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Validator Setup Instructions

This document provides detailed instructions for setting up a validator node for the Studio Blockchain network using Hyperledger Besu with QBFT consensus.

System Requirements

  • CPU: 4+ cores
  • RAM: 8+ GB
  • Storage: 100+ GB SSD (will grow over time)
  • Network: Stable internet connection with 10+ Mbps
  • Operating System: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or later / Debian 11 or later
  • Ports: 30303 (TCP/UDP) for P2P communication, 8545 (TCP) for RPC

Installation Steps

1. Update System and Install Dependencies

apt-get update
apt-get upgrade -y
apt-get install -y openjdk-21-jdk jq curl tar wget git

2. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/StudioPlatforms/Studio-Mainnet.git
cd Studio-Mainnet/besu-qbft

3. Make Scripts Executable

chmod +x deploy.sh deploy-local.sh package.sh

4. Run the Deployment Script

For a new validator, run:

./deploy.sh <validator_number> <ip_address>

Where:

  • <validator_number> is a unique number for your validator. Use 8 or higher, as numbers 1-7 are reserved for the initial validators.
  • <ip_address> is the public IP address of your server where the validator will run.

For example:

./deploy.sh 8 203.0.113.10

If you're deploying on the current server, you can use:

./deploy-local.sh

5. Verify Installation

Check if the validator service is running:

systemctl status besu-validator

View the logs:

journalctl -u besu-validator -f

Manual Installation

If you prefer to install manually or need to customize the installation, follow these steps:

1. Install Java

apt-get update
apt-get install -y openjdk-21-jdk

2. Install Other Dependencies

apt-get install -y jq curl tar wget

3. Download and Install Hyperledger Besu

wget https://hyperledger.jfrog.io/artifactory/besu-binaries/besu/25.4.1/besu-25.4.1.tar.gz
tar -xzf besu-25.4.1.tar.gz
mkdir -p /usr/local/bin/
cp -r besu-25.4.1/bin/besu /usr/local/bin/

4. Create Directories

mkdir -p /opt/besu/data
mkdir -p /opt/besu/keys

5. Copy Configuration Files

cp genesis.json /opt/besu/
cp static-nodes.json /opt/besu/data/

6. Generate or Copy Validator Keys

For a new validator, generate a new key:

besu --node-private-key-file=/opt/besu/keys/nodekey public-key export --to=/tmp/publickey.txt

Or copy an existing key:

cp Node-X/keys/nodekey /opt/besu/keys/

7. Create Systemd Service

Create a file at /etc/systemd/system/besu-validator.service with the following content:

[Unit]
Description=Besu Validator Node
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=root
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/besu \
  --data-path=/opt/besu/data \
  --genesis-file=/opt/besu/genesis.json \
  --node-private-key-file=/opt/besu/keys/nodekey \
  --rpc-http-enabled=true \
  --rpc-http-api=ETH,NET,QBFT \
  --rpc-http-cors-origins="*" \
  --p2p-port=30303 \
  --rpc-http-port=8545 \
  --min-gas-price=1000 \
  --min-priority-fee=1000 \
  --nat-method=NONE
Restart=always
RestartSec=5s

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

8. Enable and Start the Service

systemctl daemon-reload
systemctl enable besu-validator
systemctl start besu-validator

Network Configuration

Firewall Configuration

Make sure the following ports are open:

  • 30303 TCP/UDP: For P2P communication with other validators
  • 8545 TCP: For RPC communication (optional, can be restricted to localhost)

For UFW:

ufw allow 30303/tcp
ufw allow 30303/udp
# Only if you need remote RPC access
# ufw allow 8545/tcp

For iptables:

iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 30303 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 30303 -j ACCEPT
# Only if you need remote RPC access
# iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8545 -j ACCEPT

Static IP Configuration

It's recommended to use a static IP address for your validator. If your server has a dynamic IP, consider using a service like DynDNS or setting up a static IP with your provider.

Monitoring

Basic Monitoring

Check the validator status:

systemctl status besu-validator

View the logs:

journalctl -u besu-validator -f

Check the current block number:

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" --data '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"eth_blockNumber","params":[],"id":1}' http://localhost:8545

Check the number of connected peers:

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" --data '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"net_peerCount","params":[],"id":1}' http://localhost:8545

Advanced Monitoring

For advanced monitoring, consider setting up:

  • Prometheus: For metrics collection
  • Grafana: For visualization
  • Alertmanager: For alerts

Backup and Recovery

Backing Up Validator Keys

Regularly backup your validator keys:

cp /opt/besu/keys/nodekey /path/to/backup/

Store the backup in a secure location.

Backing Up Data Directory

If needed, you can backup the data directory:

tar -czf besu-data-backup.tar.gz /opt/besu/data

Recovery

To recover from a backup:

  1. Stop the validator service:

    systemctl stop besu-validator

  2. Restore the keys:

    cp /path/to/backup/nodekey /opt/besu/keys/

  3. If needed, restore the data directory:

    rm -rf /opt/besu/data
mkdir -p /opt/besu/data
tar -xzf besu-data-backup.tar.gz -C /

  4. Start the validator service:

    systemctl start besu-validator

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

  1. Validator not connecting to peers:

    • Check if the static-nodes.json file is correctly placed in the data directory
    • Verify that port 30303 is open in your firewall
    • Restart the validator service

  2. Validator not producing blocks:

    • Check if the validator is in the validator list
    • Verify that the validator is connected to other validators
    • Check the logs for any errors

  3. RPC endpoint not responding:

    • Verify that the validator service is running
    • Check if port 8545 is open in your firewall
    • Restart the validator service

Checking Logs

To check the logs for errors:

journalctl -u besu-validator -n 100 | grep ERROR

Restarting the Service

If you encounter issues, try restarting the service:

systemctl restart besu-validator

Upgrading

To upgrade Hyperledger Besu:

  1. Stop the validator service:

    systemctl stop besu-validator

  2. Download and install the new version:

    wget https://hyperledger.jfrog.io/artifactory/besu-binaries/besu/NEW_VERSION/besu-NEW_VERSION.tar.gz
tar -xzf besu-NEW_VERSION.tar.gz
cp -r besu-NEW_VERSION/bin/besu /usr/local/bin/

  3. Start the validator service:

    systemctl start besu-validator

Contact

For questions or support, please contact: