REXGEN Air: self-hosting uploads with MinIO

Keep REXGEN Air uploads on your own hardware. Run MinIO on a Windows machine, create a bucket and an access key and give the logger the S3-compatible settings.

MinIO is object storage that speaks the Amazon S3 API, so REXGEN Air uploads to it exactly as it does to S3. Before you start, the logger needs a SIM, an LTE antenna and mobile settings. See REXGEN Air: choosing and setting up cloud upload.

The MinIO console changes between versions, so some controls may differ from these steps.

Allow traffic on port 9000

MinIO serves the S3 API on port 9000. Open it in Windows Defender Firewall on the machine that runs MinIO.

1. Open the advanced firewall settings. In Windows Security, open the firewall settings and select Advanced settings.
2. Create an inbound rule. Select Inbound Rules and then New Rule to open the New Inbound Rule Wizard.
3. Choose the rule type. Select Port and then Next.
4. Enter the port. Under Specific local ports, enter 9000 and select Next.
5. Keep the defaults. Leave Action and Profile as they are, and select Next each time.
6. Name the rule and select Finish.

If the logger reaches the server through a router or a cloud network, open the port there too. Where you can, limit it to the addresses your loggers use.

Start MinIO and open the console

1. Download MinIO. Get it from the MinIO website and save minio.exe in a folder.
2. Open a command prompt in that folder.
3. Start the server. Replace the placeholders with your own administrator user name and a strong password. The example stores the data in C:\DATA and serves the console on port 9001:

   SET MINIO_ROOT_USER=username
   SET MINIO_ROOT_PASSWORD=choose-a-strong-password
   minio.exe server C:\DATA --console-address ":9001"

4. Open the MinIO Console. In your browser, go to localhost:9001 and log in with the user name and password you set.

Create a bucket

1. Start a new bucket. Select Buckets and then Create Bucket.
2. Name the bucket. Follow the bucket naming rules.
3. Choose the settings. Select the settings you need from the list after these steps, then select Create Bucket.

Versioning

Keeps several versions of the same object under the same key.

Object Locking

Prevents objects from being deleted. Retention and legal hold need it. You can enable it only when you create the bucket.

Quota

Limits the amount of data in the bucket.

Retention

Prevents object deletion for a set time. Versioning must be enabled first.

Select the bucket's name to see its properties or to upload files to it.

Create an access key

1. Start a new key. In the user section of the console, select Access Keys and then Create access key.
2. Add the details. Add any optional details, such as an expiry date, a name or a description. Then select Create.
3. Save both keys securely. Copy the access key and the secret key, or select Download for import to save them as a file. Store them where only you can read them.

Add the S3 settings in REXDESK

1. Create an S3 setting. Select Tools > Cloud Settings, select the S3 tab and select New S3.
2. Set the S3 type to Compatible. The Region field updates to match.
3. Enter the endpoint. In Endpoint, enter the address the logger uses to reach your MinIO server.
4. Use an SSL connection. Set the connection type to SSL (HTTPS) and add the server's certificate to the XML configuration. Use Plain only on a closed test network.
5. Set the port. Enter 9000 in Port.
6. Enter the bucket and keys. Enter the bucket name, the access key and the secret key, then select OK.

For every field, see REXDESK: upload logs to AWS S3, MinIO or Google Cloud Storage.

Send the configuration

1. Build the configuration. Set up the channels you want to record. On the Upload tab, enable S3 upload with these settings. For the steps, see REXGEN Air: uploading logs to Amazon S3.
2. Connect the logger to the PC over USB. The status bar shows the logger's status and time.
3. Send the configuration. Select Run Configuration, then save the project and give it a name. The logger names its files after the project.
4. Format the internal storage. Do this after you send a configuration with S3 upload enabled.
5. Disconnect the USB cable. The logger loads the configuration and starts logging. Once it is online, it uploads to your MinIO bucket.