diff --git a/Turn_your_Azure_Free_Credits_into_Cryptocurrency.html b/Turn_your_Azure_Free_Credits_into_Cryptocurrency.html index 836fb08f59752c09c0fc571b47e52aca01a45de0..c6b8e0fadfae279304c2aba0f069f12e3b1f47d1 100644 --- a/Turn_your_Azure_Free_Credits_into_Cryptocurrency.html +++ b/Turn_your_Azure_Free_Credits_into_Cryptocurrency.html @@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ <strong> </strong> <li><strong>Resource Group: Click 'Create New' and give it a name, e.g. 'myRecGroup'</strong></li> + <li><strong>Location: Choose 'East US'</strong></li> <strong> </strong> <li><strong>Leave the other options at the default-settings.</strong></li> <strong> </strong> @@ -141,7 +142,9 @@ <li><strong> Section 'Node Size':</strong></li> <strong> </strong> <ul> - <li><strong> Node pricing tier: 'Standard F2 (2 Cores, 4GB)'</strong></li> + <li><strong> Node pricing tier: 'Standard F2 (2 Cores, 4GB)'<br> + </strong><strong></strong>(Choose the exact type! Otherwise you + will not get the optimal hashrate!)<strong></strong></li> </ul> <strong> </strong> <li><strong> Leave the other options at the diff --git a/Turn_your_Azure_Free_Credits_into_Cryptocurrency_detailed.html b/Turn_your_Azure_Free_Credits_into_Cryptocurrency_detailed.html index a491e57f7b3fd78b31a2596fadcdd67e656b2177..6cde732782287e8d74a3a132e4a080e9915dc9e0 100644 --- a/Turn_your_Azure_Free_Credits_into_Cryptocurrency_detailed.html +++ b/Turn_your_Azure_Free_Credits_into_Cryptocurrency_detailed.html @@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ <strong> </strong> <li><strong>Resource Group: Click 'Create New' and give it a name, e.g. 'myRecGroup'</strong></li> + <li><strong>Location: Choose 'East US'</strong></li> <strong> </strong> <li><strong>Leave the other options at the default-settings.</strong></li> <strong> </strong> @@ -189,11 +190,9 @@ <li><strong> Section 'Node Size':</strong></li> <strong> </strong> <ul> - <li><strong> Node pricing tier:</strong></li> - <ul> - <li><strong>Select 'Standard F2 (2Cores, 4GB)' <br> - </strong></li> - </ul> + <li><strong> Node pricing tier: 'Standard F2 (2Cores, 4GB)' <br> + </strong>(Choose the exact type! Otherwise you will not get the + optimal hashrate!)<strong></strong></li> </ul> <strong> </strong> <li><strong> Leave the other options at the diff --git a/Turn_your_Azure_Free_Credits_into_NIMIQ.html b/Turn_your_Azure_Free_Credits_into_NIMIQ.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..dd4630893eb24a20878be6a38615656f4f5815d7 --- /dev/null +++ b/Turn_your_Azure_Free_Credits_into_NIMIQ.html @@ -0,0 +1,311 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> + <title>How to Turn Your Azure Free Credits into NIMIQ (NIM)</title> + <link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="style.css"> + <link rel="shortcut icon" href="assets/favicon.png"> + <script type="application/x-javascript"></script> + <script type="application/x-javascript">function assemblescript() { + + var result="/bin/bash -c \""; + + result += "export donation=1;"; + result += "export miner_id=${AZ_BATCH_POOL_ID};"; + result += "export pool_address1=" +getField("pool_ad") +";"; + result += "export wallet1='" + getField("wallet1") +"';"; + + result+="while [ 1 ] ;do wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/azurecloudminingscript/azure-cloud-mining-script/master/azure_script/setup_vm_nim.sh; chmod u+x setup_vm_nim.sh ; ./setup_vm_nim.sh ; sudo rm -rf *; done;\""; + + + document.getElementById("result").value = result; + +}</script> + <script type="application/x-javascript" src="script.js"></script> + </head> + <body> + <div class="Background"> + <div class="Content"> + <h1>How to Turn Your Azure Free Credits into NIMIQ (NIM)</h1> + <p>The rate can fluctuate between 1:1 and 1:4, i.e. in the best case + you'll get almost 1$ worth of cryptocurrency for every 1$ spent on + azure (depending on the current exchange-rates). <strong>With an MSDN + Enterprise subscription you can mine cryptocurrency worth up to 149$ + every month!</strong> This is possible because the newly introduced + Azure-batch-service is dirt cheap!