Vana PoS Validator Setup Guide

This guide walks you through the process of setting up and running a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) validator node on the Vana Moksha testnet. Validators play a crucial role in maintaining network security and consensus.

Prerequisites

To run a Vana PoS validator, you'll need to stake at least 35,000 VANA tokens on the Moksha testnet. This process registers your validator with the network and allows you to participate in consensus.

Hardware Requirements

  • CPU: 2+ cores (x86-64 architecture)
  • RAM: 8+ GB
  • Storage: 100+ GB high-speed SSD
  • Network: Stable internet connection
These specifications are minimum requirements for the testnet. For optimal performance, consider using more powerful hardware. Monitor your node's resource usage regularly to ensure smooth operation.

Step 1: Software Installation

Install Docker

Docker is required to run the validator components:

curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg
echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io
docker version

Install Docker Compose

Docker Compose helps manage multi-container applications:

VER=$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/docker/compose/releases/latest | grep tag_name | cut -d '"' -f 4)
curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/"$VER"/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
docker-compose --version

Install OpenSSL

OpenSSL is needed for cryptographic operations:

sudo apt-get install openssl

Step 2: Repository Setup

Clone the Vana private repository:

git clone https://github.com/vana-com/vana-private.git
cd vana-private

Step 3: Environment Configuration

Copy the appropriate environment file for the Moksha testnet:

# For Moksha testnet
cp .env.moksha.example .env
For mainnet deployment, you would use cp .env.mainnet.example .env instead.

Edit the environment file with your preferred text editor:

nano .env

Step 4: Node Configuration and Startup

You can configure your node to run with or without a validator:

Option A: Run Node without Validator

If you want to run a node without validator functions:

  1. Edit the .env file to set USE_VALIDATOR=false
  2. Use GETH_SYNCMODE=snap for faster initial synchronization
  3. Start the node:
docker compose --profile init --profile node up -d

Option B: Run Node with Validator

For running a full validator node:

  1. Edit the .env file to set USE_VALIDATOR=true
  2. Set appropriate DEPOSIT_* variables
  3. Generate validator keys (this is an interactive process):
docker compose --profile init --profile manual run --rm validator-keygen

Features

Key Management Tips

  • Set a strong, unique password for your validator keys
  • Save your mnemonic phrase in a secure location
  • Never share your keys or mnemonic with anyone
  • Create offline backups of your keys

Verify your configuration:

docker compose --profile init logs check-config-node

Start all services including the validator:

docker compose --profile init --profile validator up -d

Step 5: Monitoring and Management

View Service Logs

You can view logs for specific services to monitor performance:

# View Geth (execution client) logs
docker compose --profile=init --profile=node logs -f geth

# View beacon chain logs
docker compose --profile=init --profile=node logs -f beacon

# View validator logs
docker compose --profile=init --profile=node logs -f validator

Track Synchronization Progress

Wait for the beacon chain to fully synchronize before proceeding further.

Your validator will not be active until your node is fully synchronized with the network and you've submitted your validator deposits.

Step 6: Submit Validator Deposits

Once your node is synchronized, submit deposits for your validator:

docker compose --profile init --profile manual run --rm submit-deposits
You need to deposit at least 35,000 VANA tokens per validator on the Moksha testnet. This process stakes your VANA and registers your validator with the network.

Step 7: Monitor Synchronization Status

Check your node's synchronization status with the network:

LOCAL_RPC="http://localhost:$(grep HTTP_PORT ~/vana-private/.env | cut -d '=' -f2)"
REMOTE_RPC="https://rpc.moksha.vana.org"
get_block_number() {
    curl -s -X POST "$1" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"eth_blockNumber","params":[],"id":1}' | \
    jq -r '.result' | \
    xargs -I{} printf "%d" {}
}
while true; do
    local_height=$(get_block_number $LOCAL_RPC)
    network_height=$(get_block_number $REMOTE_RPC)
    blocks_left=$((network_height - local_height))
    echo -e "\033[1;38mYour node height:\033[0m \033[1;34m$local_height\033[0m | \033[1;35mNetwork height:\033[0m \033[1;36m$network_height\033[0m | \033[1;29mBlocks left:\033[0m \033[1;31m$blocks_left\033[0m"
    sleep 5
done

Advanced Operations

The docker-compose setup provides several advanced capabilities for managing your validator node:

Docker Compose Profiles

Different profiles are available for various operations:

  • init: Initialize clients and generate secrets
  • node: Run main node services
  • validator: Run validator-specific services
  • manual: For operations like key generation
  • delete: Delete data for chain resets

You can combine profiles as needed. When a service depends on another service, you must include both profiles.

Basic Node Management

Start and stop the node:

# Start node
docker compose --profile init --profile node up -d

# Stop node
docker compose --profile init --profile node down

Key Management Operations

# Generate validator keys (interactive)
docker compose --profile init --profile manual run --rm validator-keygen

# Import existing validator keys
docker compose run --rm validator-import

Data Management

Delete data when needed:

# Delete all data (preserves secrets)
docker compose --profile delete run --rm delete-all

# Delete execution layer data
docker compose --profile delete run --rm delete-geth

# Delete consensus layer data
docker compose --profile delete run --rm delete-prysm

Configuration Verification

Verify your configuration:

docker compose --profile=init --profile=node run --rm check-config

Individual Service Management

Start, stop, or restart specific services:

# Start just Geth
docker compose --profile=init --profile=node up -d geth

# Stop beacon chain
docker compose --profile=init --profile=node stop beacon

# Restart validator
docker compose --profile=init --profile=node restart validator

Advanced Log Filtering

Filter logs for specific events:

# Find peer connection activities
docker compose --profile=init --profile=node logs -f geth 2>&1 | grep 'Looking for peers'

# Track new block synchronization
docker compose --profile=init --profile=node logs -f beacon 2>&1 | grep 'Synced new block'

# Monitor validator submissions
docker compose --profile=init --profile=node logs -f validator 2>&1 | grep 'Submitted new'
Congratulations! Your Vana PoS validator should now be set up and running. Once fully synchronized and activated, your validator will participate in consensus and help secure the Vana network.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues:

  1. Check your logs for error messages
  2. Ensure your node is fully synchronized
  3. Verify you have enough VANA tokens for staking
  4. Check your network connectivity
  5. Ensure your hardware meets the minimum requirements
  6. Verify that all Docker containers are running properly
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