NATS

NATS is a lightweight, high-performance, open-source messaging system for distributed systems. Deploying it on Akash provides cost-effective, decentralized hosting for your messaging infrastructure.

Prerequisites

1. Akash Account: Ensure you have an Akash wallet and some AKT tokens for deployment.
2. Akash CLI: Installed and configured. Refer to Akash CLI setup.
3. Dockerized NATS Image: We’ll use the official NATS Docker image (nats:latest).
4. Domain/Access: Optional but recommended to configure DNS for accessing your NATS instance.

Step 1: Write the SDL File

Create an SDL file (e.g., deploy.yaml) that defines your NATS deployment:

---
version: "2.0"

services:
  nats:
    image: nats:latest
    env:
      - "NATS_SERVER_NAME=nats-server"
    expose:
      - port: 4222
        as: 4222
        to:
          - global
      - port: 6222
        as: 6222
        to:
          - global
      - port: 8222
        as: 8222
        to:
          - global

profiles:
  compute:
    nats:
      resources:
        cpu:
          units: 0.5
        memory:
          size: 512Mi
        storage:
          size: 1Gi

  placement:
    akash:
      attributes:
        host: akash
      signedBy:
        anyOf:
          - akash
      pricing:
        nats:
          denom: uakt
          amount: 1000

deployment:
  nats:
    akash:
      profile: nats
      count: 1

Explanation:

• Services: Defines the NATS container using the official Docker image.
• Exposed Ports:
  • 4222: Client connections.
  • 6222: Cluster connections (if scaling).
  • 8222: Monitoring.
• Profiles:
  • compute: Allocates resources (CPU, memory, storage) for the NATS server.
  • placement: Specifies deployment attributes and pricing.

Step 2: Deploy the SDL

1. Create a Deployment

Run the following command to create a deployment on Akash:

akash tx deployment create deploy.yaml --from <your_wallet> --chain-id <chain_id> --node <rpc_node> --fees 5000uakt -y

Replace:

• <your_wallet>: Your Akash wallet name.
• <chain_id>: Akash chain ID (e.g., akashnet-2).
• <rpc_node>: The Akash RPC node (e.g., https://rpc.akash.network:443).

2. Wait for Deployment Approval

Use this command to check the status of your deployment:

akash query deployment list --owner <your_address>

Once approved, you’ll get the lease_id.

Step 3: Validate the Lease

After the provider accepts the deployment, create a lease using:

akash tx market lease create --dseq <deployment_sequence> --from <your_wallet> --chain-id <chain_id> --node <rpc_node> --fees 5000uakt -y

Step 4: Access the NATS Server

1. Find the Provider Endpoint

Run the following command to retrieve the endpoint of your deployment:

akash query market lease get --owner <your_address> --dseq <deployment_sequence> --gseq 1 --oseq 1 --provider <provider_address>

2. Connect to NATS

Use the returned endpoint to connect your clients to the NATS server using the appropriate port (e.g., 4222).

For example:

nats-server -connect <provider_endpoint>:4222

Optional: Configure DNS

If you want a user-friendly domain name, map the provider’s IP to your domain using a DNS record. This step enhances usability for production deployments.

Step 5: Monitor the NATS Server

The NATS monitoring dashboard is exposed on port 8222. Access it by navigating to:

http://<provider_endpoint>:8222

Step 6: Manage Your Deployment

To Update Deployment:

Modify the SDL file and use:

akash tx deployment update deploy.yaml --from <your_wallet> --chain-id <chain_id> --node <rpc_node> --fees 5000uakt -y

To Close Deployment:

Terminate the deployment when it’s no longer needed:

akash tx deployment close --dseq <deployment_sequence> --from <your_wallet> --chain-id <chain_id> --node <rpc_node> --fees 5000uakt -y

Conclusion

This guide walks you through deploying NATS on Akash Network, ensuring cost-efficiency, scalability, and decentralization for your messaging infrastructure. Adjust the SDL file as needed for your use case, such as scaling resources or configuring security.