dream Master wrote to deon <=-

    I've contemplated running a second nodeset on Pi and reduce my
    reliance on AWS. Since I deal with Comcast at home, I'm not a fan
    of non-static IP addresses and don't wish to rely upon a Dynamic
    DNS provider. Oh well, I'll think of something.

    Perhaps this: http://wiki.synchro.net/module:dyndns

    Seems to work well for many folks.



    ... All hope abandon, ye who enter messages here.
    --- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
    � Synchronet � Palantir BBS * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)
  • From Dream Master@1:103/705 to Gamgee on Mon Jan 18 10:40:46 2021
    Re: Re: Build and Containerize Synchronet
    By: Gamgee to Dream Master on Mon Jan 18 2021 08:48 am

    Perhaps this: http://wiki.synchro.net/module:dyndns

    Seems to work well for many folks.

    Again, I like static IP addresses when hosting servers. Just my own "issue".

    Dream Master

    ---
    � Synchronet � Caught in a Dream - Coming Soon!
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)