Validator Onboarding

Overview

Sonr is a Cosmos SDK-based blockchain focused on decentralized identity and asset management. This guide provides comprehensive information for validators interested in securing the Sonr network and participating in its specialized identity infrastructure ecosystem.

Network Positioning

Sonr differentiates itself within the Cosmos ecosystem through:

• Decentralized Identity Focus: Implementing W3C DID standards and WebAuthn integration
• Highway Architecture: Specialized node infrastructure for identity services
• Fast Wallet Generation: 600ms wallet creation with IPFS storage capabilities
• Developer Tools: React SDKs and identity-focused APIs

Hardware Requirements

Professional validator operations require substantial infrastructure investment to ensure network security and reliability.

Essential Specifications

Infrastructure Investment

• Initial Setup: Professional-grade hardware required for reliable operations
• Monthly Operating: Tier 3+ datacenter colocation recommended for optimal performance
• Redundancy: Full backup server with identical specifications required

Quick Setup with NPX

Sonr provides an NPX-based tool to streamline validator deployment:

npx @sonr/validator-setup my-validator --chain=sonr-testnet-1

The interactive wizard guides you through:

Network Parameters

Validator Network Structure

For a 50-validator network with 1 billion token supply:

Early Network Phase (30% staking ratio)

• Inflation: 15% (bootstrap incentives)
• Validator Participation: Commission-based earnings structure
• Delegator Rewards: High early participation incentives

Bootstrap Phase (50% staking ratio)

• Inflation: 12% (balanced growth)
• Validator Participation: Balanced commission structure
• Delegator Rewards: Sustainable growth incentives

Mature Network (67% staking ratio)

• Inflation: 7% (long-term stability)
• Validator Participation: Stable commission structure
• Delegator Rewards: Long-term participation incentives

Recommended Parameters

• Minimum validator stake: 1,000,000 SNR (0.1% of supply)
• Optimal self-bond: 2,000,000 SNR (0.2% of supply)
• Commission range: 5-15% (5% mandatory minimum)
• Inflation range: 5-18% with 8% target at 65% staking
• Unbonding period: 21 days standard

Operational Considerations

Infrastructure Requirements

Validators should ensure adequate infrastructure to support reliable network participation.

Reward Sources

• Block Rewards: Inflation-based token issuance for network security
• Transaction Fees: Gas fees and proposer bonuses from network activity
• Additional Rewards: ICS rewards, cross-chain fees, and ecosystem participation

Security Architecture

Sentry Node Design

Implement a multi-layered security approach:

Internet → Sentry Nodes (3-5) → Private Network → Validator Node

Critical Security Implementations

Key Types

1. Consensus Key: Hot key for block signing (ed25519)
2. Operator Key: Cold storage for validator transactions (secp256k1)
3. Node Key: P2P network identification

Implementation Roadmap

Phase 1: Testnet Participation (Months 1-3)

• Hardware procurement and datacenter setup
• Team training on Cosmos SDK operations
• Security procedure development
• Community engagement and reputation building

Phase 2: Infrastructure Preparation (Month 4)

• Deploy production hardware in Tier 3+ datacenters
• Implement sentry node architecture across regions
• Configure monitoring and alerting systems
• Establish 24/7 operational procedures

Phase 3: Mainnet Genesis (Month 5+)

• Participate in genesis ceremony
• Self-bond required SNR tokens (1-2M recommended)
• Configure optimal commission rates (start at 5-7%)
• Launch validator with foundation delegation support

Phase 4: Operational Excellence (Ongoing)

• Maintain 99.9%+ uptime through redundant systems
• Actively participate in governance proposals
• Provide regular updates to delegators
• Contribute to ecosystem development

Foundation Support Programs

Delegation Program

Sonr implements a foundation delegation program allocating 10-15% of total supply:

• Coverage: 30-35 validators (60-70% of active set)
• Requirements: 3-month testnet participation
• Terms: 6-12 month delegation periods
• Renewal: Performance-based criteria
• Focus: Geographic distribution and community contributions

Testnet Incentives

• Monthly Rewards: Testnet participation incentives for active validators
• Mainnet Slots: Top performers receive guaranteed mainnet positions
• Foundation Delegations: 6-month delegations of 2M tokens for top testnet validators

Monitoring and Operations

Prometheus Metrics

• System metrics (CPU, RAM, disk, network)
• Tendermint consensus metrics (height, voting power, peer count)
• Custom application metrics (missed blocks, proposal statistics)

Critical Alerts

• Missing blocks threshold (>50 in 1000 blocks)
• Low peer count (<5 peers)
• High block time intervals
• Resource utilization warnings
• Disk space projections

Grafana Dashboards

• Real-time performance monitoring
• Historical trend analysis
• Multi-validator comparison views

Risk Management

Technical Risks

• Double-signing prevention: Proper key management and TMKMS
• State corruption recovery: Automated backup systems
• Network partitions: Geographic distribution strategies
• Upgrade failures: Staging environment testing

Operational Risks

• Network participation: Maintain consistent validator performance
• Delegation concentration: Limits on single delegator exposure
• Commission optimization: Community-competitive rates
• Infrastructure management: Efficient operational procedures

Future Opportunities

As Sonr matures, validators can explore additional network services:

• Relayer Operations: IBC connection services
• RPC Endpoints: Developer infrastructure services
• Archive Nodes: Historical data provision
• Identity Services: Custom solutions leveraging Sonr infrastructure
• Interchain Security: Consumer chain participation

Getting Started