Generating your server identity

This tutorial is fully covered in the video shown above.

This tutorial assumes that you've setup Ubuntu that is running the Factom Daemon. If you haven't, please check out the getting started with the basics tutorial first.

You can check if the daemon is up by running docker ps . A container with the image factominc/factomd:vX.xx should show up where vX.xx is your current Factomd version.

Latest version of the Factom Daemon can be found here.

Furthermore you will need Entry Credits to create your identity to the blockchain, so make sure you have at least 24 EC in your Factom wallet before moving on with the tutorial.

Lastly, it is highly suggested that you have two USB flash drives ready:

• One that will be used to boot a temporary Linux to perform the operations. This USB stick will be referenced as BOOT stick in the tutorial.

• The second one will be used to store data related to the operations. This USB flash drive will be referenced as DATA stick in the tutorial. Copy this tutorial onto the DATA stick to be able to follow the instructions on the offline system as well.

The keys generated as part of this tutorial are highly sensitive, do not EVER share any of the keys you hold or generate. Losing these keys means you will lose your server. Keep these secure and safe, preferably written down on a piece of paper.

Thus, doing parts of this tutorial on an offline computer greatly reduces the risk of these keys being compromised by either key loggers, screen capture software, viruses or by other malicious means.

Building the serveridentity tool

The identity is generated using the serveridentity tool, but first you need to build said tool.

Start off by installing git, golang-go and golang-glide:

sudo apt-get install git golang-go golang-glide

next up edit ~/.profile with for example nano:

nano .profile

and add the following lines to the bottom:

.profile

export GOPATH=$HOME/go
export PATH=$PATH:$GOPATH/bin

Open a new terminal for these changes to take effect. You might even need to re-log.

Next up clone the serveridentity tool:

mkdir -p $GOPATH/src/github.com/FactomProject/
cd $GOPATH/src/github.com/FactomProject/
git clone https://github.com/FactomProject/serveridentity.git
cd serveridentity
glide install
go install
cd signwithed25519
go install

Now you should have two files in the go/bin/folder named serveridentity and signedwithed25519. These are the files you need to generate your server identity.

Copy the files serveridentity and signedwithed25519 into your USB DATA flash drive and continue the process on your offline system.

Creating the server identity

For the next steps you will need some Entry Credits as you'll be storing your identities on the blockchain itself.

Using the Enterprise wallet

• Create a new Entry Credit address in your Address Book

• Verify that it has been funded by checking the balance in the wallet

• Click the pencil-icon on your EC wallet and click "Display Private Key", you will need this for the next step.

• If you dont have one then create a new Factoid address to set up efficiency and payouts.

Using the CLI wallet

<temp>

First, make sure the files are executable:

chmod +x serveridentity
chmod +x signwithed25519

Now run the following:

./serveridentity full elements {ENTRY_CREDIT_PRIVATE_KEY} -n={OPTIONAL_FILENAME}

This will generate numerous keys which are printed to stdout, two files will also be produced:

• Script to add the Identity to the blockchain

  • Script that utilizes factom-cli

  • Name of script is by default fullidentity.sh or {OPTIONAL_FILENAME}.sh if provided.

• Config file needed for the server

  • Place in ~/factom/m2 and rename to factomd.conf

  • Name of config is by default fullidentity.conf or {OPTIONAL_FILENAME}.conf if provided

Write down the keys that are printed in stdout and copy the two new files to the DATA stick, eject it and shut down and destroy the Ubuntu session. Continue the tutorial on your server again.

Importing your server identity

Copy your fullidentity.sh file to your server, make it executable and run it. Make sure signedwithed25519 is available on the system.

factom-cli importaddress {ENTRY_CREDIT_PRIVATE_KEY}
chmod +x fullidentity.sh
./fullidentity.sh

Your server identity chain is now generated. You can now paste the contents of the important.conf file into your factomd.conf, normally located at /var/docker/volumes/factom_keys/_data/factomd.conf