Add two posts.

* Building Nix packages for the Raspberry Pi in GitHub Actions
* Homelab continous deployment

.gitignore

@@ -7,3 +7,7 @@ srv.pid
 __pycache__
 
 result*
+
+# Draw IO diagram backups
+*.bkp
+*.dtmp

content/2023-11-20-Raspberry-Pi-Github-Actions.markdown

@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+---
+title: Building Nix packages for the Raspberry Pi with GitHub Actions
+---
+
+Building Nix packages for the Raspberry Pi 3 or newer requires to build for an
+ARM 64 architecture, which Nix refers to as `aarch64-linux`.
+
+To build `aarch64-linux` binaries we can:
+
+1. Build natively on an `aarch64-linux` machine.
+1. Cross compile for `aarch64-linux`.
+1. Compile with an emulator.
+
+The first option is the simplest.  For example, a Raspberry Pi with Nix
+installed compiles the `aarch64-linux` binaries reasonably well. Typically you
+need to build only a few packages from source and the rest may be downloaded
+from the [Nix public binary cache](https://cache.nixos.org).  You can also use
+a more powerful ARM 64 computer for building, if you own or rent one.
+
+I have little to say about the second option because I never managed to get it
+working.  I also suspect that cross compiled packages are not in the public
+binary cache, so build times are longer than native builds.
+
+In the rest of the article I explore the third option: compiling with an
+emulator, in particular with QEMU.
+
+# On NixOS
+
+On NixOS it's trivial to use QEMU to build for different architectures.  You
+need to [adjust one parameter][EmulatedSystems] in your NixOS host
+configuration:
+
+```nix
+boot.binfmt.emulatedSystems = [ "aarch64-linux" ];
+```
+
+This snippet installs and configures QEMU and enables emulated builds for the
+Raspberry Pi.  For example, to build
+[hello](https://www.gnu.org/software/hello/) from source, run:
+
+```
+nix build nixpkgs#legacyPackages.aarch64-linux.hello --no-substitute
+```
+
+For this demonstration I added the `--no-substitute` flag to disallow binary
+substitutes.  In other words, this flag forces Nix to build all packages from
+source.
+
+If the compilation with the emulated tool chain works, Nix writes an ARM 64-bit
+binary at `./result/bin/hello`
+
+# Using GitHub Actions
+
+Recently I discovered the [setup-qemu-action][QEMUAction] from Docker which
+helps us configuring a hosted GitHub Action runner to build for the Raspberry
+Pi:
+
+```yaml
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v3                                     # ⑴
+      - uses: cachix/install-nix-action@v23                                   # ⑵
+        with:
+          extra_nix_config: "extra-platforms = aarch64-linux"
+      -run: |                                                                 # ⑶
+        nix build nixpkgs#legacyPackages.aarch64-linux.hello --no-substitute
+```
+
+This GitHub Actions workflow starts an Ubuntu virtual machine and Installs Nix
+on it for building an `aarch64-linux` package:
+
+1. Install the QEMU static binaries using a [GitHub Action from
+   Docker][QEMUAction].
+1. Install Nix using a [GitHub Action from Cachix][NixAction] and configure it
+   to allow building for `aarch64-linux`.
+1. Build `hello` for `aarch64-linux`.
+
+# Summary
+
+Using two GitHub Actions from [Docker][QEMUAction] and [Cachix][NixAction] we
+set up a workflow to build a packages for the Raspberry Pi using freely
+available Ubuntu runners from GitHub.
+
+In a [related article][HomelabDeployment] I explain how I use this technique to
+build and deploy NixOS on Raspberry Pi.
+
+[EmulatedSystems]: https://nixos.org/manual/nixos/stable/options#opt-boot.binfmt.emulatedSystems
+[QEMUAction]: https://github.com/marketplace/actions/docker-setup-qemu
+[NixAction]: https://github.com/cachix/install-nix-action
+[HomelabDeployment]: {filename}/2023-11-25-Homelab-deployment.markdown

