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Becoming a Validator

Learn how to become a validator on Circle Layer and help secure the network while earning rewards.

Overview​

Circle Layer validators play a crucial role in securing the network through Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) consensus. Validators are responsible for producing blocks, validating transactions, and maintaining network security.

Requirements​

Hardware Requirements​

Minimum Requirements​

  • CPU: 8 cores
  • RAM: 16GB
  • Storage: SSD with IOPS > 5,000
  • Network: 100 Mbps symmetric
  • OS: Linux (Ubuntu 20.04+)
  • CPU: 16 cores
  • RAM: 32GB
  • Storage: NVMe SSD with IOPS > 5,000
  • Network: 1 Gbps symmetric

Critical Requirements​

  • SSD is required - Traditional HDDs will not work
  • External IP Address - Static public IP recommended
  • Port TCP/UDP: 32668 - Must be open and accessible

Software Requirements​

  • Golang 1.19+ (for compilation)
  • Git for source code
  • systemd for service management

Token Requirements​

  • Testnet Minimum Stake: 32 CLAYER
  • Mainnet Minimum Stake: 100,000 CLAYER
  • Additional for operations and emergency fund

Network Configuration​

Required Ports​

# Open required port for Circle Layer
sudo ufw allow 32668/tcp
sudo ufw allow 32668/udp

# Optional: Allow RPC access (only if needed externally)
sudo ufw allow 8545/tcp
sudo ufw allow 8546/tcp

# Allow SSH for management
sudo ufw allow 22/tcp

# Enable firewall
sudo ufw enable

Network Specifications​

  • Primary Port: 32668 (TCP/UDP)
  • RPC Port: 8545 (HTTP)
  • WebSocket Port: 8546 (WS)
  • Minimum Active Validators: 5 validators required for security
  • Maximum Active Validators: 21 (testnet), 10,000 (mainnet)

Economic Parameters​

Gas & Fees​

  • Minimum Gas Price: 0.000021 CLAYER
  • Block Gas Limit: 10,000,000,000,000 per block
  • Fee Calculation: gas price × gas amount (Ethereum standard)

Validator Rewards​

  • Reward Token: CLAYER
  • Fee Share: 30% of gas fees
  • Burn Mechanism: 25% from gas fees (maximum 1,000,000 CLAYER)
  • Delegator Share: 45% of gas fees

Setup Process​

1. Download and Compile​

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/circlelayer/testnet-core-blockchain
cd /path/to/core-blockchain

# Compile the node
make geth

# Binary will be available at build/bin/geth

2. Directory Setup​

# Create directory structure
sudo mkdir -p /data/circlelayer/{data,logs}
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /data/circlelayer

# Copy compiled binary
sudo cp build/bin/geth /data/circlelayer/geth-linux-amd64
sudo chmod +x /data/circlelayer/geth-linux-amd64

3. Configuration​

Create the validator configuration file at /data/circlelayer/config.toml:

[Eth]
SyncMode = "fast"
DiscoveryURLs = []
TrieCleanCacheRejournal = 300000000000

[Eth.Miner]
GasFloor = 8000000
GasCeil = 8000000
GasPrice = 0
Recommit = 3000000000
Noverify = false

[Eth.Ethash]
CacheDir = "ethash"
CachesInMem = 2
CachesOnDisk = 3
CachesLockMmap = false
DatasetDir = "/data/circlelayer/data/.ethash"
DatasetsInMem = 1
DatasetsOnDisk = 2
DatasetsLockMmap = false
PowMode = 0

[Eth.TxPool]
Locals = []
NoLocals = false
Journal = "transactions.rlp"
Rejournal = 3600000000000
PriceLimit = 1
PriceBump = 10
AccountSlots = 16
GlobalSlots = 4096
AccountQueue = 64
GlobalQueue = 1024
Lifetime = 10800000000000

[Node]
DataDir = "/data/circlelayer/data"
InsecureUnlockAllowed = true
NoUSB = true
IPCPath = "geth.ipc"
HTTPHost = "0.0.0.0"
HTTPPort = 8545
HTTPCors = ["*"]
HTTPVirtualHosts = ["*"]
HTTPModules = ['eth', 'net', 'web3']

WSHost = "0.0.0.0"
WSPort = 8546
WSModules = ['eth', 'net', 'web3']

GraphQLVirtualHosts = ["localhost"]

[Node.P2P]
MaxPeers = 50
NoDiscovery = false
ListenAddr = "32668"
EnableMsgEvents = false

[Node.HTTPTimeouts]
ReadTimeout = 30000000000
WriteTimeout = 30000000000
IdleTimeout = 120000000000

