# HOWTO Set up Your Own Chess Server
This document shows how to install a chess server.
The free software application Lila, written by the fine developers at
https://lichess.org, will be used.

# Overview
System will be built from these main parts listed below. You don't
need to know all of these, but knowing some system administration
will help.

* OVH ISP.
* Debian stable (Bullseye/11).
* Lila.
* Lila-ws.
* Apache.
* MongoDB.
* Redis.
* Scala.
* Java.
* SBT.
* Yarn.
* Python.
* Git.
* Node.
* Certbot.
* DNS.
* All the way down to GRUB and below...

For a high volume service, some of these services can be broken out
across multiple servers. For this example, we'll use just one "blank"
virtual server with nothing else on it.

# Upstream
The best current upstream document describing the process is here:

https://github.com/ornicar/lila/wiki/Lichess-Development-Onboarding

Main upstream repos:

* https://github.com/ornicar/lila
* https://github.com/ornicar/lila-ws

# Pre-Installation Setup
First, you need to have a location to host the server. You will want a server
with a minimum of 4 gigs of RAM. When the server is running, usage is low,
but it takes awhile to compile, so more CPU/RAM will speed that up.

For this example, we'll set up at OVH, which is the same Internet company
that lichess.org uses.

You will also need a domain and someone providing domain name service (DNS).
OVH provides this service (presumably?) or I recommend Njalla.


## Register DNS
Since it takes awhile to spread across the Internet, it is best to first
register your domain so that process can happen in the background while
you are setting up the server.

For this example, we'll use the domain `mychestserver.org` with the final
example server URL being:

* https://www.mychestserver.org

Go to your registrar, and register your domain, such as:

* https://njal.la/


## Register at ISP
Go to OVH (or ISP of your choice) and create an account to host your server.
OVH may have regional websites as well:

* https://ovh.com/


## Set up Workstation SSH Keys
To connect to the server, you will need SSH keys. They'll be needed at time
of server creation, so we'll make them now. This is an example how to create
keys on a Debian stable workstation, where the username is "debian" and
the workstation name is "workstation". For OVH, we're creating `ecdsa` keys,
which is inferior to `ed25519` keys. Last I tested, OVH doesn't accept the
latter.


```
# Run command to create keys.
# Note the location where you saved the key.
# Just hit "enter" for a passphrase.

debian@workstation:~$ ssh-keygen -t ecdsa
Generating public/private ecdsa key pair.
Enter file in which to save the key (/home/debian/.ssh/id_ecdsa): /home/debian/.ssh/id_ecdsa-chess
Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase): 
Enter same passphrase again: 
Your identification has been saved in /home/debian/.ssh/id_ecdsa-chess
Your public key has been saved in /home/debian/.ssh/id_ecdsa-chess.pub
The key fingerprint is:
SHA256:M2qUpyl31CCUcn3t2+vM6Cn4JaZIVvnFJICtTQiTQmY debian@workstation
The key's randomart image is:
+---[ECDSA 256]---+
| .E oo.*.  .     |
| o. oo= +.. .    |
|   . o.+.....    |
|      .o.+ +.    |
|      o S . oo   |
|     . B + .. .  |
|    . O ..+ .  . |
|     * o.o.o =.  |
|      . ...o+.+  |
+----[SHA256]-----+
```


## Upload SSH key to ISP
Take SSH the key you just created above and upload it to OVH.
Go to `Public Cloud`, then near the bottom left column, under
`Project Management` click `SSH Keys`.
Under the new `SSH Keys` window, click `Add and SSH Key` button.
Paste the PUBLIC key created above, ending with `.pub` extension,
into the `Key` section of the `Add an SSH key` popup window.

Take this output and paste into that form in the browser:

```
cat /home/debian/.ssh/id_ecdsa-chess.pub
```

It should look like a tangled mess like this (note, the `debian@workstation` field
at the end is informational and can be something depending on your user/workstaion):

```
ecdsa-sha2-nistp256 AAAAE2VjZHNhLXNoYTItbmlzdHAyNTYAAAAIbmlzdHAyNTYAAABBBC16EdTLECoLqSnmM/aSKrskLYN5ygu2dVvSAfiu4SAHPElrY6wqgUq6kzzsbbnko+VqyGzZ4tTWMml/AlBrQaw= debian@workstation
```

In the `Name` field, enter `mychestkey`.

Click `Add` to save the key at OVH. You should now see it in the list.


## Create Virtual Machine at ISP
OVH sells dedicated "bare metal" servers called the `Bare Metal Cloud`.
They also sell virtual machine instances under the `Public Cloud`.
The bare metal servers can be better, but they are generally more expensive,
a bit more complex to set up and maintain. So for this example, we
will set up a virtual machine in the `Public Cloud`.


In OVH `Dashboard` click on `Public Cloud`, then in left column near the top
under `Compute`, click `Instances". Then under the new `Instances` window,
click `Create an Instance`.

* `Select a Model`: `Discovery` tab, then select D2-8. There are some options
with 4 gigs of RAM and fewer CPUs, which could be used, but kind of slow.
This option is ~$20USD/month.

* `Select a Region`: The https://lichess.org server is in various data centers around
Norther France, such as Gravelines (GRA). If you want to be close to that
for some reason, you can select that. Or you could select a server that
is regionally close to you and your users in another part of the world.
For this example, we'll select Gravelines GRA3. Click `Next`.

* `Select an Image`: Under `Unix Distributions` tab, select `Debian 11`.

* `Select an Image`:  Under `SSH key` at the bottom of the section, select the
`mychestkey` you created and uploaded above. Click `Next`

* `Configure your instance`: Just one instance. We'll use `mychestserver` for
the name, use yours as appropriate. We won't do any of `Post-installation
script`, `Private Networks`, or `Backups`, although they could be used.
Click `Next`.

* `Billing Period`: As you like. This is just a test, so here just using
`Hourly` at $0.03886/hour. Click `Create an instance` to create the
virtual computer, which also starts billing.

* OVH will say `Launching Instance` and a few minutes later, your server
should be ready and in `Activated` status when viewed under the `Instances`
tab under `Public Cloud`.


## Forward DNS Configuration
Set up forward DNS with the new IP address OVH gave you for your
instance. Look at the `Public IP` of your new server `Activated`
server instance. In this example, it is `147.135.193.212`. That is the
network address of your new server. We want to add it to DNS, so add
it to OVH (?) or Njalla's records. For this example, this URL was used:

* https://njal.la/domains/mychestserver.org/

Click `Manage` for the domain, then `+ Add Record`.

* `Type`: Use `A` record.

* `Name`: Use `www`.

* `IPv4 Address`: Use the `Public IP` OVH gave you for your instance. In
this example, `147.135.193.212`.

* `TTL`: Lets do something short for now, use `5m`. Click `Add`.

That will take anywhere from a few seconds to an hour to be picked up by
nameservers around the world. It is best if you *don't` query it for now
(wait ~15+ minutes) or servers may cache a negative answer, which you'll
have to outwait.


## Reverse DNS Configuration
Set up reverse DNS with the new IP address OVH gave you for your
instance. Look at the `Public IP` of your new server `Activated`
server instance. In this example, it is `147.135.193.212`.

In the OVH `Dashboard` under your `Instances`, click on your instance,
such as the example `mychestserver`. On the right hand side under
`Networks` in the `IPv4` section there is a button with three dots.
Click it and select `Change reverse DNS`. Find your `Public IP` address
in the list, our example `147.135.193.212`. In the `Reverse DNS`
column, click the edit pencil box icon. Enter your full domain name,
such as our example `www.mychestserver.org` and click the check mark
to save it.


