Power of Decentralized Storage with IPFS on Raspberry Pi πŸš€πŸͺ™

Migavel Dharmaraj
hackgenius
Published in
6 min readJun 24, 2024

Introduction 🌟

In a world where data is the new gold, the way we store and manage it has evolved rapidly. Traditional centralized servers, like those used by Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, dominate our digital lives. But with great power comes great responsibility β€” and risk. Centralized systems are vulnerable to single points of failure, censorship, and privacy concerns. Enter the decentralized storage revolution, powered by the Inter Planetary File System (IPFS) and the humble yet mighty Raspberry Pi. πŸŒπŸ”’

Setting Up IPFS on Raspberry Pi: A Step-by-Step Guide πŸ› οΈ

Why Raspberry Pi? πŸ€”

The Raspberry Pi is a versatile, affordable, and powerful mini-computer that’s perfect for DIY enthusiasts and tech innovators. Pairing it with IPFS, you can create a decentralized storage node that contributes to a more resilient and secure internet.

Step-by-Step Installation πŸ“‹

  1. Prepare Your Raspberry Pi:

Β· Ensure your Raspberry Pi is running the latest version of Raspbian OS.

Β· Update your system:

Install IPFS:

  • Download and install IPFS:

Initialize IPFS:

  • Initialize your IPFS repository:

Mount Your USB Drive:

  • Identify your USB drive:

Mount the USB drive:

Configure IPFS to Use USB Storage:

  • Edit the IPFS config file:

Update the Datastore section with your usb path :

Start the IPFS Daemon:

  • Launch the IPFS daemon:

Congratulations! Your Raspberry Pi is now an IPFS node, contributing to a decentralized and more robust internet. πŸŽ‰

Then you can view this with neat ui by clicking the link of webui

Now you can upload any file you want by clicking the import button on the page.

Folder Creation on IPFS(Interplanetary File System)

Each and every files have a CID(content identifier ) that’s why here this is the folder CID

When uploading the each files , it would be verified by each nodes (peers) in the network , so we can’t change

Anything on the stored datas.

And my all new D_Storage System πŸͺ™ and I hope it should be the best MVP for Business

This stores the data in a decentralized way , suppose if accidentally anything happen on this one means , but it keeps every records by its peer , and also it ensure if the malicious and bad actors tries to change anything means , it would be explicitly viewed and tracked by everyone in the network , so your data will never get change and lost ..

And it promises the current the transparency and security rather than the centralized system now we have.

Like the most popular apps and organization they maintaining every data on the server and client architecture..

Mutability in IPFS

Content addressing in IPFS is by nature immutable: when you add a file to IPFS, it creates a hash from the data, with which the CID is constructed. Changing a file changes its hash, and consequently its CID which is used as an address.

Yet, there are many situations where content-addressed data needs to be regularly updated, for example, when publishing a website that frequently changes. It would be impractical to share a new CID every time you update the website. With mutable pointers, you can share the address of the pointer once, and update the pointer β€” to the new CID β€” every time you publish a change.

IPNS (InterPlanetary Name System (IPNS)

The InterPlanetary Name System (IPNS) is a system for creating such mutable pointers to CIDs known as names or IPNS names. IPNS names can be thought of as links that can be updated over time, while retaining the verifiability of content addressing.

IPNS names are self-certifying

IPNS names are self-certifying. This means that an IPNS record contains all the information necessary to certify its authenticity. IPNS achieves this using public and private key pairs:

  • Each IPNS name corresponds to a key pair
  • The IPNS name is a CID with a multi hash of the public key
  • The IPNS record contains the public key and signature, allowing anyone to verify that the record was signed by the private key holder.

Common IPNS operations

As a user or developer using IPNS for naming, there are three common operations worth understanding:

  • Updating/Creating an IPNS record: refers to the creation of an IPNS record and signing it with a private key.
  • Publishing an IPNS record: advertising the IPNS record so that other nodes can resolve it. Details depend on the transport.
  • Resolving an IPNS name: Resolving an IPNS name to a content path.

Applications and Use Cases 🌐✨

1. Content Distribution πŸ“‘

IPFS excels in distributing large amounts of data efficiently. For example, scientific data sets, media files, and software distributions can be served without relying on a central server. This reduces load times and ensures data availability, even if one node goes down.

2. Decentralized Websites 🌍

Websites hosted on IPFS are resistant to censorship and downtime. Each piece of content has a unique hash, making it immutable and verifiable. Projects like IPFS-powered blogs and DTube (a decentralized video sharing platform) are paving the way for the future of the web.

3. Secure File Storage πŸ”’

IPFS can be used to store personal files securely. By leveraging encryption and distributed storage, users can ensure their data remains private and accessible only to them.

4. Internet of Things (IoT) πŸ“Ά

In the IoT ecosystem, IPFS can enhance data sharing between devices without needing a central server. This reduces latency and improves the reliability of data transfers, making smart homes and cities more efficient.

The Future of Decentralized Storage πŸ›€οΈ

Resilience and Redundancy 🌈

Decentralized storage ensures data is spread across multiple nodes, reducing the risk of data loss and downtime. This redundancy makes the network more resilient to attacks and failures.

Privacy and Security πŸ›‘οΈ

Data on IPFS is cryptographically hashed and can be encrypted, ensuring privacy and security. Users have control over their data, deciding who can access it.

Democratizing the Web 🌐

Decentralized storage puts power back into the hands of users, reducing reliance on big tech companies. It fosters an open, inclusive internet where anyone can participate and share content without fear of censorship.

Environmental Impact 🌳

By leveraging distributed networks, IPFS can reduce the carbon footprint of data centers. Efficient data replication and reduced need for large server farms contribute to a greener internet.

Conclusion 🌟

The combination of IPFS and Raspberry Pi is a game-changer in the world of decentralized storage. It offers a robust, secure, and efficient alternative to traditional centralized systems, empowering users and democratizing the web. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, a privacy advocate, or a sustainability champion, setting up an IPFS node on your Raspberry Pi is a step towards a better future. Embrace the decentralized revolution and be a part of the change! πŸš€πŸ’‘

Click the link and see the video !!!

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/migavel-d-8aab08257_decentralizedstorage-raspberrypi-techinnovation-activity-7210955514057297920-k0yI?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

KGiSL Institute of Technology, Coimbatore

--

--