Install and Deploy a Node

Overview

This guide demonstrates how to install the PlatON Node software on Linux.

System Requirements

  • CPU: 4 Cores
  • Memory: 8G
  • Disk: > 100G

Installation Overview

It takes three or four steps to install a new node, which depends on the operating system used. The detailed procedures are list below.

  • Installing on Ubuntu (18.04)

Note: Use the normal user to execute the following command.

Installing on Ubuntu (18.04)

Install and run NTP service

Open a terminal and run the following commands

sudo apt-get update &&
sudo apt-get install -y gnupg2 curl software-properties-common ntp &&
sudo systemctl enable ntp && sudo systemctl start ntp

Notes:

NTP service is used for time synchronization, incorrect system time will affect the normal operation of PlatON

Validate the NTP time synchronization

ntpq -4c rv | grep leap_none

Notes:

Display associd=0 status=0615 leap_none, sync_ntp, 1 event, clock_sync, where leap_none is red, indicating that the NTP time synchronization is normal.

Install PlatON

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ppatwo/platon &&
sudo apt-get update &&
sudo apt-get install platon0.13.1 &&
platon version

After executing the commands above, platon andkeytool binary should be successfully installed in the /usr/bin directory on your system. You can execute corresponding commands in any directory.

Generate keys

Public and private keys

Each node in the network has an unique identity to distinguish it from others. This identity is a public and private key pair, generated in the node's working directory ( ~/platon-node) by the following command:

mkdir -p ~/platon-node/data && keytool genkeypair | tee >(grep "PrivateKey" | awk '{print $2}' > ~/platon-node/data/nodekey) >(grep "PublicKey" | awk '{print $3}' > ~/platon-node/data/nodeid)

Remark:

Displays the following, indicating that the key pair has been successfully generated (x stands for number or letter) :

PrivateKey: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

PublicKey: : xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

PrivateKey is the private key of the node, andPublicKey is the public key of the node. The public key is used to identify the identity of the node and can be made public.

Two files will be generated in the subdirectory data under the working directory of the node：

  • nodeid: node public key (ID) file, which holds the node's public key
  • nodekey: node private key file, which holds the node's private key

BLS public and private key

In addition to the public and private keys of the node, the PlatON node also needs a key pair called the BLS public and private key. This key pair will be used in the consensus protocol. The key pair can be generated in the node's working directory (such as ~/platon-node) by the following command:

mkdir -p ~/platon-node/data && keytool genblskeypair | tee >(grep "PrivateKey" | awk '{print $2}' > ~/platon-node/data/blskey) >(grep "PublicKey" | awk '{print $3}' > ~/platon-node/data/blspub)

PrivateKey: f22a785c80bd1095beff1f356811268eae6c94abf0b2b4e2d64918957b74783e PublicKey : 4bf873a66df92ada50a8c6bacb132ffd63437bcde7fd338d2d8696170034a6332e404ac3abb50326ee517ec5f63caf12891ce794ed14f8528fa7c54bc0ded7c5291f708116bb8ee8adadf1e88588866325d764230f4a45929d267a9e8f264402

PrivateKey is the BLS private key of the node, andPublicKey is the BLS public key of the node. The BLS public key is used to quickly verify the signature in the consensus protocol and can be published. The BLS private key cannot be made public and needs to be backed up.

Two files will be generated in the subdirectory data under the working directory of the node:

  • blspub: Node BLS public key file, which holds the node's BLS public key

  • blskey: Node BLS private key file, which holds the node's BLS private key

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