4. Startup Script​

Create /data/circlelayer/run.sh:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
/data/circlelayer/geth-linux-amd64 \
--config /data/circlelayer/config.toml  \
--logpath /data/circlelayer/logs \
--verbosity 3  >> /data/circlelayer/logs/systemd_chain_console.out 2>&1

Make it executable:

chmod +x /data/circlelayer/run.sh

5. Network Selection​

Testnet (Default for Testing)​

#!/usr/bin/env bash
/data/circlelayer/geth-linux-amd64 \
--config /data/circlelayer/config.toml  \
--testnet \
--logpath /data/circlelayer/logs \
--verbosity 3  >> /data/circlelayer/logs/systemd_chain_console.out 2>&1

Mainnet (Production)​

#!/usr/bin/env bash
/data/circlelayer/geth-linux-amd64 \
--config /data/circlelayer/config.toml  \
--logpath /data/circlelayer/logs \
--verbosity 3  >> /data/circlelayer/logs/systemd_chain_console.out 2>&1

6. Service Management​

Create systemd service at /etc/systemd/system/circlelayer.service:

[Unit]
Description=circlelayer Blockchain service

[Service]
Type=simple
ExecStart=/bin/sh /data/circlelayer/run.sh

Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=5s

LimitNOFILE=65536

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable and start the service:

# Reload systemd configuration
sudo systemctl daemon-reload

# Enable service to start on boot
sudo systemctl enable circlelayer.service

# Start the service
sudo systemctl start circlelayer.service

# Check service status
sudo systemctl status circlelayer.service

Monitoring​

1. Node Status​

# Check if process is running
ps aux | grep geth

# Check service status
sudo systemctl status circlelayer.service

# View service logs
sudo journalctl -u circlelayer.service -f

# Real-time log monitoring
tail -f /data/circlelayer/logs/systemd_chain_console.out

2. RPC Commands​

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

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

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

3. Performance Metrics​

Monitor these key metrics:

  • CPU usage: Should be below 80%
  • Memory usage: Monitor RAM consumption
  • Network traffic: Track P2P connections
  • Block production: Every 3 seconds
  • Disk I/O: Monitor SSD performance

4. Health Checks​

# Check disk space
df -h /data/circlelayer

# Check memory usage  
free -h

# Monitor network connectivity
netstat -tlnp | grep 32668

# Check system resources
top -p $(pgrep geth)

Security Considerations​

File Permissions​

# Create dedicated user
sudo useradd -r -s /bin/false circlelayer

# Set ownership
sudo chown -R circlelayer:circlelayer /data/circlelayer

# Set secure permissions
sudo chmod 755 /data/circlelayer
sudo chmod 600 /data/circlelayer/config.toml
sudo chmod 755 /data/circlelayer/run.sh

Network Security​

  • Use firewall to restrict access
  • Only expose necessary ports (32668)
  • Consider VPN for remote management
  • Monitor for unusual activity
  • Keep system updated

Backup Strategy​

# Backup critical files
tar -czf validator-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz \
    /data/circlelayer/config.toml \
    /data/circlelayer/data/keystore/ \
    /etc/systemd/system/circlelayer.service

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

Sync Problems​

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

# Restart service if stuck
sudo systemctl restart circlelayer.service

Port Issues​

# Test port connectivity
telnet <your-ip> 32668

# Check if port is open
sudo netstat -tlnp | grep 32668

# Verify firewall
sudo ufw status

Performance Issues​

# Check system resources
top -p $(pgrep geth)

# Monitor disk I/O
sudo iotop -a

# Check memory
free -h

Validator Operations​

Starting Your Validator​

  1. Initial Setup: Complete node installation and configuration
  2. Sync Network: Let node fully sync with the network
  3. Stake Tokens: Stake minimum required CLAYER tokens
  4. Monitor Performance: Ensure consistent uptime and performance
  5. Community Engagement: Join validator community channels

Best Practices​

Security​

  • Configure required ports only (32668)
  • Regular security updates
  • Backup validator keys
  • Monitor logs continuously
  • Use dedicated hardware

Performance​

  • Use recommended hardware specifications
  • Regular maintenance schedules
  • Monitor system metrics
  • Keep software updated
  • Optimize disk performance

Operations​

  • 24/7 monitoring setup
  • Automated backup procedures
  • Emergency response procedures
  • Community support channels
  • Performance optimization

Getting Help​

For validator support:

Command Reference​

# Get all available options
./build/bin/geth --help

# Or short form
./build/bin/geth -h

For detailed command-line options, refer to Geth Command-line Options.

Next Steps​

After setting up your validator: