How to set up ZTNET with its own root servers (2)

[gerrymanley]

Hi,
I have just setup ZTNET on a VPS and its working as it should......very impressed!

Now I would like to set up 2 private root servers but I am having difficulty understanding how to achieve this.

Do I need to set up 2 separate VPS,s with zerotier-one or ZTNET installed and then login to each vps and create a separate planet and then upload each config to my ZTNET controller?
I would really appreciate it if you had an Easy How To for this
Thanks

[sinamics]

While I'm not a network or root server expert ( just a developer ), I've prepared some documentation that might guide you through the process. You can find it here: https://ztnet.network/usage/private_root

This guide outlines the steps for setting up private root servers in Ztnet. Please note that it's based on my general knowledge of root servers and configuration, but it should be fairly accurate.

[gerrymanley]

Thanks Bernt,
Don't know how I missed that page guide. I'll update here when complete

[sinamics]

I just created that page. Let me know how it goes.

[gerrymanley]

Thanks Bernt,
I followed your instructions 100% and set up my 2 VPS's as follows:
VPS-1 runs ZTNET and doubles as my Root server nbr 1
VPS-2 runs my Root server nbr 2
I updated 3 servers with the new planet.custom - backed up the original and then CPed planet.custom to planet.
All working fine.
Only one issue which I was aware of prior to updating and that is the Zerotier app no longer works correctly. It shows in app "Online" but does not find ZTnet - I did have it registered to ZTnet prior to creating new Root servers.

Dumb question: Is it possible to have ZTnet connected to both own root servers plus Zerotier's roots.

PS: Great work you done on ZTnet

[tinola]

@gerrymanley, mobile apps don't support custom roots. It's mentioned here.

[gerrymanley]

Thanks tinola

[f0re1gnKey]

Nope, there is the third party solution
https://github.com/kaaass/ZerotierFix

[n9yty]

@sinamics It seems this approach is more of a complete severance from the ZeroTier infrastructure than what ZeroTier outlines here:

https://docs.zerotier.com/roots

Here they talk about moons instead of replacing planets. I am wondering what the difference is, and is there any value in setting up the ability in ZTNET to create moons as well?

If you do this, with planets, then you are totally removed from the ZeroTier public network infrastructure, but if you create moons they will be preferred but if not found/available then it falls back on the ZeroTier public infrastructure? I'm not sure if I have that right. :)

[sinamics]

Here they talk about moons instead of replacing planets. I am wondering what the difference is

Moons are like adding extra servers to the existing ZeroTier network, which can be great for speed and local traffic. They don't replace the main ZeroTier servers (planets), so your network still works with the public ZeroTier network

if you create moons they will be preferred but if not found/available then it falls back on the ZeroTier public infrastructure? I'm not sure if I have that right. :)

This is my understanding as well.
I'm thinking of adding a feature to ZTNET for creating moons, but I'll need to do some more research to fully understand how it works. Once I get a better grasp of it, I can figure out what's needed to implement this feature.

[n9yty]

I believe that when a client is first initiated it calculates the unique node identifier, and that is used for all networks it joins. I would imagine that it does this with the generation of one, contacting the root servers to be sure it isn't already used somehow, and iterating until it gets one.

If we remove the ZeroTier planet / root servers, I would imagine we would want to be sure the node was created before this so that in the future if it ever were to rejoin the public root servers it would not have any conflicts. If the node id is created as soon as the software is installed then this probably isn't a concern, but I thought I'd at least mention it for your consideration. :). I probably should have done more testing and reading first, but it is a good discussion point.