How to monitor IPFS assets with StatusCake

What is IPFS?

IPFS stands for “InterPlanetary File System,” and it’s built on the founding principle that the web should be decentralised, resilient, and content-addressable, allowing data to be stored and shared in a way that is not reliant on centralised servers. IPFS is considered a part of “Web3”. Use cases are varied, and some examples include:

Decentralised Content Hosting: Hosting websites, blogs, or documents without relying on traditional web servers.

Data Backup and Archiving: Storing critical data with redundancy across distributed nodes for long-term preservation.

File Sharing: Efficiently sharing large datasets or media files in peer-to-peer networks.

Blockchain Integration: Storing off-chain data or assets, such as NFTs, to reduce on-chain storage costs.

Collaborative Tools: Powering decentralised applications (dApps) for collaborative editing, version control, or data sharing.

Scientific Research Data: Distributing large datasets for scientific research, examples being genomic data or climate models.

This diversity of applications gives a taste of IPFS’s potential to revolutionise how data is stored and accessed globally.

How does IPFS work?

Because IPFS is a decentralised protocol for storing and sharing data. Instead of using a central server, the technology relies on a network of nodes (computers) running IPFS software. Files are split into smaller chunks, each assigned a unique cryptographic hash, which serves as its address. This ensures that data integrity is maintained, as any change to the file would generate a new hash.

When a file is requested, the IPFS network locates and retrieves the chunks from multiple nodes using a Distributed Hash Table (DHT). This process is efficient and resilient, similar to how torrents work. Gateways, such as IPFS.io or Cloudflare’s IPFS Gateway, allow users to access IPFS content via a web browser without running their own node. Providers like Pinata, Infura, and Fleek offer tools and infrastructure to manage IPFS data more easily, making it accessible for developers and end users.

Given its decentralised nature and reliance on multiple nodes and gateways, monitoring IPFS performance and availability is crucial to ensure reliable access to data and maintain the integrity of decentralised systems.

How can I best monitor my IPFS resources?

Monitoring IPFS resources can be tricky as the decentralised nature of IPFS relies on multiple nodes and gateways, making it harder to pinpoint performance or availability issues without the right tools. Content availability, node uptime, and gateway performance all require active monitoring to ensure a seamless experience.

With StatusCake, we allow you to keep an eye on the most important factors. You can ensure the availability and reliability of your content and systems by using our built-in tools.

Monitor the IPFS Node

Check that the base node/s serving your content is up and running. We can monitor as fast as every 30 seconds on our Business plan, giving you peace of mind that your node remains online. and can continue to serve the required content.

Monitor Websites Hosted on IPFS

Use uptime monitoring to track the availability of websites hosted on IPFS. Decentralised websites are a powerful use case for IPFS, but they rely on nodes and gateways to stay accessible. With StatusCake, you can ensure these sites are always available to your users, detect outages quickly, and maintain the reliability of your decentralised web presence.

Monitor IPFS Content Performance via Relevant Gateways

Use page speed monitoring to assess how quickly your IPFS content is being served through gateways. This is important because users often access IPFS content via gateways like IPFS.io or Cloudflare’s IPFS Gateway, which bridge the decentralised network with the web. Ensuring minimal delays is crucial to maintaining a smooth user experience and showcasing the potential of decentralised systems. This is also a good early warning if a gateway is having some issues in general.

Ensure that your IPFS node presents the expected content per hash

Some IPFS data is meant to be immutable—it shouldn’t change over time. That’s why StatusCake’s Content Match feature is so handy. By checking the content served from IPFS gateways (like https://ipfs.io/ipfs/<content_hash>), you can make sure the data you expect is still there and exactly as it should be. Whether it’s text, a key value, or a hash identifier, you can set up a check to validate it’s all intact. If anything’s missing or doesn’t match, you’ll get an alert right away. This is incredibly useful for ensuring your decentralised websites, pinned files, or important assets stay consistent and reliable. It’s an easy way to keep tabs on the kind of data that really shouldn’t change!

Why Monitoring IPFS Matters

IPFS is a game-changer for decentralised storage and the future of the web, but it still requires active monitoring to ensure everything runs smoothly. From keeping your nodes online to ensuring your content is served quickly and accurately, tools like StatusCake give you the visibility you need to trust your IPFS resources. Whether you’re hosting websites, managing critical data, or building the next big dApp, monitoring helps you stay ahead of potential issues, so you can focus on what really matters—delivering reliable, decentralised experiences to your users.