Merge branch 'node_operations_chapter' into develop

node_operations.asciidoc

@@ -1,8 +1,39 @@
 [[operating_ln_node]]
 == Operating a Lightning Network Node
 
+After reading this far, you've probably set up a Lightning wallet. In this chapter we will take things one step further and set up a full Lightning node, learning how to operate and maintain it over time.
+
+There are many reasons why you might want to set up your own Lightning node:
+
+* To be a full participant of the Lightning Network, not just an end-user.
+* To run an e-commerce store, or earn income with Lightning payments.
+* To develop new services, applications or plugins on the Lightning Network
+* To increase your privacy while using Lightning
+
+Of course, there are costs to running a Lightning Network node. You need a computer (of course), a permanent Internet connection, lots of disk space, and lots of time!
+
+But the skills you will learn from this experience are valuable and can be applied to a variety of other tasks too.
+
+Let's get started!
+
 === Choosing your platform
 
+There are many ways you can run a Lightning node, from a small mini-PC hosted in your home, to a dedicated server, to a hosted server in the cloud. The method you choose will depend on the resources you have and how much money you want to spend.
+
+
+==== Running in the "cloud"
+
+Virtual Private Server (VPS) and "cloud computing" services such as Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, or Amazon Web Services (AWS) are quite affordable and can be set up very quickly. A Lightning node can be hosted for between $20 and $40 per month on such a service.
+
+However, as the saying goes, "'Cloud' is just other people's computers". Using these services means running your node on other people's computers, with all the privacy and security implications that has. A Lightning node running in the "cloud", will always be less secure, less private that one running on your own computer. Additionally, these cloud computing services are very centralized. The vast majority of Bitcoin and Lightning nodes running on such services are located in a handful of data centers in Virginia, Sunnyvale, Seattle, London and Frankfurt. When the networks or data centers of these providers have service problems, it affects thousands of nodes on so-called "decentralized" networks.
+
+Running a Lightning node in the cloud is better than not running a node at all, and worse than running it on your own computer at home or in your office.
+
+==== Running a node at home
+
+
+
+* Self-hosted of hosting service
 * Installers/distributions (raspiblitz, mynode)
 * Full node backend (bitcoind, btcd) or lightweight backend (neutrino)
 * What hardware will you use
@@ -48,6 +79,7 @@
 ==== Sweeping funds
 
 ===== On-chain sweep
+
 ===== Off-chain sweep
 
 ==== Watchtowers