# NR + MQTT as standalone server - opinions

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/nr-mqtt-as-standalone-server-opinions/64618>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [2 July 2022 22:54 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/nr-mqtt-as-standalone-server-opinions/64618 "2022-07-02T22:54:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![PizzaProgram](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/pizzaprogram/32/19431_2.png) [@PizzaProgram](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/PizzaProgram)\
**Post date:** [2 July 2022 23:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/nr-mqtt-as-standalone-server-opinions/64618/2 "2022-07-02T23:26:36Z")

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Currently I'm confused about following things:

1. What OS would be the best base?

2. Is **docker** better than installing directly to the OS ?  
_(Maybe could run tests easier by cloning and revert to prev. state, if did something wrong... but maybe the different port-forwarding would make it just more difficult.)_

3. Do I need to isolate multiple NR instances to handle different pizzerias?  
_(Some are connected to each other, like having 1 call center but 2-3 kitchens on different locations in the city, so maybe it would be better to have only one to isolate + group.)_

4. NR is not multicore, so scaling on the VPS can be difficult, if I run only one instance.  
(How many MQTT messages + node-red flows can handle one Xeon CPU core anyway?)

5. Instead of installing this complicated way SSL + firewall + everything ([link...](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-ssl-using-letsencrypt-certbot/17606)) I have red everywhere I should user a **reverse proxy** instead, because it is much much more secure. Something like this:  
[reverse\_proxy (Caddyfile directive) — Caddy Documentation](https://caddyserver.com/docs/caddyfile/directives/reverse_proxy)  
... which seems to be much easier to configure + it handles all the Let's Encrypt things by itself.  
Any experience with this?

6. Is [https://www.hivemq.com](https://www.hivemq.com) the most recommended MQTT solution?

7. How should I secure MQTT, so nobody can use it, only my APP and customers? **But I can not change any CERT files or keys in my APPs every year!**

_Poll ([view on site](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/nr-mqtt-as-standalone-server-opinions/64618/2))_

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