I have created the identity in windows.
How do I copy the identity to debian?
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You can use a USB drive, network share or send an email. The identity is just files, so you copy it like any other directory
or ftp like filezilla
if you are using proxmox debian it has a ftp server setup standart
sftp port 22, i use filezilla as client… the login for proxmox is your standart login…
then folders are a bit of a mess to find your way around in, but you can ofc just uploaded it whatever place you can find it.
I have not explained well.
I know how files are copied.
How do i create the identity folder?
Where do i create the identity folder?
where ever you want… i put mine in the storj folder with the rest of the storagenode data… that way the identity cannot be read if the node attempt to start without access to my storage location.
the location is define in the docker run command…
https://documentation.storj.io/setup/cli/storage-node
looks a bit like this
--mount type=bind,source="<identity-dir>",destination=/app/identity \
then you just replace the identity dir with whatever you want… just make sure the identity files are there… and i use the same as the storagenode location from
--mount type=bind,source="<storage-dir>",destination=/app/config \
and just put them in a folder storage-dir/id
In light of some posts in this thread…
I must point out that the Identity files contain two types of files, x509 certificates and NIST P-256 private keys. If at all possible, these private keys should not be transferred across the Internet… and should never be transferred across any network through a non-encrypted channel.
If the private key for your TLS cert — identity.key — is intercepted by an eavesdropper, your node’s security is compromised. Furthermore, if the private keys are somehow stolen from an Internet based “cloud” storage location, your node can also be compromised.
So, please be careful with your private keys.
The ca.key file is not necessary to keep on any computer. It can be safely moved to a USB stick.
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if you want to call data stored on a usb stick safe… they tend to loose data from time to time…
nothing is safely stored without using 1,2,3 principles ofc 
i’m sure beast is well aware… but just pointing out the obvious to those less familiar with temporary state of basically all data storage…
write it on paper and it will get wet or otherwise destroyed… digital media is no different… ofc expensive usb sticks might not be nearly as prone to this… until one ends up putting it in the washer or losing it.
The reason for copying the ca.key file to external and removable storage is not for permanence… but to keep the key offline and inaccessible from the Internet.
I do, in fact, keep paper copies of my most important private keys.
this just sort of suggested to store it in one location…
not trying to bash you or anything… it’s sound advice i really should follow myself and pay more attention to.
just trying to avoid somebody storing their identity file, which is essentially their last ditch way to lock their way back in… be stored for extended periods of something like a single usb stick
i know i have considered them fairly stable storage over the years… but from time to time … one of them will just fail completely for no reason even when being stored correctly.
The ca.key is only used to sign your TLS cert. Once you’ve successfully created an Identity, any given node should never need the ca.key again… However, it’s a good idea to keep a copy of it… offline.
If someone wants to be creative, one could generate a large QR code and print that on archival paper.
But some people would then recommend smashing the printer to pieces after that… It all depends on how paranoid one might be.
In any case…
Please be careful with private keys. And never transmit them across the Open Internet for any reason whatsoever. ssh is much better than FTP… and sFTP has problems… USB stick is fine. Paper key is fine.
For those curious about PGP keys — unrelated to Storj nodes – check out paperkey
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which ones? not aware of any
yeah you are right… i am on a local network… and it’s a storagenode… so pretty limited risk… and then i did use sftp i think else i used usb…
i will get my … whatever it was deleted… and stored somewhere safe and really should get around to taking a backup of my identity also… lol was to lost in linux at first to manage that successfully so it took a backseat to more important issues
Encrypted channels should be used on all networks… LAN as well.
Your TV may be listening.
On sFTP:
- One needs to check the settings very carefully.
- One needs to ensure that the latest versions are being used.
- Public key authentication is managed through ssh.
So…
Since sFTP needs ssh for the most secure options… just use ssh…
There may be some configurations where ssh auth is possible, but without shell access. In that case, just do the best you can…
But:
scp *.key user@host
is very easy to type. But, again, it is NOT recommended to transfer private key material unnecessarily through any network, LAN or WAN.
EDIT:
It seems my sFTP understanding is out of date. I haven’t looked into using it for many years.
However, there are still quite a few open issues with various flavors installed on some NAS products:
This is one of the reasons I don’t use Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) computing solutions such as pre-built NAS products. I buy whiteboxes and set them up from scratch with each build.
I do have a “Smart” TV… but I don’t use that interface… because I found several old versions of software running on various ports… and don’t like my TV calling home with stats on which movies I like to watch.
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at the end i will install the node in windows.
I am having problems with the terminal. I copy the data. how the faq appears. Errors appear and I don’t understand anything.
Are the Identity files still in the same initial location on Windows?
Did you start your node on a Debian host, and now have moved the data back to Windows after receiving data pieces from the Storj network?
The specific error messages will be necessary in order to troubleshoot your problem.
However, if you decided to run your node on Windows, I will be of limited help since I haven’t run Windows in a very long time and wouldn’t know where to begin…
this is a bad translation.
Never install the node. neither in linux nor in windows. Just create the id in windows.
I will install the node in windows.
The linux problem. I have used it at user level and I will use it.
I don’t know how the terminal works. I don’t know how things are configured. Any mistake is a problem for me. I do not know what to do.
Windows I know much better.
Use what you know.
There are many very knowledgeable Windows SNOs on this forum. So, there should be no problem getting answers for your Windows node.
linux can be quite daunting at first, especially when one ends up in the terminal and doesn’t know what to do… i had lots of interesting trips into the linux terminal… ctrl + c is pretty important to know… because most won’t tell you that it’s used to cancel stuff …
so one can get stuck in the weirdest of ways… i found a dual monitor setup and remote terminal access from a windows machine does wonders for getting to know the linux terminal…
allows me a great work flow, even when i’m pretty lost in linux… getting better now some almost 5 months in… and ofc if one crashes the whole thing… one still has a running system
the debian linux install i found pretty straight forward from what i can remember, but it was a long route and installing debian alone can take a good while…
took me a couple of days to get through it all and most was a bit of a mess…
i don’t regret switching to linux… it’s great for many things… but windows most certain has many advantages… like it’s so much more straight forward and most stuff just works…
so if you don’t need or want linux for some other reason, then windows will most likely be the way to go at first.