Deploying PhotoPrism on Akash | Akash Network - Your Guide to Decentralized Cloud

What is PhotoPrism?

PhotoPrism is a self-hosted AI-powered photo management solution. It allows users to organize, browse, and share their photo collections using modern technology like TensorFlow for image classification and facial recognition. Features include:

Automatic Organization: Tagging, categorization, and duplicate detection.
Privacy-Oriented: Self-hosted to ensure your photos remain private.
Powerful Search: Use keywords, locations, or metadata to find images quickly.
AI Capabilities: Facial recognition, object detection, and more.

It is a popular choice for individuals who want to manage their photo libraries without relying on cloud platforms like Google Photos.

Steps to Deploy PhotoPrism on Akash

Prerequisites

Akash CLI Installed: Ensure you have the Akash command-line interface installed and configured. You should have an account with sufficient $AKT tokens.
SDL Template: The deployment requires an SDL (Service Definition Language) file for specifying deployment details.
Akash Wallet: Your wallet should be funded with $AKT to pay for the deployment.

1. Create a Storage Volume

PhotoPrism requires persistent storage to save photos and metadata. Create a storage volume on Akash using Akash’s persistent storage feature.

---
version: "2.0"

services:
  photoprism:
    image: photoprism/photoprism
    env:
      PHOTOPRISM_ADMIN_PASSWORD: "yourpassword"
      PHOTOPRISM_DEBUG: "true"
    expose:
      - port: 2342
        as: 80
        to:
          - global
    resources:
      cpu:
        units: 1000m
      memory:
        size: 512Mi
      storage:
        size: 10Gi
    profiles:
      compute:
        - "aksh-default"
    placement:
      attributes:
        region: us-west
      signedBy:
        anyOf:
          - "akash1..."
profiles:
  compute:
    aksh-default:
      resources:
        cpu:
          units: 1000m
        memory:
          size: 512Mi
        storage:
          size: 10Gi
deployment:
  photoprism:
    profile: aksh-default
    count: 1

2. Update the SDL File

Replace PHOTOPRISM_ADMIN_PASSWORD with a secure admin password.
Adjust the storage size according to your photo library requirements.
Update the region under the placement section if you prefer a specific geographic location for your deployment.
Save the file as deploy.yaml.

3. Deploy PhotoPrism on Akash

Validate the SDL File:

Run the following command to validate your SDL file:
```
akash tx deployment create --from <wallet_name> --node <akash_node_url>
```
Submit the Deployment:

After validation, submit your deployment to the Akash network:
```
akash tx deployment create deploy.yaml
```
Query Deployment Status:

Check the status of your deployment:
```
akash query deployment list --owner <wallet_address>
```

4. Access the PhotoPrism Web Interface

After the deployment is successful, note the external endpoint provided by Akash.
Open a browser and navigate to http://<external_endpoint> to access the PhotoPrism UI.
Log in using the admin credentials set in the SDL file.

5. Upload and Organize Photos

Upload your photos to PhotoPrism via the web interface.
Let the AI-powered system analyze and organize your photo library.

Customizing PhotoPrism

Environment Variables: Adjust configurations like storage paths, database options, or feature toggles by modifying the environment variables in the SDL file.
Resource Scaling: Increase or decrease CPU, memory, or storage resources in the SDL file based on your needs.

Costs

The cost of deploying PhotoPrism on Akash will depend on:

CPU and memory resources allocated.
Storage volume size.
Rental prices on Akash’s marketplace.

To estimate costs, query the Akash marketplace for current bids:

akash query market bid list

By deploying PhotoPrism on Akash, you get a secure, private, and scalable solution to manage your photo library efficiently without relying on centralized cloud services.