--- title: Validator v0.2.1 Installation slug: run-a-validator/validator-v021-installation description: Set up your Xandeum DevNet validator with ease using this comprehensive document. From user installation to downloading the Xandeum release, this guide covers it all. Discover the steps for creating a user, adding to the sudo group, and switching to the X docTags: createdAt: 2023-08-19T03:02:55.649Z --- # How To Setup a Xandeum DevNet Validator :::hint{type="info"} **NOTE:** This guide shows commands for text editors `nano` and `vim`. A quick search can find a guide or video to operate these text editors more efficiently and make your life easier. ::: :::hint{type="warning"} NOTE: If you previously set up your validator on `v0.1` or `v0.2` then you don't need to complete these steps and can follow the [Version Upgrade v0.2.1](docId\:HMmaj43E20VhSk4oL8NOA) instead! ::: ## ## 1) Update and setup our user Start with a fresh instance of Linux as the `root` user. These instructions use [Ubuntu Server 22.04.2LTS](https://ubuntu.com/download/server) :::hint{type="danger"} BEFORE YOU CONTINUE! Make sure you see your entire drive space as available! Use `df -h` to see your free space. You want to see that you have all your space in a free partition. Ubuntu will want to default to 100g LVM. The preferance is to eliminate LVM and Raid and use all available space for your `/` mount point. If you don't show all your disk space, run the Ubuntu installer again and pay attention to the storage section. ::: Get `root` user :::hint{type="warning"} Run as `sudo` or `root` user. If you don't have access to the root user, then you will need to prepend all your requests in this section with sudo. Notice in the screenshot below I start as user `xand` change to `root` user then back to `xand`. Root user has ALL the privledges and won't require sudo. But some items NEED to be ran as the `xand` user (ie rust install, validator build, etc) Use `sudo -i` to change to root user and `exit` to end root user ::: ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/ePevXmvzgG-7aqJ72Gpg_/0naV05D9KRSBrRYLcDmc6_image.png) Update your installation :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux sudo apt-get update -y && sudo apt-get upgrade -y ``` ::: Install a few apps :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux sudo apt install -y bzip2 vnstat ``` ::: :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux sudo systemctl enable --now vnstat ``` ::: Create Xandeum Validator User Account :::hint{type="info"} Skip creating a user if you already have it ::: :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux sudo adduser xand ``` ::: :::hint{type="info"} Enter a password and accept defaults to the following questions: `New password:` ` Retype new password:` ` passwd: password updated successfully` ` Changing the user information for xand` ` Enter the new value, or press ENTER for the default` ` Full Name []:` ` Room Number []:` ` Work Phone []:` ` Home Phone []:` ` Other []:` `Is the information correct? [Y/n] y` ::: Add new user to sudo group :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux sudo usermod -aG sudo xand ``` ::: Change to the Xandeum User account :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux su xand ``` ::: Switch the Xand home directory. :::hint{type="warning"} NOTE: If you log in as `root` and switch to `xand` it will bring you into the `/root` dir! So use `cd ~` to get to home dir each time you log in! ::: :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux cd ~ ``` ::: Test switching between `root` user and `xand` user :::hint{type="info"} Note: When you are root user, your line starts with `root` and when you are `xand` user the line starts with `xand` ::: :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux sudo -i ``` ::: :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux exit ``` ::: ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/ePevXmvzgG-7aqJ72Gpg_/UF_QrAcYWDISCX2NFnNFc_image.png) *** ## 2) Choose which release you want to install Go to the Xandeum Binaries repo and download the `tar.bz2` file to your server. This guide is using version `v0.2.1` You can right-click on the file name to