How To Install HarperDB on Linux

In this tutorial, we will explain how to install HarperDB on Linux. We are following production ready steps. 

HarperDB is a data management solution. HarperDB combines database, application, and data streaming services into a single hyper-performant solution, delivering enterprise-quality apps at a lower cost and with less development effort.

HarperDB offers standards based interfaces that developers already know (REST, SQL, NoSQL, JSON). HarperDB is unique because it combines a high-performance database, user-built custom applications, and real-time data streaming into a single platform.

Prerequisites:

• Linux installed dedicated server or KVM VPS
• Normal or non-root user with administrative previliges.
   
• An additional volume for storing HarperDB files is attached to the Linux instance.
   

1. Keep the server updated

For Ubuntu, Debian based:

apt update

For CentOS/AlmaLinux/Redhat based:

dnf update -y

2. Configure Data Volume

Before we begin to install HarperDB, we need to configure data volume to store all the data in that volume. Follow these steps:

First, find the device name of the additional volume we have reserved for HarperDB using lsblk command:

lsblk

Once you get the device name, create an ext4 filesystem on the volumne. Execute following command:

sudo mkfs.ext4 -L hdb_data /dev/ssdv1

Note: hdb_data is a label and ssdv1 is a device name. Your device name might be the different, use your device name here.

Next, create a new directory and mount the file system to that directory. Also set the correct permissions. Execute following command:

mkdir /home/block/hdb
sudo mount -t ext4 /dev/ssdv1 /home/block/hdb
sudo chown -R block:block /home/block/hdb
sudo chmod 775 /home/block/hdb

Note: Replace block username with your username.

That's it. Finally, add the new file system in the fstab so that the system will get know about the newly created file system and the system will mount it. Execute following command:

echo "LABEL=hdb_data /home/block/hdb ext4 defaults,noatime 0 1" | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab

Note: In the LABEL if you assigned different label, you should mention that here. Replace block with you username

(Optionally) Configure directory without disk volume

If you cannot able to get/add new disk volume, you can simply create a new directory set the permission and use that directory. It will work as the same. it is not recommended for production but anyway it will work.

mkdir /home/block/hdb
sudo chown -R block:block /home/block/hdb
sudo chmod 775 /home/block/hdb

3. Install Dependencies 

Before we install the dependencies, we need to increase the open file limits for the user.

Execute following 2 commands:

echo "block soft nofile 500000" | sudo tee -a /etc/security/limits.conf
echo "block hard nofile 1000000" | sudo tee -a /etc/security/limits.conf

Note: Replace block with your username.

In order install HarperDB, we need Nodejs 14 or above version. Execute following commands:

Using Ubuntu

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | sudo -E bash - &&\
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

Using Redhat

curl -fsSL https://rpm.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | sudo bash -
sudo dnf install -y nodejs

4. Install and start HarperDB

Finally, let's install and start HarperDB. Use npm command to install HarperDB.

npm install -g harperdb

To start the HarperDB, we can use minimal configuration or some commonly used additional configurations. For more information visit HarperDB official documentation.

With minimal configuration:

harperdb start \
  --TC_AGREEMENT "yes" \
  --ROOTPATH "/home/block/hdb" \
  --OPERATIONSAPI_NETWORK_PORT "9925" \
  --HDB_ADMIN_USERNAME "HDB_ADMIN" \
  --HDB_ADMIN_PASSWORD "password"

With additional configuration:

harperdb start \
  --TC_AGREEMENT "yes" \
  --ROOTPATH "/home/block/hdb" \
  --OPERATIONSAPI_NETWORK_PORT "9925" \
  --HDB_ADMIN_USERNAME "HDB_ADMIN" \
  --HDB_ADMIN_PASSWORD "password" \
  --HTTP_SECUREPORT "9926" \
  --CLUSTERING_ENABLED "true" \
  --CLUSTERING_USER "cluster_user" \
  --CLUSTERING_PASSWORD "password" \
  --CLUSTERING_NODENAME "hdb1"

Note: 

• Replace block with your username
• Replace HDB_ADMIN_USERNAME with your choice admin name and HDB_ADMIN_PASSWORD with your choice secure password.
• In case you want to use different directory your can replace ROOTPATH.

Output:

5. Create HarperDB service

HarperDB will automatically start after installation. If we wish HarperDB to start when the OS boots, we need to create a systemd script.

Create a file in /etc/systemd/system/ named harperdb.service using following command:

vi /etc/systemd/system/harperdb.service

and copy and paste following contents:

[Unit]
Description=HarperDB

[Service]
Type=simple
Restart=always
User=ubuntu
Group=ubuntu
WorkingDirectory=/home/ubuntu
ExecStart=/bin/bash -c 'PATH="/home/ubuntu/.nvm/versions/node/v18.15.0/bin:$PATH"; harperdb'

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Note: Replace block with your username. In case you have different directory you can replace WorkingDirectory.

Finally, reload the daemon service to refect the changes and start and enable the harperdb.service.

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl start harperdb && systemctl enable harperdb

6. Verify the installation

Navigate to your browser and access:

http://[server IP]:9925

You will see the following screen:

That's it. We have successfully seen how to install HarperDB on Linux.