[BOUNTY] Open Source pooled mining platform with web interface

[SgtSpike]

Due to the recent discussion of the possible security issues with deepbit.net and other large pool miners controlling too much of the overall hashing power (http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=8653.0), I would like to open up a bounty thread for an open source pooled mining platform with an already-coded web interface.

The installation and configuration of this pool software should be extremely simple, to where anyone who is able to set up their own miner, buy webhosting with MySQL and a VPS/dedicated server for bitcoind, and has some basic knowledge of how to use said hosting package, should be able to set it up.

User-side setup actions should be limited to:
- Setting a configuration file for the server that miners connect to to get work
- Entering a username/password for future administrative access to the backend configuration of the web side of things
- Inputting database settings within an administrative backend of the web interface for MySQL data storage

MySQL tables should be automatically created without user intervention.  As long as the files are properly uploaded to the website, the pool server is running on said webhost's VPS or another server with proper port-forwarding, and the MySQL database information has been given, the pool should be up and running, and anyone can connect.  DNS address creation can, of course, be optionally executed by the user of the pool.

Does anyone want to start off the bounty for this project with a promised number of BTC if said project is seen to completion?

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[xf2_org]

Does anyone want to start off the bounty for this project with a promised number of BTC if said project is seen to completion?

Do I get any cut of the bounty after writing two FOSS pool servers? 

The installation and configuration of this pool software should be extremely simple, to where anyone who is able to set up their own miner, buy webhosting with MySQL, and has some basic knowledge of how to use said hosting package, should be able to set it up.

A webhosting account probably would not permit you to run the requisite bitcoind.

You'd need at least a VPS, and even a VPS isn't strong enough to be a public pool server...

[SgtSpike]

Does anyone want to start off the bounty for this project with a promised number of BTC if said project is seen to completion?

Do I get any cut of the bounty after writing two FOSS pool servers? 

The installation and configuration of this pool software should be extremely simple, to where anyone who is able to set up their own miner, buy webhosting with MySQL, and has some basic knowledge of how to use said hosting package, should be able to set it up.

A webhosting account probably would not permit you to run the requisite bitcoind.

You'd need at least a VPS, and even a VPS isn't strong enough to be a public pool server...

If it is contributory to the codebase for whatever comes out of the project, then yes, I'd say you should get a cut.  I have no idea the best way to determine the cut percentages though, so someone else should step in and give some ideas on that front.

Some minimum estimated system requirements from current pool owners would be nice, regarding VPS and miners.  I'd imagine that a VPS could run it ok up to a certain point of mining activity, then it would have to move to a dedicated host.  Something like:

Requirements for 100 connected miners
Requirements for 1000 connected miners
Requirements for 10000 connected miners
etc...

[xf2_org]

Some minimum estimated system requirements from current pool owners would be nice, regarding VPS and miners.  I'd imagine that a VPS could run it ok up to a certain point of mining activity, then it would have to move to a dedicated host.  Something like:

Requirements for 100 connected miners
Requirements for 1000 connected miners
Requirements for 10000 connected miners
etc...

It isn't that easy.  Pretty much every single public pool created > 30 days ago has suffered from DDoS attacks.  A single, lone VPS would simply keel over, no matter how many connected miners.

[gkolt]

Ok, so lets forget about the simplicity of running it into a webhost, and lets just make the web interface interacting with poolserver/bitcoind.

We are already able to make a poolserver (pushpool) and run it just fine, we're just missing some documentations (on pushpool) and the web interface/frontend.

[SgtSpike]

Some minimum estimated system requirements from current pool owners would be nice, regarding VPS and miners.  I'd imagine that a VPS could run it ok up to a certain point of mining activity, then it would have to move to a dedicated host.  Something like:

Requirements for 100 connected miners
Requirements for 1000 connected miners
Requirements for 10000 connected miners
etc...

It isn't that easy.  Pretty much every single public pool created > 30 days ago has suffered from DDoS attacks.  A single, lone VPS would simply keel over, no matter how many connected miners.

Good point.

gkolt, agreed.  Let's focus on the programming that needs to be done for such a project.

[metonymous]

No bounty? Is there a trustful btc website set up for pooled bounties? Like clearcoin, escrow or something?

