Using Start9 Embassy device to run a Vault

https://store.start9labs.com/collections/embassy/products/embassy-one

I have recently begun using the Embassy device, which is a personal server which allows you to do things like run a bitcoin node, or host your own files and passwords. In future, it is going to be possible to plug in external storage to the device, and also for developers to add open sources services to the Embassy marketplace, to allow users to download and use them easily.

I know that people on this forum have been asking about a “plug and play” option for running a Vault on the Safe Network. For those more technically minded than I am, is there any reason that the vault software couldn’t be added to Start9’s marketplace/platform?

It would certainly be convenient for me, and perhaps others on this forum who already own this device, as I already have this running 24/7, and so I could farm using any spare external storage devices I could plug into the Embassy.

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probably could be done - although I know nothing about it. Assuming linux OS and some custom software repo store app?

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EmbassyOS

The Embassy comes pre-installed with Start9’s own EmbassyOS, a stripped-down and augmented version of Raspbian Buster Lite. EmbassyOS handles Embassy setup, owner authentication, Tor Hidden Service management, networking, and the installation, configuration, and hosting of services. EmbassyOS is at the core of Start9’s technology stack and what makes our unprecedented user experience possible.

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Yes it a Raspberry Pi 4 with a modified version of Raspbian, so it would be a decent turnkey option for Safe farming, alongside other personal cloud apps.

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Ok that’s great to know, thanks. It would particularly appealing to me as I bought the device for other uses, so if I can also use it for safecoin farming then that would be a bonus. There is a growing group of people using the Embassy device, so potentially they might be interested in running vaults as well, as presumably it would help mitigate the electricity costs which they are incurring by running the device anyway.

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I think it’s a nice to have from Safe point of view rather than a big opportunity. It’s a bit pricey to buy just for farming and probably doesn’t have a big a user base.

I don’t know what’s involved in getting into their marketplace either. So really you need somebody who has one to look into that.

The alternative would be just to run a build made for Raspbian rather than download from their store. So I’m sure you be able to use it with a bit of help.

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Just an image file with all the necessary bits copied to a microSD card to boot from would work … but you’d lose the Embassy stuff - until you swap out the card again.

Once we have working Safe Network, someone here, maybe me, will upload a Pi-4 image file for this purpose.

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Ok thanks, so I guess if you or someone else provided that image, then I could just buy a Pi-4 and run it as a Safe Vault, separately to my Embassy device?

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269 $ ? really ?
What I’ve paid for the same stuff (and even better regarding the memory)
Official HDMI Cable for Raspberry Pi 4 (white, 1 m) 6,95 €
Official EU Power Supply for Raspberry Pi 4 (white) 12,95 €
Official Case for Raspberry Pi 4 (white/red) 9,95 €
Raspberry Pi 4 B (8 Go de RAM) 77,95 €
sous-total 107,80 €
I didn’t buy a MicroSD ( I already had one) but still…

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Yes you can build this from source if you prefer:

https://docs.start9labs.com/getting-started/diy.html

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To be fair - you’re paying an extra 150$ for everything put together for you, sent to your door, you don’t have to learn the name of one thing, and if something goes wrong there’s a number to call. Probably a warranty thrown in if you still can’t get it to work after a few phone calls and mails, and you’re supporting a company who is making it easy for anyone to fight back against growing digital tyranny.

If it is really as simple as the site says, I wouldn’t say it’s terribly overpriced actually. Reasonably priced point and click type boxes for safe could be a good seller when the time comes too.

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Sounds like it is severely cut-down to decrease the attack surface - makes perfect sense

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Yes - its exactly the kind of device I saw myself marketing at one point.
A simple plug it in and forget vault…

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Followed this blog walk-through from the site there of a guy setting it up himself - the ‘easy version’. I know people who would pay 150 to avoid even reading the article :grin:

Edit: forgot the article Building my wife an Embassy from scratch | by BitcoinMechanic | Medium

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Ah and just to go back to the OP, there was a vault related discussion a few weeks back and @Sascha mentioned this FreedomBox/Features - Debian Wiki the Freedom box, can be bought ready to go for 70 euro, and downloaded and installed for free I believe. Was reminded by this post and went for another browse around. I think it’ll be a good candidate for people setting up safe + one or two other things, seems very customisable and documentation looks excellent

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That looks interesting, thanks for highlighting. I will probably try to encourage family and friends to get involved too, so if there are a few easy plug and play options then all the better.

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Plan is for the very moderately interested to not have to buy anything, in any case. This still seems like it is going to be technically possible, but we’ll know more when the testnet rolls around. So option one will be sending a link to someone to get started on whatever hardware, basically.

Then there’s been talk of cheap USB sticks loaded with a bit of software and maybe a few safecoins on the forum before too, which is also a good idea, and seems more exciting and personal maybe because you’d be holding a little invitation to freedom when you get it.

Then little dedicated server boxes on SBCs or old computers, and home setups with several hard drives in a RAID setup, will hopefully all become prominent. The options seem plentiful.

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That all sounds very promising. I had kind of forgotten that part of the safe network is that casual users can just offer the storage space they already have.

I like the idea of gifting people a usb with safecoins on it, kind of like how an opendime works. An “invitation to freedom” is a good way of putting it!

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