Overview
Install the hosted·ai panels on your server and configure automated backups to protect your data.
Note
The Admin and User Panels should be installed on a dedicated server or virtual machine (VM) that is separate from the GPU/Compute resources. This system hosts the control and management interfaces, while GPU and compute resources are provided by the connected nodes.
Prerequisites
Before installing hosted·ai, please ensure you meet the following minimum requirements:
CPU: 8 Cores
Memory: 64 GB RAM
Storage: 500 GB NVMe
Operating System: Ubuntu 22.04 (minimal install with
aptandsshinstalled)Network: Public network access (via public IP or NAT) and management network (private) network for communication with GPU nodes
DNS: Entries for both the Admin Panel and User Panel, pointing to your server
Note: Lower configurations may work for testing but are not recommended for production deployments.
SSL Certificate Setup
Ensure DNS is valid, ports are open, and the firewall is disabled during installation to prevent issues with SSL certificate registration.
Need help?
If you require assistance with installation or would like the hosted·ai team to perform the setup on your behalf, please email support@hosted.ai and our support team will take care of it.
Installation
To install hosted·ai, download and run the installer script using this command:
You must run this script as the root user.
curl -o latest -L https://assets.hosted.ai/latest && sh latest
Then, follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation process.
The script will provide the URLs and login details once completed. Please review the output of the script carefully and save the login details.
Accessing the Panels
The User Panel is globally accessible by default using the URL entered during the installation process.
The Admin Panel has restricted access; you must whitelist trusted IPs to access it, see the section on whitelisting below.
Whitelisting IPs
The supported firewall for panel installations is ufw. It is not recommended to use iptables directly or install other firewall management systems, as this may cause issues with the platform. You can manage ufw directly, and we maintain persistent firewall entries using our hai_whitelist application, which works alongside ufw. Entries in the hai_whitelist will override accidental changes in ufw and help prevent mistakes. Entries in the hai_whitelist also allow access to the admin panel.
Whitelist trusted IP addresses for Admin Panel access and to add clusters or bare metal GPU resources. Use the hai_whitelist command:
To add an IP address or range:
hai_whitelist -a <identifier> <IP_address/CIDR>.
The identifier is a descriptive name for the entry. Examples:
hai_whitelist -a office-network 192.168.1.0/24
hai_whitelist -a dr-site 172.16.0.5.
To list the current whitelist: hai_whitelist -l
To delete an entry: hai_whitelist -d <IP_address/CIDR>
hai_whitelist entries are persistent across reboots and firewall changes, they will not interfere with your general ufw setup.
The default firewall setup allows unrestricted access to ports 22 (SSH), 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS), it's recommended to update the ufw and restrict access to SSH, if you have whitelisted trusted IPs you can remove the global rule.
We whitelist our monitoring platform automatically during the installation process, it's recommended to keep this entry in the hai_whitelist so our support team can proactively monitor issues on your environment.
Backup Configuration
hosted·ai panel installation supports automated backups to protect your data. Configure backups to local storage, an S3-compatible object storage service, or an SFTP server. All backups are encrypted with the password proved in the configuration file.
Configuration Files
The primary backup configuration files are:
/etc/hai-backup.d/main.conf
/etc/hai-backup.conf
You will need to edit these files to configure backups before you start the backup server.
Backup Configuration
Use these settings in the configuration file to configure backups:
BACKEND_TYPE: Specifies the backup storage location (local, s3, or sftp). The default is local.
BACKUP_DEST: The path to the backup repository, prefixed with the backend type:
* local:: /absolute/path/to/repo (e.g., local:/var/backups/repo)
It's not a good idea to keep local backups on the same hardware as the system, when using the local backup option you should have an nfs mount or iscsi attached storage device mounted to store the backups.
* s3:: <region-endpoint>/<bucket-name> (e.g., s3:s3.amazonaws.com/my-bucket). Create the S3 bucket in advance. This requires S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID and S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY.
* sftp:: <user>@<host>:/absolute/path/to/repo (e.g., sftp:backup@10.0.0.2:/data/backups/my-customer)
SFTP_PORT: The SSH port for SFTP backups (default 22). This setting only applies if BACKEND_TYPE=sftp.
RESTIC_PASSWORD: The encryption password for backups.
Do not change the restic password after creating backups or you will lose access to existing snapshots.
S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID and S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: Your S3 access key ID and secret access key, required if BACKEND_TYPE=s3.
For increased security, it's recommended to use off-site storage (S3 or SFTP) or separate local storage (e.g., NFS, iSCSI) for backups. Test your backups regularly. Do not store backups on the same disk as the hosted·ai system.
To restore backups use the hai_restore_backup tool, this will list and restore backups to a directory on the admin/user panel instance.
Finally start and ensure it is enabled on boot:
sudo systemctl start hai-backup.timer
sudo systemctl enable hai-backup.timer
Support Access Tunnel
A secure support tunnel is setup during installation for support access via SSH. This allows the support team to assist with tickets securely, eliminating the need to exchange login details. The service is enabled automatically during installation. To turn this service on or off:
sudo systemctl disable --now hai-autossh
sudo systemctl enable --now hai-autossh