Xnode

What is Xnode?

Xnode is an all-in-one infrastructure deployment and configuration system within Openmesh's P2P immutable data network. At its core, Xnode runs on XnodeOS, a custom operating system based on NixOS. This foundation provides critical technical capabilities:

• Reproducible builds for consistent deployments

• Declarative system configuration

• Atomic upgrades and rollbacks

• No-reboot software stack changes

• Pure functional package management

Each Xnode operates as a microservice in the network, collectively forming a network of data collectors, aggregators, and validators which facilitate a global system of data verification and dissemination.

Technical Infrastructure

Xnode currently operates through bare metal deployment, providing organizations with complete control over their infrastructure. The system's foundation is built on XnodeOS, a nix-based operating system, enabling rapid changes to software stacks while maintaining system stability and reliability. Through reproducible builds and atomic updates, XnodeOS ensures consistent deployments across bare metal environments without requiring system reboots.

Deployment and Templates

Xnode Studio serves as the central hub for infrastructure deployment and management. Users can deploy their infrastructure stack to bare metal servers through an intuitive interface. The system comes with an extensive library of pre-built application templates, significantly reducing setup time and complexity.

Available templates span various categories:

• Blockchain nodes and validators

• Data processing applications

• Development environments

• Analytics tools

• Web service stacks

Each template is preconfigured for optimal performance on XnodeOS, while still allowing customization to meet specific requirements.

Core Components

Xnode DVM - NFT Access Pass

Xnode DVM (Decentralized Virtual Machine) provides infrastructure deployment through virtualized resources. The system offers equivalent computing power to $3,500 USD of traditional cloud resources, accessible for 12 months through NFT-based authentication.

Key technical specifications:

• NFT-based access control

• 12-month resource allocation

• Template-based deployment system

• Full infrastructure portability

Technical details of DVM architecture, deployment options, and resource specifications are available in our → Xnode DVM Documentation

Xnode Studio

The web-based management interface enables:

• Infrastructure design through drag-and-drop functionality

• Bare metal provisioning

• Pre-built infrastructure templates

• Application deployment and management

• Resource consumption monitoring

• Integration with third-party services

Performance metrics show a single c3.medium.x86 server can host over 3000 applications and services, significantly reducing infrastructure costs compared to traditional cloud services. Read the full blog post for more info.

Xnode Studio V4 is now released! (October 2024) Read our docs section about Xnode Studio!

Deployment Process

Xnode deployment follows a straightforward, secure workflow. After selecting a template in Xnode Studio, the system generates a JSON configuration which is processed by the Xnode Admin Service. This service handles the entire deployment process, from initial setup to software stack configuration.

The deployment workflow is designed for reliability:

1. Template selection in Xnode Studio

2. Configuration customization if required

3. Automated deployment to bare metal

4. System verification and testing

5. Continuous monitoring activation

Resource Management

Xnode implements comprehensive resource management on bare metal servers. Through the Xnode Admin Service, the system maintains optimal resource allocation for all deployed applications. This architecture ensures efficient utilization of server resources while maintaining isolation between different applications and services.

Security and Authentication

Security is built into every aspect of Xnode deployment. All interactions with Xnode Studio and deployed services are authenticated through Ethereum wallet integration, providing a robust and permissionless access system. This Web3-native approach eliminates traditional security vulnerabilities while maintaining easy access for authorized users.

Current Use Cases

Xnodes can be used for several key applications:

Development Infrastructure: Developers deploy complex Web3 applications directly to bare metal infrastructure, utilizing pre-built templates to reduce setup time from weeks to minutes. The system's NixOS foundation ensures reproducible builds and consistent environments across deployments.

Node Operation: Teams run blockchain nodes and validators with significantly reduced operational complexity. The template system includes optimized configurations for various blockchain networks, enabling quick deployment while maintaining security and performance.

Data Management: Organizations deploy data processing and analytics stacks using templates designed for high-throughput data operations. The bare metal deployment ensures optimal performance for data-intensive applications.

Templates and Customization

The template system forms the cornerstone of Xnode deployment. Each template represents a fully configured application stack, optimized for bare metal deployment. Users can customize these templates through:

Template configuration options are extensive but straightforward, allowing users to modify key parameters without requiring deep technical knowledge of the underlying systems. The NixOS foundation ensures that all customizations maintain system stability and reproducibility.

For developers who require more control, templates can be extended through additional NixOS configurations, enabling advanced customization while maintaining the benefits of the Xnode deployment system.