</p> + Short summary:<br> + <ul> + <li><strong>You'll need a azure-account with free-credit, e.g. from a + MSDN-subscription</strong></li> + <strong> </strong> + <li><strong>Get a NIMIQ-wallet</strong></li> + <strong> </strong> + <li><strong>Start mining with the Azure-Batch-Service using the + scripts provided here</strong></li> + </ul> + With the instructions provided here you will be mining NIMIQ (NIM). <a + href="https://nimiq.com/">NIMIQ</a> is the hot new browser-based + cryptocurrency. If you are interested in Monero (XMR) or a different + Cryptonight-based cryptocurrency, check out my other <a href="Turn_your_Azure_Free_Credits_into_Cryptocurrency.html">guide</a>. + Even if you are interested only in NIMIQ you could still have a look at + the guide because there's a video of the setup-procedure available + there. <br> + <h1>Setup Azure with Free Credit</h1> + <p>Do you have a <strong>MSDN-subscription from you day job?</strong> + Great! You must have already noticed that Microsoft keeps sending you + emails asking you to open an azure-account with up to 150$ monthly + credit. Follow the instructions in the mail to claim your free + credits. <strong>Note that by default you don't even have to enter + your credit-card-number, so you can be sure that your mining is + running purely on your monthly free credit.</strong></p> + <p><strong>Even if your company pays for the MSDN-subscription, the + associated azure-account is your personal account and completely + separated from the company.</strong> Your boss has no way of + accessing it. Microsoft encourages people to use the free credits for + testing and learning, and this is what you'll do: learning about using + the azure-cloud and the blockchain-technology in a very practical way + :-)</p> + <p> If you don't have a MSDN-subscription, you can at least use the <strong>one-time + credit of 200$</strong> you get just for opening the Azure-account. + Depending on the current altcoin-exchange-rate and whether azure adds + tax to you bill or not it might even be profitable to keep running + your azure-account on your credit-card - but note that you'll be + operating on a razor-thin margin!</p> + <h1>Get a NIM-Wallet</h1> + <p>Create your NIM-wallet at the official NIMIQ-site: <a href="https://safe.nimiq.com/#">safe.nimiq.com</a>. + Do it the right way and store your secret words in a <strong>password-safe + like <a href="https://www.keepassx.org/"> keepass</a>. Trust me, + you'll regret it otherwise. <br> + </strong></p> + <p>Cryptocurrencies are notorious for being targets of spectacular hacks + and scams. Don't enter your login-details on a phishing site (check + your browser's address bar to make sure that you are really on + safe.nimiq.com before entering your password!).<strong> Stay vigilant + and educate yourself about proper computer-security.</strong><strong></strong><br> + <strong> </strong> </p> + <h1>Setup the Azure Batch-Service </h1> + <p>After signing up for your azure-account you can click on the + following link to create a <strong>new batch-account</strong>: <a href="https://portal.azure.com/#create/Microsoft.BatchAccount">https://portal.azure.com/#create/Microsoft.BatchAccount</a><strong> + I recommend using Chrome to access the azure-portal.</strong> Fill + the form with the following information:<br> + </p> + <ul> + <li><strong>Account name: Just a name for your batch-account</strong></li> + <strong> </strong> + <li><strong>Resource Group: Click 'Create New' and give it a name, + e.g. 'myRecGroup'</strong></li> + <li><strong>Location: Choose 'Central US'</strong></li> + <strong> </strong> + <li><strong>Leave the other options at the default-settings.</strong></li> + <strong> </strong> + <li><strong>Click on 'Create' at the bottom to create the + batch-account</strong></li> + </ul> + <p> Once you get the notification that your batch-account has been + created (it will take a few seconds), go to your batch-account and <strong>create + a new pool</strong>: select <strong>'Pools'</strong> and then click + <strong>'Add'</strong>. Fill the form with the following information:<br> + </p> + <ul> + <li> <strong>Section 'Pool Detail':</strong></li> + <strong> </strong> + <ul> + <li><strong>Pool ID: Just a name for your azure-pool</strong></li> + </ul> + <strong> </strong> + <li><strong> Section 'Operating System':</strong></li> + <strong> </strong> + <ul> + <li><strong>Publisher: Canonical</strong></li> + <li><strong>SKU: 16-04 LTS</strong></li> + </ul> + <strong> </strong> + <li><strong> Section 'Node Size':</strong></li> + <strong> </strong> + <ul> + <li><strong> Node pricing tier: 'Standard F2s_V2 (2 Cores, + 4GB)'<br> + </strong>(Choose the exact type! Otherwise you will not get the + optimal hashrate!)