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Deploy Self-Hosted Step Runners for On-Premises Environments in Torq
Deploy Self-Hosted Step Runners for On-Premises Environments in Torq

Set up and manage self-hosted step runners in Torq to execute steps requiring access to private environments.

Updated over 3 weeks ago

Use self-hosted step runners to execute workflow steps that require access to services within your private environments, such as virtual private clouds (VPCs) or on-premises data centers. By default, Torq steps run on the Torq cloud runner, but steps requiring access to private resources must be executed on a self-hosted runner.

Configuring a Self-Hosted Step Runner

Follow these steps to create and deploy a self-hosted step runner:

  • It is recommended to allocate at least 2GB RAM and 2 vCPUs for self-hosted step runners. In Kubernetes, these resources should be allocated to the nodes hosting the runner and, in Docker, to the host machine.

  • Before deploying a self-hosted step runner, ensure the machine has sufficient memory and correct time configuration to meet workload demands.

  1. Navigate to Integrations: In Torq, go to Integrations > Runner. Select Step Runner, and click Add.

  2. Name the Step Runner: Provide a descriptive name that reflects the runner's type (Kubernetes or Docker) and the deployment environment.

  3. Select the Deployment Type: Choose between Kubernetes or Docker.

  4. Generate the Install Command: Click Add. Torq will automatically generate an install command.

  5. Execute the Install Command: Copy the install command and run it in your terminal.

    1. This action deploys the step runner using the generated YAML configuration file, which is automatically downloaded to your system.

    2. When done, the runner is ready to use.

The install command for the runner is valid for 24 hours. If needed, you can regenerate a new install command (see below).

Specify a Step Runner for Step Execution

To use a self-hosted step runner for specific steps:

  1. Add the step to your workflow canvas.

  2. Open the Execution Options section.

  3. Select the self-hosted runner from the Runner dropdown.

Regenerating an Install Command

To reinstall an unhealthy runner or deploy an additional instance:

  1. Go to Integrations > Runner, and select the desired step runner.

  2. Use the three-dot menu to choose Regenerate install command.

  3. Select the deployment platform: Docker or Kubernetes.

  4. Copy the new install command and execute it within 24 hours.

URLs Required for Communication with Torq

To ensure proper functionality, verify that the host where the step runner is deployed has access to the following URLs:

For a complete list of IP addresses used by Google, refer to:

Proxy Support

Background

Local Step runners communicate with the Torq service via an outbound GRPC-over-TLS connection - that is, we use a TLS transport to carry GRPC instructions. Additional operations (such as uploading logs and downloading images) are performed via outbound HTTP/S connections.

This communication may be configured to operate through a proxy server. Follow the instructions below for details on how to customize your Local Step Runner deployment.

Note:

Torq strongly recommends against performing SSL or TLS Inspection (commonly known as "man-in-the-middle" inspection) for the communication with the Torq Service. The primary reasons for this are:

  • The communication uses an application-layer encrypted non-web protocol. The inspection engine may not support inspecting the traffic, and may interfere with communications.

  • The traffic is binary, and, mostly, applicatively encrypted, so the inspection won’t find anything.

  • Weakening to our security - as we cannot verify the client certificate from the runner connections

  • Just wastes the inspecting proxy’s CPU power and slows things down

For customers who have implemented SSL or TLS inspection, Torq strongly recommends that the Torq Service communication be excluded from this inspection layer.

Deployment in Various Environments

Self-hosted step runners can be deployed in a variety of additional environments, including:

Advanced Deployment Settings

Troubleshooting

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