Skip to content

HCLOUD-SETUP.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
207 lines (147 loc) · 5.14 KB

HCLOUD-SETUP.md

File metadata and controls

207 lines (147 loc) · 5.14 KB

Hetzner Cloud Build Server Setup for AMD64 Packages

This guide explains how to create and use a Hetzner Cloud server for building KeyDB AMD64 Debian packages.

Prerequisites

  1. Install hcloud CLI:

    # macOS
brew install hcloud

# Linux
# Download from https://github.com/hetznercloud/cli/releases

  2. Create Hetzner Cloud Account:

  3. Configure hcloud CLI:

    hcloud context create keydb
# Paste your API token when prompted

  4. Upload SSH Key (optional but recommended):

    # Upload your public SSH key
hcloud ssh-key create --name default --public-key-from-file ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

Server Specifications

The build server uses these specifications (optimized for C++ compilation):

  • Type: CCX13 (Dedicated vCPU)
  • CPU: 4 dedicated vCores (AMD EPYC)
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 80 GB NVMe SSD
  • OS: Debian 12 (Bookworm)
  • Location: Nuremberg (nbg1)
  • Cost: ~€0.04/hour (~€30/month if left running)

Why Dedicated vCPU?

Dedicated vCPU servers (CCX line) provide guaranteed CPU resources without "noisy neighbor" effects, ensuring consistent build times. This is crucial for CPU-intensive compilation tasks.

Quick Start

1. Create the Build Server

./hcloud-create-build-server.sh

This script will:

  • Create a Hetzner Cloud server named keydb-build-amd64
  • Install Docker, git, build tools, and security software
  • Configure firewall (ufw) and fail2ban
  • Optimize system for builds
  • Display the server IP address

Wait 1-2 minutes after creation for cloud-init to complete the setup.

2. Build Packages

./hcloud-build-remote.sh

This script will:

  • Connect to your Hetzner Cloud server
  • Clone the KeyDB repository
  • Copy any local changes (version.h, build scripts, etc.)
  • Run the Docker build process
  • Copy the built .deb packages back to built-packages/
  • Clean up the build directory on the server

Build time: ~15-20 minutes for a full build

3. Delete the Server (when done)

./hcloud-delete-build-server.sh

Important: Remember to delete the server when you're done to avoid ongoing charges!

Manual Server Usage

If you prefer to build manually:

# SSH to the server
ssh root@<SERVER_IP>

# Clone the repository
cd /root/builds
git clone --recursive https://github.com/ozanturksever/KeyDB.git
cd KeyDB

# Run the build
./pkg/deb/build-docker-24.04.sh

# Download packages from your local machine
scp root@<SERVER_IP>:/root/builds/KeyDB/pkg/deb/deb_files_generated/*.deb ./built-packages/

Cost Optimization

Pay-per-Use

Hetzner Cloud bills by the hour. To minimize costs:

  1. Create server only when needed:

    ./hcloud-create-build-server.sh

  2. Build packages:

    ./hcloud-build-remote.sh

  3. Delete server immediately after:

    ./hcloud-delete-build-server.sh

Cost per build: ~€0.01-0.02 (15-20 minutes)

Keep Server Running

If you build frequently, keep the server running:

  • Cost: ~€30/month
  • Benefit: Instant builds, no setup wait

Customization

Edit hcloud-create-build-server.sh to customize:

  • Server name: Change SERVER_NAME
  • Server type: Change SERVER_TYPE (e.g., ccx23 for 8 cores/32GB)
  • Location: Change LOCATION (e.g., fsn1, hel1, ash)
  • SSH key: Change SSH_KEY_NAME to match your uploaded key

Security Features

The server is automatically configured with:

  • UFW Firewall: Only SSH (port 22) is allowed
  • Fail2ban: Automatic IP blocking after failed SSH attempts
  • SSH Key Authentication: Password login should be disabled

Troubleshooting

Server Creation Fails

# Check hcloud context
hcloud context list

# Check quota
hcloud server list

Build Fails

# SSH to server and check logs
ssh root@<SERVER_IP>
cd /root/keydb-build
./pkg/deb/build-docker-24.04.sh

Cannot Connect to Server

# Get server status
hcloud server describe keydb-build-amd64

# Check if cloud-init is complete (wait 1-2 minutes after creation)
ssh root@<SERVER_IP> "cloud-init status"

Comparison with Alternatives

Method Build Time Setup Time Cost Pros Cons
Hetzner Cloud 15-20 min 2 min €0.01/build Fast, clean, reproducible Requires hcloud setup
Local ARM64 + QEMU 2-4 hours 0 min Free No setup Extremely slow
GitHub Actions 15-20 min 5 min Free Automated Requires workflow setup
Existing Remote Server 15-20 min 0 min Fixed Always available Requires maintenance

Best Practices

  1. Always delete servers after use to avoid charges
  2. Use the automated scripts rather than manual setup
  3. Keep local changes minimal - commit to git when possible
  4. Verify packages locally after downloading
  5. Monitor build logs for any warnings or errors

Next Steps

  • Set up GitHub Actions for automated builds
  • Create a package repository for hosting .deb files
  • Add ARM64 build server support