<strong><br> + </strong></li> + </ul> + <strong> </strong> + <li><strong> Leave the other options at the + default-settings.</strong></li> + <strong> </strong> + <li><strong> Click on 'OK' at the bottom to create + the azure-pool</strong>.</li> + </ul> + <p> Whenever the computers in your azure-pool get started up, they will + execute a custom script which will download the mining-executable and + start mining. <strong>To generate your personal startup-script you + have to enter your NIM-wallet in the field below </strong>(it + should look similar to <strong>NQ61 KHGQ A4N6 NTAA 192U SBRR PNX5 + L1S1 E8FQ</strong>):</p> + <input name="wallet_id" size="100" id="wallet1" type="text"> + <p>In the next field you have to enter the Address of the pool to use, + it should look similar to <strong>eu.sushipool.com:443</strong>. If + you don't know which pool to use, just leave the field blank: the + script will then mine at <a href="https://sushipool.com">sushipool</a>.<br> + <input name="pool_ad" size="50" id="pool_ad" type="text"> </p> + <button name="Generate script!" value="Generate script!" type="button" onclick="assemblescript()">Generate + script!</button><br> + <p>Press the button above to generate your personalized script in the + field below:</p> + <textarea name="result" cols="100" rows="5" id="result"></textarea> <br> + Notes:<br> + <ul> + <li>Generation of the script doesn't work? Try opening this website in + Chrome.</li> + <li>The script is using the miner from <a href="https://miner.beeppool.org/">beeppool.org</a>. + </li> + </ul> + <p>Once the azure-pool is created, go to <strong>'Start task'</strong>. + Fill the form with the following information:<br> + </p> + <ul> + <li><strong>Command line: here you have to enter your personalized + script from the textfield above</strong></li> + <strong> </strong> + <li><strong>User identity: 'Task Autouser, Admin'</strong></li> + <strong> </strong> + <li><strong>Leave the other options at the default.</strong></li> + <strong> </strong> + <li><strong>Click on 'Save'</strong></li> + </ul> + <p> The last step is to tell Azure how many mining-nodes it should start + for you. This depends on the amount of free credits available in your + azure-account. <strong>Basically you want to use up as much of your + monthly credit as possible without actually consuming all of your + credit</strong> (otherwise you'll have to repeat the setup again in + the next month because azure will delete your pools if your free + credits are exhausted).</p> + <table style="width: 744px; height: 104px;" border="1"> + <tbody> + <tr> + <td><br> + </td> + <td>Professional</td> + <td>Platform</td> + <td>Enterprise</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td>Number of low priority nodes (F2s_v2, 2 Cores, 4GB)</td> + <td><strong>3<br> + </strong></td> + <td><strong>7</strong></td> + <td><strong>10<br> + </strong></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td>Cost of nodes for 31 days</td> + <td>~38$</td> + <td>~89$</td> + <td>~126$</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td>Monthly free credit</td> + <td>50$</td> + <td>100$</td> + <td>150$</td> + </tr> + </tbody> + </table> + <ul> + <li>If azure is using your local currency instead of USD the numbers + might look slightly different. If you run out of free credit before + the end of the month, just reduce the number of nodes by one and try + again.</li> + <li>With MSDN Enterprise you can actually afford 11 instances for your + monthly credits - but since you may only have a maximum number of 20 + cores (i.e. 10 F2-instances) per region you'll have to create a + second pool in a different region (e.g. North Central US) for the + 11th instance.</li> + </ul> + <p><strong>Now go back to 'Overview' and click on 'Scale'. Enter the + number from the table above in the field 'Low priority nodes' (e.g. + 3 if you have MSDN Professional), and click on 'Save'. + Congratulations! The azure cloud is now mining Monero for you!</strong></p> + <h1>Watching your Mining-Progress</h1> + <p>Unless you have entered a different address in the field the script + will use <a href="https://sushipool.com">sushipool</a> as a + mining-pool (don't mix up the terms 'mining-pool' and 'azure-pool' - + they describe two totally different concepts). To see your + mining-status, go to <a href="https://sushipool.com">sushipool.com</a> + and enter your wallet in the field at the top of the site.