copy the download link. [https://github.com/Xandeum/binaries/releases](https://github.com/Xandeum/binaries/releases) ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/ePevXmvzgG-7aqJ72Gpg_/BpE3BfZFhLE_aRV4uTCHo_image.png) :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux cd ~ wget https://github.com/Xandeum/binaries/releases/download/v0.2.1/xand-v0.2.1.tar.bz2 ``` ::: Create the needed `bin` folder (Do not create the `active_release` folder as before...this will be a symbolic link only) :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux mkdir ~/.local/share/xandeum/install/releases/v0.2.1/bin -p ``` ::: Extract the file into the new `bin` dir :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux cd ~ tar -xf xand-v0.2.1.tar.bz2 --directory ~/.local/share/xandeum/install/releases/v0.2.1/bin ``` ::: Test a binary by running it in the local folder :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux cd ~/.local/share/xandeum/install/releases/v0.2.1/bin ``` ::: :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux ./xandeum-validator -V ``` ::: ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/ePevXmvzgG-7aqJ72Gpg_/VSeKYMMwwy-rEcspF66rO_image.png) ### Set our symlink, PATH, and some convenient aliases Set a symlink from our new release to the active\_release folder we will use in our `$PATH` later. (This command removes an old symlink to `active_release` if it exists) :::hint{type="info"} Note the subtle difference in not using trailing `/`.... It will affect the `$PATH` ::: :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux rm /home/xand/.local/share/xandeum/install/releases/active_release; ln -sf /home/xand/.local/share/xandeum/install/releases/v0.2.1/bin /home/xand/.local/share/xandeum/install/releases/active_release ``` ::: Backup the old $PATH for reference. :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux echo $PATH >> ~/PATH.bak ``` ::: Using your favorite editor to open the bashrc config: :::CodeblockTabs nano ```linux nano ~/.bashrc ``` vim ```linux vim ~/.bashrc ``` ::: Add the following lines at the very bottom and save your changes and exit. **(remove the old lines from the previous install)** :::CodeblockTabs text ```linux export PATH="/home/xand/.local/share/xandeum/install/releases/active_release:$PATH" alias l="ls -a --color=auto" alias ll="ls -alh --color=auto" alias xv="xandeum validators --sort skip-rate --reverse" alias xg="xandeum gossip" alias xe="xandeum epoch-info" alias xb="xandeum balance" ``` ::: - Fully exit all shells and come back in. (exit or reboot) ### Check your Install of the software After logging back in as `xand` user, time to test if everything worked. - Check Xandeum Software Version: :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux cd ~ xandeum -V ``` ::: - Results should appear simlar to the following :::hint{type="success"} ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/ePevXmvzgG-7aqJ72Gpg_/96m52RHZ9LEKnWL21Q56s_image.png) ::: *** ## ## 3) Configure your validator instance. :::hint{type="danger"} Please observe proper security of your private keys! MainNet Keys should be created on a secure machine, not an unknown remote machine. Record your 12 words (and bip39 passphrase) in a safe spot. For DevNet it's not critical if you lose them...but if on MainNet, losing the keys equals LOST FUNDS. There is no recovering from lost keys. - For MainNet, your withdraw authority key should never be on your machine! ::: ### Generate your 3 DevNet keys. :::hint{type="success"} NOTE: If you already have created keys on this machine from the previous install, **DON'T CREATE NEW ONES!