content/2023-11-25-Homelab-deployment.markdown

@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+---
+title: Homelab deployment
+---
+
+I configured continous deployment on [computers in my homelab][Homelab].  In
+this article I describe how I use Nix with GitHub Actions and Cachix Deploy to
+deploy computers on my home network.
+
+# Overview
+
+At home I have a wirelesss router, a few computers, temperature and humidity
+sensors and remote controllable switches.  I configure these devices mainly
+using Nix, and where it's possible, I run NixOS on them.  I use this setup to
+experiment with home automation and to learn about new tools.  In 2020, I wrote
+an [article about the initial setup][Homelab] and all configuration data is
+[available on GitHub][HomelabRepo].
+
+The configuration of the NixOS servers was always built from a declarative
+specification stored in version control system. But the deployment of the new
+configuration was manual, slow and often tedious.  I ran `nixos-build` from the
+command line and sometimes I had to wait an hour to build and deploy the new
+machine configuration.
+
+I wanted to reconfigure my servers automatically, triggered by a commit in a
+Git repository.
+
+The rest of the article describes an automatic deployment system for my Homelab
+which looks like this:
+
+![Figure1]({static}/images/homelab-deployment.svg "Homelab deployment")
+
+A deployment comprises the following activities:
+
+1. The [Homelab repository][HomelabRepo] contains the NixOS host configurations.
+1. A workflow in [GitHub Action][HomelabAction] _builds_ the NixOS system and
+   _stores_ it in a [hosted binary cache](https://www.cachix.org/).
+1. An agent on the target machine _pulls_ the built binaries from the binary
+   cache and _activates_ the new deployment.
+
+Let's see the system's components in detail.
+
+# Host configuration
+
+The configuration of my servers is written in the Nix language.  For example,
+the file [host-nuc.nix][HomelabNuc] describes the hardware and software
+configuration of my Intel NUC device:
+
+```nix
+{ config, ... }:
+
+{
+  imports = [
+    ./hardware/nuc.nix
+    ./modules/cachix.nix
+    ./modules/common.nix
+    ./modules/consul/server.nix
+    ./modules/git.nix
+    ./modules/grafana
+    ./modules/loki.nix
+    ./modules/mqtt.nix
+    ./modules/prometheus.nix
+    ./modules/push-notifications.nix
+    ./modules/remote-builder
+    ./modules/traefik.nix
+    ./modules/vpn.nix
+  ];
+
+  system.stateVersion = "22.05";
+}
+```
+
+The configuration is split into modules.  Glancing at the `imports` block you
+can tell what is installed on this machine.  The host `nuc` is my main home
+server, it runs all my "production" services.
+
+For example, the `cachix.nix` module configures the [Cachix
+Agent](https://docs.cachix.org/deploy/running-an-agent/) which is responsible
+for reconfiguring the NixOS machine when a new build is available.  The agent
+runs on all machines whose configuration automatically managed.
+
+# Building with GitHub Actions
+
+The NixOS host specifications are built with a single `nix build` command.  For
+example, the command:
+
+```
+nix build .#nixosConfigurations.nuc.config.system.build.toplevel
+```
+
+builds the entire root file system of the `nuc` machine: the kernel, the installed
+packages and their configuration.  By default, `nix` downloads pre-built packages
+from the [NixOS public binary cache](http://cache.nixos.org/), so a typical
+execution of the build command takes only a few minutes.
+
+To run the build in GitHub Actions, the build job installs Nix and configures
+the access to the Cachix binary cache where the deployment artifacts are
+stored:
+
+```yaml
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    environment:
+      name: Homelab
+      url: "https://app.cachix.org/deploy/workspace/lab.thewagner.home/"  # ⑴
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v3                                 # ⑵
+      - uses: cachix/install-nix-action@v23
+        with:
+          extra_nix_config: "extra-platforms = aarch64-linux"             # ⑶
+      - uses: cachix/cachix-action@v12                                    # ⑷
+        with:
+          name: wagdav
+          authToken: '${{ secrets.CACHIX_AUTH_TOKEN }}'
+      - run: nix build --print-build-logs .#cachix-deploy-spec            # ⑸
+      - run: |                                                            # ⑹
+          cachix push wagdav ./result
+          cachix deploy activate --async ./result
+        env:
+          CACHIX_ACTIVATE_TOKEN: "${{ secrets.CACHIX_ACTIVATE_TOKEN }}"
+```
+
+The [entire workflow][HomelabAction] is 40 lines, here I show only the `build`
+job which:
+
+1. Configures a [deployment target][GitHubEnvironment]. When a GitHub Actions
+   workflow deploys to an environment, the environment is displayed on the main
+   page of the repository.
+1. Installs the QEMU static binaries for emulating systems with architectures
+   than that of the of the build runner.
+1. Configures Nix to use emulation for building.
+1. Configures the [Cachix hosted binary cache](https://cachix.org).
+1. Builds the NixOS systems.
+1. Pushes the built binaries to the cache and sends an activation signal to the
+   Cachix Agent.
+
+The job uses two secrets: `CACHIX_AUTH_TOKEN` is the authentication token to
+push to the binary cache and `CACHIX_ACTIVATE_TOKEN` is required to activate
+the built NixOS configurations.
+
+# Deploying with Cachix Deploy
+
+To deploy built NixOS configurations I use the generous free-tier of [Cachix
+Deploy](https://docs.cachix.org/deploy/). The system needs the `cachix-agent`
+running on the target host, a few authentication keys and it just simply works.
+
+The agent process connects to the Cachix backend and waits for a deployment.
+When a new deployment is available, the agent pulls the relevant binaries from
+the binary cache and reconfigures the NixOS system it runs on.
+
+# Summary
+
+Since I configured [automatic deployment of this blog][BlogDeployment] I wanted
+the same for my home infrastructure.  I had my configuration repository and I
+knew how to build the machine configurations with GitHub Actions.  I was
+missing the automatic deployment part until Cachix Deploy was announced. Cachix
+has excellent documentation and I integration with my Homelab was super simple.
+
+# Acknowledgement
+
+I'm grateful to [Cachix Deploy](https://www.cachix.org/) for offering a binary
+cache and a deployment service.
+
+[BlogDeployment]: {filename}/2020-12-06-Blog-deployment-update.markdown
+[HomelabAction]: https://github.com/wagdav/homelab/blob/master/.github/workflows/build-and-deploy.yml
+[HomelabNuc]: https://github.com/wagdav/homelab/blob/master/host-nuc.nix
+[HomelabRepo]: https://github.com/wagdav/homelab
+[Homelab]: {filename}/2020-05-31-Homelab.markdown
+[GitHubEnvironment]: https://docs.github.com/en/actions/deployment/about-deployments/deploying-with-github-actions#using-environments