I admire greatly that jgarzik has released so much of his code. The incentives to *not* release code ATM is greater than the incentives *to* release it. I don't know who's gonna donate much to this bounty, but I for one am amidst development of a complete stack, and given enough incentive could release it - eventually.

I've already got a tonne of scripts and such, and every time I go to push it to github I stop and go... wait, don't help the competition.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's thought along such lines 

[xf2_org]

The incentives to *not* release code ATM is greater than the incentives *to* release it. I don't know who's gonna donate much to this bounty, but I for one am amidst development of a complete stack, and given enough incentive could release it - eventually.

Yes.  This is the primary reason why I started writing pool software.  The incentive to keep your stuff private is huge.

In turn, this leads to a fewer number of large pools.

I think bitcoin will be robust and healthy with a larger number of pools.  [Tycho] is a good guy, but it is not healthy for the bitcoin ecosystem that deepbit often exceeds 40% network power.

[SgtSpike]

The incentives to *not* release code ATM is greater than the incentives *to* release it. I don't know who's gonna donate much to this bounty, but I for one am amidst development of a complete stack, and given enough incentive could release it - eventually.

Yes.  This is the primary reason why I started writing pool software.  The incentive to keep your stuff private is huge.

In turn, this leads to a fewer number of large pools.

I think bitcoin will be robust and healthy with a larger number of pools.  [Tycho] is a good guy, but it is not healthy for the bitcoin ecosystem that deepbit often exceeds 40% network power.

So we just need a bounty incentive to exceed the natural incentive to keep your stuff private.

Any donors?

[davout]

I won't donate coins, but I'll definitely give time to code an open source web interface that manages a backend.
I'll also provide a fat server to test it.

If you're interested drop me a PM as I don't check the forum every day.

[en3r0]

Really all we need is a front end for pushpool: http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=8707.0

[Basiley]

VPS service insecure "by design".
virtual machine[esp EMC/VMWare-based] was better, but unsecure too, even on trusted provider.
you need host it only fully-secured[physically and electronically]/controlled environment.
IMO.
otherwise it had no point.

[darbsllim]

Where does one get started to create a pool?

What are the costs involved in buying the software to run the pool, and the hardware and servers to keep it afloat?

B

[gusti]

I will bounty 100 BTC. Must have at least same or more features than actual known pools.
On the other side, I think that any serious pool operator, must run his pool on a dedi server provider WITH ANTI-DDOS capabilities from the start. Any less will fail.

[lizthegrey]

Something that I'm working on (that won't cover the web frontend bit) but that will significantly reduce the expense involved in running a pool: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ciKH3M8WYS49ywz08beXtvpCm2wVGdzU7waKwcn_uaU/edit?hl=en_US&authkey=CJTqyOMF#

[lexa500]

I can donate my own dedi for testing and some miners too.

[freeborn]

first post  .. loooooong time lurker.

please add 30btc to the bounty!

I can also offer a dedicated server for testing and a nice handful of workers to start.

Id really like to see this happen, the massive growth of deepbit and slush has taken a bit of my confidence away from bitcoin.  Lots of communities having the ability to form there own pools will change this.

[SgtSpike]

That's a 130 BTC bounty then!

freeborn - 30 BTC
gusti - 100 BTC__
TOTAL - 130 BTC

[freeborn]

push pool is the best base to start with right? http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=8707.0

all my testing will be done on debian.

things that I thought were important:
* ability for new users to sign up and log in (is this a separate db?)
* users must be able to create/delete new workers (this interacts with the pushpool database)
* calculate shares per round
* automatic pay outs?
* Also, graphing is a must.

I currently work on deploying OSS this includes lots of documentation etc.  So if someone begins working on this during my testing I will document everything having todo with usage and installation on a wiki somewhere.

This is really needed if we dont want to rely on deepbit and slush to keep our bitcoin standard.

Also my 30btc pledge is for the first implementation, I will definitely pool more btc towards continual dev.

[davout]

This sounds like a very interesting project, I'll definitely do it.
I'll post my conditions, requirements and a brief RFC tomorrow before going to meet with gavin and some fellow bitcoiners in Paris.