** Skip to [Switch to Xandeum Cluster](https://docs.xandeum.com/xand-dev-v01/validator-v01-installation#jYB2c) instead. ::: :::hint{type="info"} - You can leave the bip39 passphrase empty (only applies to DevNet/TesNet since it is not real money). - Your 12 words and pubkey are shown immediatly after the prompt for bip39 passphrase. - Take note of the public key it provides you (copy it down). It will help us help you should there be an issue. ::: :::hint{type="warning"} Run as `xand` user! ::: :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux cd ~ ``` ::: :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux xandeum-keygen new -o ~/validator-keypair.json ``` ::: :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux xandeum-keygen new -o ~/vote-keypair.json ``` ::: :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux xandeum-keygen new -o ~/withdraw-keypair.json ``` ::: To view your public key later :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux xandeum-keygen pubkey ~/validator-keypair.json ``` ::: View your current configuration information :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux xandeum config get ``` ::: ### Switch to Xandeum cluster :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux xandeum config set --url https://api.devnet.xandeum.com:8899 ``` ::: ### Set your new keypair to be used by default. :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```text xandeum config set --keypair ~/validator-keypair.json ``` ::: ### Testing our work so far. - Check your connecrtion to the cluster ```linux xandeum gossip ``` - Request an airdrop from the Xand Faucet :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux xandeum airdrop 1 ~/validator-keypair.json ``` ::: Do this again 4 more times. (We are also giving you fake XNT \{Xandeum Native Token} to get started.) - There is a daily limit per wallet...These tokens on TestNet/DevNet are not real. ### Check your wallet balance. :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux xandeum balance ``` ::: You should have \~5 tokens present if you do it 5x's. ### Create your vote account. - Submit a transaction on the blockchain setting up your vote account :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux xandeum create-vote-account --commission 8 ~/vote-keypair.json ~/validator-keypair.json ~/withdraw-keypair.json ``` ::: To find your Vote Account Pubkey later, use: :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux xandeum-keygen pubkey ~/vote-keypair.json ``` ::: *** ## ## 4) Configure your Start Script Configuration ### Create your validator configuration file using your editor :::CodeblockTabs nano ```linux nano ~/validator-start.sh ``` vim ```linux vim ~/validator-start.sh ``` ::: - There will be nothing in here, so copy and paste in the following configurations. Save and Exit. :::CodeblockTabs text ```none #!/bin/bash exec xandeum-validator \ --known-validator HhuygLTeS6grue95pKKzak2UPuQMXepWbvQv2ToQfbZN \ --known-validator 6vy4sYV6nTLJQ4tBcXUGgPTuGorVh2FJkm6ToVMFSfr2 \ --known-validator 3dZiYo933M7VftTSb7WudJV92cg69QwVYS1s753xRc59 \ --known-validator Hohkf7wGm4MzVNsPTzfudxZwR6MzR9nduPwwzAWE28oZ \ --entrypoint xand-1.devnet.xandeum.com:8000 \ --entrypoint xand-2.devnet.xandeum.com:8000 \ --entrypoint xand-4.devnet.xandeum.com:8000 \ --entrypoint xand-5.devnet.xandeum.com:8000 \ --expected-shred-version 60140 \ --expected-genesis-hash HmvXQCaYhBDtovKc5vFT5KzJA1Yy7QDPMngfSvtMohZX \ --snapshot-interval-slots 300 \ --full-snapshot-interval-slots 3000 \ --identity ~/validator-keypair.json \ --vote-account ~/vote-keypair.json \ --ledger ~/ledger/ \ --dynamic-port-range 8000-10000 \ --rpc-port 8899 \ --log ~/xand-validator.log \ --no-poh-speed-test \ --limit-ledger-size 10000000 ``` ::: :::hint{type="warning"} **Note**: Every trailing `\` is important! Any commented lines `#` must be at the bottom of the script. This is to save a command that may be needed later but not used now. ::: :::hint{type="info"} **Note**: Change the location of `ledger` in the script to your second drive if you aren't using raid0 ::: :::hint{type="success"} Here are the known-validators: xand-1 HhuygLTeS6grue95pKKzak2UPuQMXepWbvQv2ToQfbZN xand-2 6vy4sYV6nTLJQ4tBcXUGgPTuGorVh2FJkm6ToVMFSfr2 xand-4 3dZiYo933M7VftTSb7WudJV92cg69QwVYS1s753xRc59 xand-5 Hohkf7wGm4MzVNsPTzfudxZwR6MzR9nduPwwzAWE28oZ ::: ### Make the script you just made executable. :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux chmod +x ~/validator-start.sh ``` ::: *** ## ## 5) System Tuning :::hint{type="warning"} Run as `root` user, use `sudo -i` ::: Optimize sysctl knobs (copy block and paste into teminal, press return) :::CodeblockTabs CLI ```linux sudo bash -c "cat >/etc/sysctl.d/21-xandeum-validator.conf </etc/security/limits.d/90-xandeum-nofiles.conf <