Validator Guide

Devnet

Everyone is more than welcome to run a node on devnet. See:

• Validator Guide for Devnet
• #validators channel in agoric discord

Runbooks

see Runbooks on Recommended Hardware Baseline, Security Coordination, etc.

Mainnet Phase 0

Mainnet validators should have experience operating proof-of-stake nodes sufficient to safeguard security of significant assets. You are welcome to set up a node to follow the Agoric mainnet, but note that until BLD holders stake 10s of thousands of BLD with your validator, it will not participate in voting nor receive a share of rewards.

Mainnet began Nov 2021 with a Cosmos-SDK-only phase 0 soft-launch, but see also ag0 to agd upgrade.

Most BLD assets are locked under the Cosmos "vesting" contract, but you can still use them to tx staking create-validator or tx staking delegate.

• Stay tuned to
  • #validators-mainnet-announce
  • Agoric community governance discussion
• Use the appropriate tag(s) of the Agoric/ag0 chain software.
• Refer to https://main.agoric.net/network-config and https://main.agoric.net/genesis.json
• Block explorers include
  • https://agoric.bigdipper.live/
  • https://main.explorer.agoric.net
  • https://ping.pub/agoric
  • https://agoric.explorers.guru/

Note: If you require Ledger (hardware wallet) support with ag0, use --coin-type=118.

Phase 0 Testnet

See https://emerynet.agoric.net/

Incentivized Testnet 2021

Applications closed 2021-03-18

For reference:

• Validator Guide for Incentivized Testnet

FAQs

What does Power Change: 49 -> 0 mean?

Your validator was jailed. If your validator never signed any blocks be sure to read the next section before trying to unjail.

How can I verify my validator is properly created?

You can run a simple check script to ensure the node on the current machine has a public key that has a gentx or tx create-validator on the chain.

If this script runs to completion but fails to find your key on-chain, then no amount of unjailing will help you.

You should try to recover the validator node key from the ~/.agoric/config/*_key.json files that were present when you ran your gentx or tx create-validator (this is NOT the same as the operator key you manage with ag0 or agd). After that, you can rerun the script, and it should complete successfully. After that, restart (but don't reset), and unjail your node.

If you can't, you'll have to make a new operator account, transfer tokens to it, and tx create-validator again.

How do I unjail my validator?

First, ensure your validator is caught up.

Run:

# Set the chainName value again
chainName=`curl https://testnet.agoric.net/network-config | jq -r .chainName`
# Confirm value: should be something like agoricdev-N
echo $chainName
# Replace <key_name> with the key you created previously
agd tx slashing unjail \
  --broadcast-mode=block \
  --from=<your-key-name> \
  --chain-id=$chainName \
  --gas=auto \
  --gas-adjustment=1.4

How do I move my validator to another machine?

To preserve your validator's identity, you must copy the $HOME/.ag-chain-cosmos directory to the new machine. Be sure that your agd start is not running on the old machine. If it is, you will be slashed for double-signing.

Finally, just agd start on the new machine. If your validator has been jailed due to downtime, you may have to unjail it.

How do I recover a key?

You should have your 24-word mnemonic; then run:

Most keys

You should try the following:

agd keys add <your-new-key-name> --recover

If agd keys list doesn't show your correct address, and you have been a validator since before testnet-3, go on to the next step.

Otherwise, you're done!

Generated before testnet-3

Only use this method if you are certain you need to recover a key you generated before testnet-3.

agd keys add <your-new-key-name> --recover --coin-type=118

Private key only; no mnemonic recovery phrase

Cosmos-SDK supports only recovery from a mnemonic recovery phrase.

If you have only a private key and you want to import it, see the keyFmt work-around.

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