## Set up SSH on Workstation
Back on your workstation, set up your SSH configuration with the key
you created and the new `Public IP`. Edit the file `~/.ssh/config`.

```
vim ~/.ssh/config
```


Add using your name and `Public IP` instead of this example.
Also, use the path to the *private* workstation SSH key created earlier.
Add to `~/.ssh/config`:

```
Host mychestserver
	Hostname 147.135.193.212
	User debian
	Port 22
	Identityfile ~/.ssh/id_ecdsa-chess
```


# Login
Now from your workstation, log into the server and check that all
is ok:

```
ssh mychestserver
```

It should look something like this:

```
debian@workstation:~$ ssh mychestserver 
Host key fingerprint is SHA256:WgtWRY7N3POEhSqhhS6aq7Wac1sR7AQ+abQTpgXiQvU
+---[ECDSA 256]---+
|SSB.   . .S  ..  |
|+* *. . SB ..S   |
|o.B +E oo.=.+ .  |
|.. =..o.. .  +   |
|   bb.b S.    .  |
|  o  o + .       |
|  ... . .        |
|.ooo             |
|+=o.             |
+----[SHA256]-----+
Linux mychestserver 5.10.0-8-cloud-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 5.10.46-5 (2021-09-23) x86_64

The programs included with the Debian GNU/Linux system are free software;
the exact distribution terms for each program are described in the
individual files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright.

Debian GNU/Linux comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY, to the extent
permitted by applicable law.
debian@mychestserver:~$ 
```

You can check all is happy with commands like:

```
free -h
df -h
cat /proc/cpuinfo
dpkg -l
uname -a
dmesg -T
```

# Update Server
First, set new passwords for user `debian` and then `root` on the server,
using sudo as root... Looks something like this:

```
debian@mychestserver:~$ sudo passwd debian
New password: 
Retype new password: 
passwd: password updated successfully
debian@mychestserver:~$ sudo passwd
New password: 
Retype new password: 
passwd: password updated successfully
```

Now, update to latest Debian packages.

```
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt clean
```

Reboot server to newly updated system.
It should take less than a minute to reboot.

```
reboot
```

# Install
Log back into the new server:

```
debian@workstation:~$ ssh mychestserver 
```


## Install Debian Dependencies
Install the following dependencies from Debian's repos:

```
sudo apt update

sudo apt install git openjdk-11-jre-headless python2 redis-server 
```

Note: Docs say `python2` is needed, but is that still correct?

## Install External Dependencies
Lila has quite a few dependencies, many of which are outside
of distribution's repositories. Sometimes the dependency exists
in the repo, but it is the wrong version. So we'll need to install
these dependencies:

* `mongodb`
* `node`
* `sbt`
* `yarn`


### Install MongoDB
Install MongoDB thusly.

Note, they don't have a Debian Bullseye repo, but the Debian
Buster repo works.

```
# Get APT Key
wget -qO - https://www.mongodb.org/static/pgp/server-5.0.asc | sudo apt-key add -

# Add Repository
echo "deb http://repo.mongodb.org/apt/debian buster/mongodb-org/5.0 main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mongodb-org-5.0.list

# Update Apt
sudo apt update

# Install MongoDB Server
sudo apt install mongodb-org

# Be clean
sudo apt clean

# Start mongodb server
sudo systemctl start mongod.service

# Enable mongodb server on boot
sudo systemctl enable mongod.service

# Logs are here:
sudo tail -f /var/log/mongodb/mongod.log
```

### Install Node
Install Node thusly:


### Install SBT
Install SBT thusly:


### Install Yarn
Install Yarn thusly:


## Install Lila

* https://github.com/ornicar/lila


## Install lila-ws
* https://github.com/ornicar/lila-ws

```
vim ./src/main/resources/application.conf
# set
csrf.origin = "https://deepcrayon.fish"
```


# Configure
Configure thusly...


# Use
Use thusly...


# Misc
Potentially include items such as:

* Local firewall.
* Securing ssh.
* Locking down system overall.
* Set locale.
* Set timezone.
* Disable IPv6.
* Lila secrets & salts.
* Turn off unneeded services.
* Forums.
* Irwin.
* Mail.
* Bots.