Preparation
Preparing for future consensus node operation on Plasma mainnet
This guide outlines expected requirements, preparation steps, and how to gain early operational experience.
Consensus node access will begin post-mainnet. No fixed timeline is available, but early preparation improves readiness and positioning.
Why Prepare Now
Early access advantage
First operators will help shape network decentralization and may benefit from reduced validator competition.
Hands-on experience
Operating non-validating nodes provides familiarity with Plasma’s infrastructure, monitoring, and performance patterns.
Reputation and community alignment
Active testnet contributors demonstrate long-term commitment and reliability.
Deployment readiness
Early validation of infrastructure and operational processes ensures faster onboarding at mainnet.
Requirements
Final requirements will be confirmed closer to mainnet. The following estimates are based on Plasma’s consensus design and comparable BFT-based networks.
Hardware
Minimum:
- CPU: 4+ cores at 3.0+ GHz.
- RAM: 16+ GB.
- Storage: 1+ TB NVMe SSD.
- Network: 1 Gbps symmetric with low latency (<50ms to major hubs).
Recommended:
- CPU: 8+ cores at 3.5+ GHz (latest generation).
- RAM: 32+ GB.
- Storage: 2+ TB NVMe SSD with high IOPS.
- Network: Multiple 1 Gbps connections with redundancy.
Enterprise:
- CPU: 16+ cores or dual-socket configuration.
- RAM: 64+ GB.
- Storage: Enterprise NVMe with RAID redundancy.
- Network: 10+ Gbps with multiple providers.
Infrastructure
- Uptime: ≥99.9% with failover mechanisms
- Security: HSM-backed key management, network isolation
- Monitoring: Real-time alerting for consensus status and system health
- Redundancy: Backup power, multi-path networking, spare hardware
Preparation steps
1. Start with Non-Validating Nodes
Deploy on testnet to establish baseline experience. See the Non-Validator Node Setup Guide.
Contact required: Please submit your details here before deploying nodes.
Operational exposure:
- Hardware sizing and performance tuning
- Consensus endpoint connectivity
- Monitoring and alerting stack
- Upgrade and maintenance cycles
Experiment with:
- Latency testing across regions
- Failover and restart behavior
- Cost vs. reliability tradeoffs
- Scale testing under simulated load
2. Build operational expertise
Monitoring
Set up observability systems using:
- Prometheus – Metrics collection
- Grafana – Dashboards and visualizations
- Alertmanager – Alert routing
- Custom checks – Plasma-specific probes and RPC health
Security
Define and test:
- Key management procedures
- Network segmentation and firewall rules
- Role-based access and authentication
- Incident detection and response plans
Documentation
Maintain internal runbooks for:
- Node deployment and config
- Routine operations and patching
- Failure recovery and incident handling
- Performance tuning and capacity planning
Preparing now ensures smoother onboarding when consensus participation opens. Operators with proven testnet performance, reliable infrastructure, and robust processes will be well-positioned for mainnet validator roles.