Enable IPFS Applications Through Private Networks

Before we get started with the open source IPFS private network tutorial below, we will briefly touch on our approach with Temporal. Also how Temporal’s “Beaming” feature allows for private IPFS nodes to share data between one another allowing the full integration of public and private IPFS networks for instances that require complete interoperability.

Public-Private: Best of Both Worlds

As we have previously discussed in our educational series on next-generation technologies like IPFS, existing web 2.0 infrastructures based on protocols like HTTP have begun to show their flaws, resulting in the leaking of massive amounts of sensitive information including credit card data and personal information. In order to address these issues, protocols like IPFS have been designed to leverage the security and scalability of any application without sacrificing the functionality enterprise systems demand.

Temporal and Nexus

In order to provide a conduit between these two network types, Nexus (Github), an all-in-one solution for IPFS network management. Through the power of the Nexus delegator, ports are only exposed via the localhost, allowing for frictionless interaction without sacrificing security or functionality. In a number of different industries and use-cases, the interoperability of public and private networks is essential as daily operations continue to integrate private data from medical records to financial information.

While modern businesses handle massive amounts of personal and private data, enterprise-level security and functionality are not exclusive to large-scale use-cases.

Beam Me Up, Scotty

In order to bring full network functionality to private networks, Temporal offers a “beaming” feature that allows for private IPFS network to share data between one another. When combined with Nexus, this allows the full integration of public and private IPFS networks for instances that require complete interoperability. We believe this could have a significant impact in industries that require the use of both public and private data to conduct day-to-day operations including financial services, insurance, healthcare, and many others.

While major corporations are just beginning to explore the potential of web 3.0 technologies like IPFS, the Temporal platform has been designed to allow for easy integration, including the full functionality of Nexus. The process for setting up Nexus is incredibly simple with many great features.

Lets get started ! This feature is only available in the development environment. If you would like this in production please feel free to reach out and let us know.

Features

• Creation of many different private networks (accounts are limited up to 8 private networks)
• Access to private network node IPFS HTTP API
• Access to private network nodes with Temporal’s API
• User management
• Allow other Temporal users access to the IPFS HTTP API, and Temporal API
• Remove access from other users
• Network Management
• Start, Stop, Delete
• Resource configuration (CPU, Memory, Disk Space)
• “Beam” content in between different private networks, and public/private networks
• Ability to be used with the playground
• Uses go-ipfs 0.4.22
• Open-source !

Setting Up Your Private Network

1. Sign into the web interface (https://dev.temporal.cloud)
2. Create your private network (https://dev.temporal.cloud/private)
3. Use private networks from within the web interface, or directly via https://nexus.temporal.cloud

• Nexus is an orchestration service that is responsible for managing many simultaneously running private ipfs network nodes.
• It guards all access to the API with JWT authentication, leveraging the authentication system that Temporal uses
• The service listens on https://nexus.temporal.cloud and can be used to route requests to different private networks based on the request path, and if configured you can use subdomain based routing (ie, testnetwork.nexus.temporal.cloud)
• For example, if you create a private network testnetwork1 you can point your go-ipfs-api, js-ipfs-http-client, and similar libraries to https://nexus.temoral.cloud/network/testnetwork1/api and you'll be interacting with your private network nodes IPFS HTTP API (note, you'll need to inject authorization headers)
• Alternatively if you mark your private network as having a public gateway enabled, you can go to https://nexus.temporal.cloud/network/testnetwork1/gateway and you'll be able to interact with the gateway.

API documention

IPFS API

IPFS API

Built on top of next-generation technologies like IPFS and Temporal, Nexus brings together public and private data storage infrastructure to provide a new level of interoperability. As developers and innovative companies continue to develop next-generation data solutions, we believe Nexus has the potential to bring together the best of both public and private data structures.

To learn more about our Temporal visit our Website, Github or Telegram.

Written for RTrade Technologies by Kevin Vanstone.