Backend Services

These may not all be backend services in the traditional sense, but in my system, they are all used as supporting infrastructure.

InfluxDB - Time series database

• Main: https://www.influxdata.com/
• Github: https://github.com/influxdata/influxdb
  • Releases: https://github.com/influxdata/influxdb/releases
• Documentation: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb/v2.0/

Notes:

• STATUS: In use, long term storage for relevant Home Assistant data (ex. weather, power, etc.)

MQTT - Eclipse Mosquitto - IoT Messaging

• Main: https://mqtt.org/
• Github: https://github.com/eclipse/mosquitto
  • Releases: https://github.com/eclipse/mosquitto/releases
• Documentation: https://mqtt.org/getting-started/
• Setup:
  • Issue: permissions issue with initial setup
    • Fix: Ssh in as admin and run this cmd: chown -R 1883:1883 /share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/Docker/mosquitto
• Reference:
  • Look into MQTT Explorer: http://mqtt-explorer.com/ as of 2020-10-16
  • http://www.steves-internet-guide.com/mqtt/
  • http://www.steves-internet-guide.com/node-red-overview/
  • http://www.steves-internet-guide.com/node-red-mqtt-topic-logger/
• Tools
  • IoTLink - sends Windows device data via MQTT for consumption by Home Assistant
    • https://gitlab.com/iotlink/iotlink
    • https://gitlab.com/iotlink/iotlink/-/wikis/Integrations/Home-Assistant
  • MQTT Explorer - (think file explorer for MQTT)
    • https://mqtt-explorer.com/

Notes:

• STATUS: In use, transports various IoT data for Home Assistant (Windows data, Blue Iris, Shelly Bluetooth, etc.)

Node-RED - Home automation

See dedicated section on this topic.

Notes:

• STATUS: Active - Node-Red is an essential service in my system as it is effectively the automation backend for my home assistant instance.
• LIKES: Automations are quick and easy to construct once you are familiar with the visual paradigm.

pgAdmin - GUI/Tools for PostgreSQL

• Main: https://www.pgadmin.org/
• Github: https://github.com/postgres/pgadmin4
  • Releases: https://github.com/postgres/pgadmin4/releases
• Documentation: https://www.pgadmin.org/docs/
  • Container Deployment: https://www.pgadmin.org/docs/pgadmin4/latest/container_deployment.html
    • Using this image: https://hub.docker.com/r/dpage/pgadmin4/

Portainer - Docker container management

• Main: https://www.portainer.io/
  • Community Edition (CE) - 2nd half 2020: https://www.portainer.io/products/community-edition
• Github: https://github.com/portainer/portainer
  • Releases: https://github.com/portainer/portainer/releases
• Documentation: https://documentation.portainer.io/
  • Docker Updates: https://documentation.portainer.io/v2.0/upgrade/upddocker/

Notes:

• STATUS: In use, it does its job.

PostgreSQL - Database

• Main: https://www.postgresql.org/
• Github: https://github.com/postgres/postgres
  • Releases: https://github.com/postgres/postgres/releases
• Documentation: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/

Steps to update DB across major releases

General Steps:

1. Stop all services using the postgres DB
2. Export all databases from postgres - see export cmd below
3. Shutdown postgres
4. Archive existing postgres folder (ex. postgres => postgresXX_date) in docker folder
5. Create New postgres folder (ex. postgres) in docker folder
6. Update docker compose to reference new postgres image and start container
7. Confirm new postgres container is ready to accept connections (log file in portainer)
8. Import datafile from old postgres container - see cmd below

Export/Import Commands

• Export: docker exec -it postgres /usr/bin/pg_dumpall -U postgres > dumpfile1.sql
• Import: docker exec -i postgres psql -U postgres < dumpfile1.sql

References:

• https://jlelse.blog/dev/migrate-postgres-docker
• https://www.cloudytuts.com/tutorials/docker/how-to-upgrade-postgresql-in-docker-and-kubernetes/
• https://josepostiga.com/how-to-upgrade-postgresql-version-and-transfer-your-old-data-using-docker/
  • https://betterprogramming.pub/how-to-upgrade-your-postgresql-version-using-docker-d1e81dbbbdf9

Notes:

• STATUS: using as DB for Home Assistant, Nextcloud, and a few other containers

Syncthing - File Synchronization

• Main: https://syncthing.net/
• Doc Main: https://docs.syncthing.net/
• Github: https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing
  • Releases: https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases

Notes:

• STATUS: Active - replaced Nextcloud sync

Traefik - Reverse proxy

• Main: https://traefik.io/traefik/
• Doc Main: https://doc.traefik.io/traefik/
• Github: https://github.com/traefik/traefik/
  • Releases: https://github.com/traefik/traefik/releases
• My blog post on setup and config: https://mwunderling.com/blog/traefik2.html
  • Discussion: https://www.reddit.com/r/selfhosted/comments/hoswmo/traefik_2_configuration_eli5_edition/
• Reference:
  • Static File: https://docs.traefik.io/reference/static-configuration/file/
    • Entrypoints - https://docs.traefik.io/routing/entrypoints/
  • Dynamic File:
    • Routers - https://docs.traefik.io/routing/routers/
    • https://docs.traefik.io/routing/routers/#certresolver
  • Let’s Encrypt: https://docs.traefik.io/https/acme/
• Other:
  • Using influxDB to view Traefik Metrics: https://theorangeone.net/posts/traefik-influx-metrics/

Notes:

• STATUS: In-use, happy with performance, need to migrate to Traefik3