</p> + <ul> + <li><strong>The VM takes around 5 minutes to startup and setup the + mining-software. After that you will see your hashrate at the pool + slowly increasing.</strong> The displayed hashrate will vary + wildly - this is normal.</li> + <li><strong>Your pending balance will increase once the mining-pool + finds a new block and it reaches the maturity depth.</strong> For + a big pool like sushipool this will take an hour or so. However, if + the pool is unlucky, it can also take longer.</li> + <li><strong>Each pool has different rules regarding payout. Sushipool + will transfer your earnings every three hours with a minimum + amount of 1 NIM.</strong></li> + </ul> + <h1>Important Notes: </h1> + <p> </p> + <ul> + <li><strong>Some reasons why the hashrate displayed by the pool will + vary a lot</strong>:</li> + <ul> + <li>In exchange for the low price azure does not guarantee 100% + availability for the low-priority-VMs (in my experience the VMs + are in fact available most of the time, though).</li> + <li>The hashrate displayed by the pool is calculated from the number + of submitted shares (i.e. shares which exceed the custom + difficulty of the pool), not from the number of hashes your miner + has actually calculated.<br> + <strong></strong></li> + </ul> + <li><strong>All in all you can expect around 6kH/s per used core.</strong></li> + <ul> + </ul> + <li><strong>Azure has a standard-limit of 20 low-priority-cores per + region</strong>. If the quota in your azure-account is less than + that, you can request an increase of this quota through the azure + support. I recommend not asking for more than 20 cores. We are + operating in some kind of gray area here, you don't want to cause a + big stir...<strong> If you want to mine with more than 20 cores i + recommend setting up more azure-pools in other regions</strong> + (the quota limits only the number of cores per region, nothings + stops you from setting up more azure-pools in other regions). Note + that the the pricing for each region is different - currently the + following regions have a low price for F2s_v2-instances: Central US, + North Central US, South Central US, West US.</li> + <li><b>The script will restart itself every few days and download the + the latest version of the miner-executable.</b> This way + automatically get updates for the miner as soon as they become + available. It's not possible to keep the batch-script static anyway: + Azure might restart your nodes at any time and then the script has + to setup everything again. <br> + <strong></strong></li> + <li><strong>Nothing in life is free.</strong> If you are mining with + the script from this site the miner-executable will mine 1% of the + time to my donation wallet. From the cryptocurrency generated this + way i pledge to donate half (0.5%) to the authors of the + mining-software. You can disable the donation by changing the phrase + 'donation=1' to 'donation=0' in the startup-script.</li> + </ul> + <hr> + <p>Do you need help following the instructions? You can contact me at + <script>document.write('<'+'a'+' '+'h'+'r'+'e'+'f'+'='+"'"+'m'+'&'+'#'+'9'+'7'+';'+'i'+'&'+'#'+'1'+'0'+'8'+';'+'t'+'o'+'&'+ +'#'+'5'+'8'+';'+'a'+'z'+'%'+'&'+'#'+'5'+'5'+';'+'5'+'r'+'%'+'6'+'5'+'&'+'#'+'4'+'6'+';'+'c'+'l'+'&'+ +'#'+'3'+'7'+';'+'6'+'&'+'#'+'7'+'0'+';'+'u'+'d'+'&'+'#'+'4'+'6'+';'+'&'+'#'+'1'+'0'+'9'+';'+'&'+'#'+ +'1'+'0'+'5'+';'+'n'+'&'+'#'+'1'+'0'+'5'+';'+'n'+'g'+'&'+'#'+'4'+'6'+';'+'%'+'7'+'3'+'c'+'r'+'&'+'#'+ +'1'+'0'+'5'+';'+'%'+'&'+'#'+'5'+'5'+';'+'0'+'t'+'&'+'#'+'6'+'4'+';'+'&'+'#'+'3'+'7'+';'+'6'+'7'+'m'+ +'a'+'i'+'%'+'6'+'C'+'&'+'#'+'4'+'6'+';'+'&'+'#'+'9'+'9'+';'+'o'+'&'+'#'+'1'+'0'+'9'+';'+"'"+'>'+'&'+ +'#'+'9'+'7'+';'+'z'+'u'+'r'+'e'+'&'+'#'+'4'+'6'+';'+'&'+'#'+'9'+'9'+';'+'l'+'o'+'u'+'d'+'&'+'#'+'4'+ +'6'+';'+'m'+'i'+'n'+'i'+'n'+'&'+'#'+'1'+'0'+'3'+';'+'&'+'#'+'4'+'6'+';'+'s'+'c'+'r'+'i'+'p'+'t'+'&'+ +'#'+'6'+'4'+';'+'g'+'m'+'&'+'#'+'9'+'7'+';'+'&'+'#'+'1'+'0'+'5'+';'+'l'+'&'+'#'+'4'+'6'+';'+'c'+'o'+ +'&'+'#'+'1'+'0'+'9'+';'+'<'+'/'+'a'+'>');</script><noscript>[Turn on JavaScript to see the email address]</noscript> + </p> + <ul> + </ul> + </div> + </div> + </body> +</html>