Service Configuration

This guide covers the configuration and management of community services. Administrators use these procedures to deploy, configure, and maintain the community platform.

Service Architecture

Core Infrastructure

  • Traefik: Reverse proxy and load balancer (1984hosting mode only)
  • Authentik: Identity provider and SSO system
  • Cloudflare Tunnels: Secure external access (cloudflare/hybrid modes)
  • Docker: Container orchestration and management

Communication Services

  • Matrix: Federated chat and messaging server
  • Element: Matrix web client interface
  • Jitsi: Video conferencing and meetings
  • Lemmy: Community forums and discussions

Collaboration Services

  • CryptPad: Collaborative document editing
  • WordPress: Community website and content management
  • LibreChat: AI-powered assistance and chat
  • Ollama: Local AI model server

Utility Services

  • Vaultwarden: Password management and secure storage
  • PeerTube: Video hosting and sharing platform
  • mdBook: Documentation and knowledge management

Service Deployment

Deployment Modes

  • Hybrid: 1984.hosting DNS + Cloudflare tunnels (default)
  • Cloudflare: Cloudflare DNS + tunnels (convenience)
  • 1984hosting: 1984.hosting DNS + direct IP (sovereignty)

Deployment Process

  1. Infrastructure Provisioning: Set up VPS and networking
  2. DNS Configuration: Configure domain names and routing
  3. Service Deployment: Deploy services using Ansible
  4. Configuration: Configure services for community needs
  5. Testing: Verify service functionality and integration

Batch Deployment

# Deploy all services in batches
ansible-playbook -i inventory/main.ini deploy-all-batched.yml

# Deploy specific service batch
ansible-playbook -i inventory/main.ini deploy-batch.yml -e "batch=core"

Service Configuration

Environment Variables

  • Instance Configuration: Set instance name and domain
  • Security Settings: Configure authentication and encryption
  • Resource Limits: Set appropriate resource constraints
  • Integration Settings: Configure service interconnections

Service-Specific Configuration

  • Matrix: Homeserver configuration, federation settings
  • Authentik: OIDC providers, user management
  • WordPress: Site configuration, plugin management
  • Jitsi: Video conferencing settings, TURN server

Configuration Files

  • Docker Compose: Service deployment configuration
  • Environment Files: Service-specific environment variables
  • Configuration Templates: Jinja2 templates for dynamic configuration
  • Secrets Management: Secure handling of sensitive information

Service Monitoring

Health Checks

  • Container Health: Monitor container status and resource usage
  • Service Health: Check service-specific health endpoints
  • Network Health: Monitor network connectivity and performance
  • Storage Health: Monitor disk usage and backup status

Monitoring Tools

# Check service health
docker ps --format "table {{.Names}}\t{{.Status}}"

# Monitor resource usage
docker stats

# Check service logs
docker logs -f <service-container>

# Test service endpoints
curl -I https://service.domain.com/health

Alerting

  • Service Outages: Alert on service failures
  • Resource Exhaustion: Alert on high resource usage
  • Security Events: Alert on security incidents
  • Performance Issues: Alert on performance degradation

Service Management

Service Lifecycle

  • Deployment: Initial service deployment
  • Configuration: Service configuration and customization
  • Maintenance: Regular maintenance and updates
  • Scaling: Scaling services based on demand
  • Retirement: Decommissioning obsolete services

Service Operations

# Start/stop services
docker-compose up -d <service>
docker-compose down <service>

# Restart services
docker-compose restart <service>

# Update services
docker-compose pull <service>
docker-compose up -d <service>

# View service logs
docker-compose logs -f <service>

Service Dependencies

  • Traefik: Required for routing (1984hosting mode)
  • Authentik: Required for SSO-enabled services
  • Database Services: Required for data persistence
  • Network Services: Required for service communication

Security Configuration

Access Control

  • Authentication: Configure authentication methods
  • Authorization: Set up role-based access control
  • Network Security: Configure firewall and network policies
  • Encryption: Ensure all communications are encrypted

Security Hardening

  • Container Security: Run containers with security contexts
  • Network Isolation: Isolate services using Docker networks
  • Secrets Management: Use secure secret storage
  • Regular Updates: Keep services updated with security patches

Security Monitoring

  • Access Logs: Monitor service access logs
  • Security Events: Track security-related events
  • Vulnerability Scanning: Regular vulnerability assessments
  • Incident Response: Procedures for security incidents

Backup and Recovery

Backup Strategy

  • Data Backup: Regular backup of service data
  • Configuration Backup: Backup service configurations
  • Database Backup: Backup database contents
  • Full System Backup: Complete system backup procedures

Backup Procedures

# Database backup
docker exec <db-container> pg_dump -U <user> <database> > backup.sql

# Volume backup
docker run --rm -v <volume>:/data -v $(pwd):/backup alpine tar czf /backup/backup.tar.gz /data

# Configuration backup
tar czf config-backup.tar.gz /opt/compose/*/

Recovery Procedures

  • Service Recovery: Restore individual services
  • Data Recovery: Restore service data from backups
  • Configuration Recovery: Restore service configurations
  • Disaster Recovery: Complete system recovery procedures

Performance Optimization

Resource Management

  • CPU Allocation: Optimize CPU usage across services
  • Memory Management: Configure memory limits and allocation
  • Storage Optimization: Optimize disk usage and performance
  • Network Optimization: Optimize network performance

Performance Monitoring

  • Resource Usage: Monitor CPU, memory, and disk usage
  • Response Times: Monitor service response times
  • Throughput: Monitor service throughput and capacity
  • Bottleneck Identification: Identify performance bottlenecks

Optimization Techniques

  • Caching: Implement caching where appropriate
  • Load Balancing: Distribute load across multiple instances
  • Database Optimization: Optimize database performance
  • Content Delivery: Optimize content delivery and caching

Service Integration

SSO Integration

  • Authentik Configuration: Configure OIDC providers
  • Service Configuration: Configure services for SSO
  • User Management: Centralized user management
  • Permission Mapping: Map SSO groups to service permissions

Service Interconnection

  • API Integration: Connect services using APIs
  • Data Sharing: Share data between services
  • Workflow Integration: Integrate service workflows
  • Notification Integration: Integrate service notifications

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

  • Service Startup Failures: Diagnose and fix startup issues
  • Configuration Errors: Identify and correct configuration problems
  • Network Issues: Resolve network connectivity problems
  • Resource Constraints: Address resource limitation issues

Diagnostic Tools

# Check service logs
docker logs <container>

# Check service health
docker exec <container> curl -f http://localhost:8080/health

# Check network connectivity
docker exec <container> ping <target>

# Check resource usage
docker stats <container>

Resolution Procedures

  1. Problem Identification: Clearly identify the issue
  2. Log Analysis: Review relevant service logs
  3. Resource Check: Verify resource availability
  4. Configuration Review: Check service configuration
  5. Network Test: Test network connectivity
  6. Solution Implementation: Apply appropriate fix
  7. Verification: Confirm issue resolution

Service Documentation

Documentation Standards

  • Service Descriptions: Clear description of each service
  • Configuration Guide: Detailed configuration instructions
  • Troubleshooting Guide: Common issues and solutions
  • API Documentation: Document service APIs and integrations

Documentation Maintenance

  • Regular Updates: Keep documentation current
  • Version Control: Track documentation changes
  • Community Contribution: Allow community contributions
  • Feedback Integration: Incorporate user feedback

Service configuration is the foundation of a reliable community platform. Proper configuration ensures services work together seamlessly to provide a great user experience.