Massed Compute

An nginx reverse proxy acts as an intermediary between clients and your backend services. It receives HTTP requests on port 80 and forwards them to local services using proxy_pass. This setup is essential for load balancing, SSL termination, and routing multiple services through a single entry point.

This guide configures a basic HTTP reverse proxy without SSL. For HTTPS configurations with certificates, check the troubleshooting section below.

Massed Compute VM Pricing

Choose a CPU-optimized SKU that meets the minimum requirements. All listed instances run Ubuntu 22.04 with full root access and dedicated resources.

Step-by-Step Deployment

curl -X POST "https://api.massedcompute.com/v1/instances" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "image": "ubuntu-22.04",
    "sku": "cpu_mini_amd_epyc",
    "sshKeys": ["your-key-name"]
  }'

ssh ubuntu@YOUR_VM_IP

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y nginx

sudo tee /etc/nginx/sites-available/proxy <<EOF
server {
    listen 80 default_server;
    listen [::]:80 default_server;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:3000;
        proxy_set_header Host \$host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP \$remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For \$proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto \$scheme;
    }
}
EOF

sudo ln -sf /etc/nginx/sites-available/proxy /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/proxy
sudo rm -f /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/default

sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx

sudo systemctl status nginx
sudo netstat -tlnp | grep :80

Performance Tuning

For production workloads, adjust nginx worker processes and connections based on your VM size:

Troubleshooting

Backend Service Not Responding

If nginx returns 502 Bad Gateway errors, verify your backend service is running and listening on the configured port:

sudo netstat -tlnp | grep :3000
curl -I http://127.0.0.1:3000

Permission Denied Errors

Check nginx error logs for detailed information about configuration issues:

sudo tail -f /var/log/nginx/error.log

Adding HTTPS Support

To enable SSL/TLS, install certbot and obtain a certificate:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx
sudo certbot --nginx -d example.com

Skip All of This: Deploy with an AI Agent

This entire guide exists as a tested, machine-readable recipe in the Massed Compute MCP (Model Context Protocol). Instead of running these steps manually, connect an AI agent and let it handle the deployment automatically.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "massed-compute": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://vm.massedcompute.com/api/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer MC_TOKEN" }
    }
  }
}

Then say:

The agent matches your request against the recipe catalog (tested May 29, 2026), provisions the right VM shape, runs the setup and verification steps above, and reports back with the IP address and configuration details. If any step fails, it stops and explains the issue instead of continuing with a broken setup.

Quick Setup Reference

Essential commands for nginx reverse proxy deployment:

# Install and configure
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y nginx

# Create proxy config (replace 3000 with your backend port)
sudo tee /etc/nginx/sites-available/proxy <<EOF
server {
    listen 80 default_server;
    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:3000;
        proxy_set_header Host \$host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP \$remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For \$proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    }
}
EOF

# Enable and reload
sudo ln -sf /etc/nginx/sites-available/proxy /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo rm -f /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/default
sudo nginx -t && sudo systemctl reload nginx

Frequently Asked Questions