Skip to main content

Setting up the server

This page will help you navigate to the right pages, settings, and installations to set up your server correctly. This page is verified by: Laerk Ndreko

🟠 Initial Navigation​

To start, navigate to console.cloud.com using an appropriate BU or other authorized account.

  • If you are given access to the project, you should be able to see "empirica-fall-2024".
    • If this is not the case, please contact a team lead or supervisor of the research to access.
  • On the top-left-hand side, navigate to the three bars, hover over Compute Engine, and select VM Instances.

🟠 Server Settings​

Now, navigate to "Create Instance". Select "CREATE VM FROM..."

  • Select "Marketplace" and search for "Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Jammy)".

    • It is IMPORTANT that you select this version and not the Pro version.

  • Launch the virtual operating system.

  • Now rename the server to "(yourname)-h2h-server".

    • There is no requirement to what you name your server however it is easy to keep track of:
      • who: started the server.
      • what: the server will host.

  • Once that is done, ensure that your server is selected to run with "E2" under the "Machine Configuration" section.

  • Important - under Machine type:

    • select High CPU
    • then select e2-highcpu-8
      • NOTE: If you did this right, the monthly estimate should be "$145.45".

  • Next, under Identity and API access - Access scopes select Allow full access to all Cloud APIs.

  • Next, under Firewall, select both Allow HTTP traffic AND Allow HTTPS traffic.

  • ALL DONE HERE! Now select "CREATE".

    • Wait for the server to be created and then move on to the next steps.

🟠 Firewall Settings​

  • At the top of the page, search for and click "Firewall". Create a new firewall rule.

    • Name it "(yourname)-http-allowall".
      • Enter "Allow all incoming connections to (yourname)'s machines." in the description.
    • Turn on logs.
    • Enter "(yourname)-http-server" in Target tags.
    • Enter "0.0.0.0/0" in Source IPV4 Ranges.
    • Under Protocols and ports, under Specified protocols and ports, under BOTH TCP and UDP enter "80, 443, 8000".
    • Create!

  • Navigate back to your vm machine, select it and click edit.

    • Under both "Labels" and "Network Tags", enter "(yourname)-http-server", and click save.

🟠 SSH and Terminal Instructions​

  • Now we have to enter the SSH terminal and install the necessary packages.

    • For this to work ensure that any settings on your device, allow pop-ups (including disabling any ad-blockers).

  • There should be a button labeled "SSH" at your VM Machine, select that and you should have a terminal pop up on your screen.

  • Once that is loaded, now we have to install our libraries/packages for this to work. For that to happen we need to initialize an environment.

  • We will be using Miniconda. Copy and paste wget https://repo.anaconda.com/miniconda/Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh into your terminal and press enter.

    • Enter the command bash Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh and hit enter.
    • Now your terminal should be going through Miniconda's terms and conditions (to shortcut this press q).
    • Follow all instructions and select "yes" when prompted to.
    • If the terminal asks for a folder location, you may hit Enter or select a folder yourself.

  • Once Miniconda is downloaded, enter source ~/.bashrc.

    • You should see a "(base)" environment to the left of your terminal line, if this appears you have taken all of the correct steps!
    • We now have to create and activate our environment, copy and paste these commands into your terminal: 
      conda create --name empirica_env python=3.9
      conda activate empirica_env
      curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.1/install.sh | bash
      \. "$HOME/.nvm/nvm.sh"
      nvm install 22
      conda install jupyterlab
      • You may give your environment another name as well.
    • Once those packages are installed, now install Caddy & Empirica: 
      sudo apt install -y debian-keyring debian-archive-keyring apt-transport-https curl
      curl -1sLf 'https://dl.cloudsmith.io/public/caddy/stable/gpg.key' | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/caddy-stable-archive-keyring.gpg
      curl -1sLf 'https://dl.cloudsmith.io/public/caddy/stable/debian.deb.txt' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/caddy-stable.list
      sudo apt update
      sudo apt install caddy
      curl -fsS https://install.empirica.dev | sh
    • Now you should have a Caddyfile, we will edit it in vim:sudo vi /etc/caddy/Caddyfile

    IMPORTANT COMMANDS FOR VIM:

    • "i" to insert/edit text

    • "Esc" to stop inserting/editing

    • ":" to enter "quit" mode

    • "q!" to quit without saving changes

    • "wq!" to quit and save changes

    • In your Caddyfile, comment all code there out, and at the very top of the file insert:

    :80 { 
      reverse_proxy :3000 
    }
    • Quit and save changes!

[!NOTE]
In the caddyfile, it's better to only keep the config changes mentioned above, and remove all comments in vim, then save & exit.

🟠 SSH-Keygen & Repo Instructions​

  • Run ssh-keygen.

    • You can pick and choose your own ssh-key password & location to store your ssh-key information.

  • Run cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

    • NOTE: do not EVER print your private ssh-key!!!

  • Copy your public key and go to your Github account.

    • Go to your Github profile, and go to settings.
    • Navigate to SSH and GPG keys, click "New SSH Key".
    • Name your key "gcp instance empirica game"
    • Double-check that your key is an authentication key.

  • Now, go to the H2H repo, and clone using SSH. Copy and paste that into your terminal!

image

  • Make sure git clone is in front of your pasted link before you hit enter, i.e. for example → git clone git@github.com:Digital-Information-Research-Lab/empirica-dev.git

[!WARNING]
Don't forget to change the branch if required.

  • Now cd into your repository and enter cd client && npm i && cd ../server/ && npm i && cd ../ && empirica.
    • Once your build is created, hit Ctrl + C.
  • Enter empirica bundle.
  • Move the newly created "tar.zst" file back into your home directory (use mv).
  • Now do empirica serve < tar.zst filename >.
  • Your server will be running!
    • To remove the tajriba.json local file and retry your build, run rm .empirica/local/* first.

🟢 Running the server in a browser

  • Once your server is running, return to your GCP instance.
  • Click on its external IP, this should take you to a new tab.
  • In the URL bar, ensure that your URL begins with http:// and ends in either :80 or :80/admin.
    • The admin username is "admin".
    • To access the admin password, contact the research team.
  • Now, you should be able to run experiments on your IP's admin page, players can join by entering your machine's external IP into a browser.

Happy Experimenting! 🤗