IV. For Validators: Running a Node on SSN

1. Becoming a Validator

Becoming a validator on SSN means playing an essential role in maintaining network security, verifying transactions, and ensuring data integrity. Validators are the backbone of SSN’s consensus mechanism, working together to confirm and validate all transactions on the network.

A) Who Can Become a Validator?

• Eligibility Criteria: Any individual or entity with a proven technical background, understanding of blockchain infrastructure, and access to the required hardware and software setup can apply to become a validator on SSN.

• Experience Requirements: Validators are expected to have familiarity with network protocols, security protocols, and blockchain node operation.

B) Benefits and Responsibilities

• Benefits:

  • Rewards: Validators earn rewards for each validated transaction, contributing to the network's integrity and stability.

  • Network Participation: Validators gain influence in the SSN community and participate in governance and protocol updates.

• Responsibilities:

  • Network Uptime: Validators must ensure their nodes are active and secure 24/7 to maintain network reliability.

  • Consensus Participation: Validators actively participate in the consensus process, which includes voting on proposed blocks and updating network permissions.

  • Compliance: Validators are expected to adhere to SSN’s compliance and security protocols to prevent unauthorized access and maintain network integrity.

2. Node Validator Addresses

(Addresses Available Soon)

3. Node Validator Requirements

This section outlines the technical requirements and criteria that a prospective validator must meet to be added to the network.

Basic Requirements

• Hardware: Validators need high-performance servers or cloud infrastructure that meets SSN’s minimum specs, including CPU, RAM, and storage.

• Network Configuration:To ensure seamless connectivity within the network, specific ports must be exposed, including those for consensus communication and data exchange. Validators should configure their firewalls to allow access to these essential ports. In particular, please ensure that the P2P port is open for both UDP and TCP protocols. For successful peer discovery, the P2P UDP port must be open to accept inbound connections. For more detailed configuration, refer to the Hyperledger Besu documentation: Configure Ports.

• Compatibility: Validators must use compatible versions of SSN’s software and have network configurations aligned with SSN’s protocol requirements to ensure proper syncing and interaction with other nodes.

Security Standards

• Encryption Protocols: Validators must utilize SSN’s encryption protocols to protect data and communications between nodes.

• Monitoring and Maintenance: Validators are responsible for actively monitoring node performance and security, ensuring minimal downtime and effective response to network updates or threats.

4. Setting Up a Validator Node

The SSN setup process involves two main steps: establishing communication with existing nodes and integrating with SSN’s on-chain permissioning system. This guide provides step-by-step instructions to ensure smooth setup of a validator node.

Adding New Nodes: Key Aspects

i. Setting Up a Validator Node - Purpose: This setup ensures the new node can successfully connect with the SSN network and participate in consensus.

- Requirements for New Validators:

• Use Besu version 24.7.1 or later.

• Define the following bootnodes to connect to the original Sea Seed Network:

• bootnodes=["enode list of the original 6 validators"]

• Follow the genesis configuration provided (link to genesis).

• Ensure the bootnode ID of the new validator is publicly accessible on both TCP and UDP.

- Start up logs:

• Monitor logs to confirm that while the new node may initially fail to discover other nodes, it starts up successfully:

```INFO | FullSyncTargetManager | Unable to find sync target. Currently checking 0 peers for usefulness```

ii. Add New Validator to Whitelist via On-Chain Permissioning Smart Contract

Purpose: SSN uses a smart contract-based permissioning system to control which nodes can join the network, protecting against unauthorized participants.

- Whitelisting Process: - Submit an application to SSN’s governance body for node whitelisting. - Approved nodes are added to the smart contract, enabling them to participate in consensus.

- Updating Permissions: If a validator’s node status changes, they must notify the SSN team to update permissions accordingly.

- Monitoring logs: After the new validator is added to the pool, it can start mining new blocks. The logs of the new validator will show the previous and current validator lists, confirming that the new validator is now part of the pool and can participate in block validation and mining. For example:

```

BftProcessorExecutor-QBFT-0 | INFO | QbftBlockHeightManager | Validator list change. Previous chain height 828:

[0x41ef2d0720e3971c4864950058a675f7514e2117, 0x5700a267c0e17ab71df21ccbeaaec7b6a493e1a3, 0x8f3a0d5aa07ef18da8d9a40da9f29b3b378db0f8,

0xe3f8155594a14590fcaadaa00d11f3a7adc5da95, 0xf02466e165b4ad4b31f8a1a7af2237244659d845, 0xf1ebcbdba601e169ee29528b07361df806e567ff].

Current chain height 829:

[0x41ef2d0720e3971c4864950058a675f7514e2117, 0x5700a267c0e17ab71df21ccbeaaec7b6a493e1a3, 0x58314191279417d3bc5aa712c526c5d336b28c1e,

0x8f3a0d5aa07ef18da8d9a40da9f29b3b378db0f8, 0xe3f8155594a14590fcaadaa00d11f3a7adc5da95, 0xf02466e165b4ad4b31f8a1a7af2237244659d845,

0xf1ebcbdba601e169ee29528b07361df806e567ff].

```

For more detailed instructions, refer to theSetting Up a Permissioned Besu QBFT Network and Adding Validators Guide

5. Node Validator FAQs

This section provides answers to common questions from current and prospective SSN validators.

• What hardware is required to run a validator node? Validators should have a high-performance machine that meets SSN’s minimum hardware requirements, including sufficient CPU power, RAM, and storage for real-time processing and data handling.

• How do I apply to become a validator? Interested candidates can apply by submitting an application through the SSN portal. Applications are reviewed based on technical expertise and alignment with SSN’s requirements.

• How much does it cost to run a validator node? Costs depend on server hosting fees and bandwidth usage, which vary based on location and provider. Validators are encouraged to budget for infrastructure, electricity, and regular maintenance.

• What are the rewards for validators on SSN? Validators earn rewards for each confirmed transaction and block validated. The exact reward structure may vary and is based on network activity and validator performance.

• Can I run multiple nodes as a single validator? While SSN allows multiple nodes, each node must meet the network’s requirements, and individual setups must be approved by the SSN governance to prevent redundancy and inefficiency.

• What happens if my node goes offline? If a validator node goes offline temporarily, it may experience reduced rewards. Persistent offline status may lead to the node being removed from the network until it meets uptime requirements.

• How is validator security enforced? Validators are required to use encryption protocols and secure storage for private keys. Additional monitoring tools are recommended to ensure ongoing compliance with SSN’s security standards.