isle/docs/operator/contributing-storage.md

# Contributing Storage

This document is for you if your host machine can be reliably be online at all
times and has 1GB or more of unused drive space you'd like to contribute to the
network.

## Edit `daemon.yml`

Open your `/etc/isle/daemon.yml` file in a text editor, and find the
`storage.allocations` section.

Each allocation in the allocations list describes the space being contributed
from a single physical drive. If you only have one drive then you will only need
one allocation listed.

The comments in the file should be self-explanatory, but ask your admin if you
need any clarification.

Here is an example set of allocations for a host which is contributing space
from two separate drives:

```
storage:
  allocations:

    # 1.2 TB are being shared from drive1
    - data_path: /mnt/drive1/isle/data
      meta_path: /mnt/drive1/isle/meta
      capacity: 1200

    # 100 GB are being shared from drive2
    - data_path: /mnt/drive2/isle/data
      meta_path: /mnt/drive2/isle/meta
      capacity: 100
```

## Set Up Your Firewall

See the doc on [Firewalls](./firewalls.md), to be sure that your host's firewall
is properly set up for providing storage.

## Restart the Daemon

With the `daemon.yml` configured, you should restart your `isle daemon`
process.

The `isle daemon` will automatically allow the ports used for your
storage allocations in the vpn firewall.

## Removing Allocations

If you later decide to no longer provide storage simply remove the
`storage.allocations` item from your `/etc/isle/daemon.yml` file and restart the
`isle daemon` process.

Once removed, it is advisable to wait some time before removing storage
allocations from other hosts. This ensures that all data which was previously
on this host has had a chance to fully replicate to multiple other hosts.

## Further Reading

Isle uses the [garage][garage] project for its storage system. See the
[Managing Garage](managing-garage.md) document for more
information on how to interact directly with the garage instance being run by
isle.

[garage]: https://garagehq.deuxfleurs.fr/documentation/quick-start/