Integrated Automatic Backup for Storj Nodes

Ideas & Suggestions
1

:pushpin: Context

Currently, Storj node operators must manually manage backups of critical data such as the database and identity credentials. Losing this information can cause prolonged downtime or even loss of the node.

:light_bulb: Idea

Incorporate a built-in feature within the storagenode software that performs automatic, encrypted backups of the node’s database and credential files at configurable intervals (e.g., every hour), securely storing them on the Storj network.

:gear: How It Works

  1. Account creation and private token generation
    To activate the backup system, the operator must create a Storj account (if they don’t have one) and generate a private access token with permissions to upload and manage objects in a dedicated backup bucket.

  2. Configuring the token in storagenode
    The private token is configured inside the storagenode software to authorize automatic uploads of encrypted backups to the Storj network.

  3. Integrated periodic task
    The storagenode runs an internal scheduler that, by default every hour, creates a snapshot of the database and credentials.

  4. Local encryption handled internally
    Before uploading, the node encrypts backups with a key derived from the node’s identity or a secure local secret.

  5. Direct upload to Storj network
    Encrypted backups are uploaded directly from the storagenode to a backup-dedicated bucket linked to the node’s identity, using existing upload protocols authorized by the private token.

  6. Backup rotation and retention
    Storagenode automatically manages backup retention, keeping only a configurable number of recent backups (e.g., last 24 hourly copies) and deleting older copies to save space.

  7. Support for automatic recovery
    If the node detects corrupted or missing database or credentials at startup, it can prompt the operator to restore from the latest backup stored on the network or even trigger an automatic restore if configured.

  8. Operator monitoring and control
    Backup status, success or failure of each backup, storage usage, and retention settings can be queried and modified via CLI commands or API endpoints for easy management.

:bullseye: Benefits

  • Fully integrated: No external scripts or manual management needed.

  • User-friendly: Operators can enable, configure, and monitor backups from native node interfaces.

  • Secure by design: Encryption and upload happen within the node, authenticated via private token.

  • Resilient and scalable: Backups are redundantly stored on the Storj network, protecting against local failures.

  • Fast recovery: Integrated restore options minimize downtime and penalties.

  • Configurable retention: Balances backup frequency and storage cost.

:money_bag: Special Billing

Since this system would provide a critical service to node stability and continuity, it is proposed to implement special billing for storage and traffic of these automatic backups, separate from regular Storj storage.

  • Reduced costs to encourage adoption of automatic backups, as they increase network security.

  • Scalable plans based on backup volume and frequency.

  • Flexible payment options, including fixed monthly fees or usage-based charges, with possible bonuses for active, reliable nodes.

This special billing would ensure the service is sustainable for Storj and affordable for operators.

:gear: Example Commands (hypothetical)

  • Configure private token for backups:

    storagenode backup configure --token <private-access-token>

  • Enable automatic hourly backups:

    storagenode backup enable --interval 1h

  • Check backup status and usage:

    storagenode backup status

  • Restore from the latest backup:

    storagenode backup restore --latest

  • Set retention (keep last 24 backups):

    storagenode backup retention set 24

:crystal_ball: Future Improvements

  • Incremental or differential backups to reduce size and cost.

  • Integration with node health dashboards for real-time analysis.

  • Encryption with hardware security modules or cloud KMS integration.

  • Backup of other configuration files and important logs.

This would make working on Storj nodes much safer, alongside the other posts I made:

This integrated backup system would significantly increase node reliability and operator peace of mind, making Storj more robust and easier to manage.

2

Just some context that might make this kind of obsolete. The identity never changes, so a one time backup somewhere that is convenient for you is fine. And the databases aren’t integral to the functioning of the node. You could literally delete them all and the node will keep running just fine and recreate them. All you lose is some stats for the dashboard. So there is no need to backup the databases either.

If you want to do this as an enthusiast operator, be my guest, but keep in mind that it’s easy to corrupt the copies of the databases when you try to copy them while in use by the node. But what is the incentive for Storj to provide such a feature natively?

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