Documentation Index Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.canton.network/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
Operating a validator on Canton Network comes with specific roles, responsibilities, and expectations. This page clarifies what’s expected of validators versus what the network handles.
The Validator’s Role As a validator, you operate a participant node that:
Hosts parties for users and applicationsStores contract data for those partiesValidates transactions affecting your partiesConnects to the synchronizer for coordinationExposes APIs for applications to interact with the ledger
What You Are Responsible For Infrastructure Operations
Node availability : Keep your validator running and connectedPerformance : Ensure adequate resources for your workloadUpgrades : Stay current with network versionsMonitoring : Track health, performance, and errorsBackup : Regular backups of database and identitySecurity : Protect infrastructure, keys, and access
Party Management
Onboarding : Create and manage parties on your validatorKey management : Secure storage of party keysAccess control : Control who can act as which partiesData custody : Your validator stores your parties’ data
Traffic (Transaction Fees)
Canton Coin balance : Maintain sufficient CC for operationsTop-ups : Replenish traffic when neededCost management : Monitor and optimize traffic usage
What You Are NOT Responsible For Handled by the Global Synchronizer Function Who Handles Transaction ordering Synchronizer sequencer Confirmation aggregation Synchronizer mediator BFT consensus Super Validators Network parameters GSF governance Upgrade coordination GSF and SVs
Trust Model As a validator, you trust that:
The synchronizer orders transactions fairly
Super Validators maintain availability
Network parameters are set appropriately
Upgrades are coordinated properly
You do NOT need to:
Run consensus nodes
Verify all network transactions
Participate in governance votes
Operate synchronizer infrastructure
Operational Expectations Availability Expectation Details Uptime target Plan for 99%+ availability Planned maintenance Coordinate during low-traffic periods Incident response Monitor and respond to issues
Your parties cannot transact while your validator is offline. Plan maintenance windows carefully and communicate with your users.
Version Currency The network upgrades frequently. Validators must keep pace:
Timeframe Action Within 1 week Apply security patches Within 2 weeks Apply minor updates Before deadline Major version upgrades (announced in advance)
Validators running outdated versions may be disconnected from the network. Monitor announcements and plan upgrade windows.
Communication Stay connected with the network:
Channel Purpose #validator-operations Slack channel for operational discussions Mailing lists lists.sync.global for announcements Release notes Track changes and requirements
Security Responsibilities Your Security Scope Asset Your Responsibility Validator infrastructure Hardening, patching, access control Party keys Secure generation, storage, rotation Database Encryption, access control, backups API access Authentication, authorization, TLS Network perimeter Firewall, DDoS protection
Not Your Responsibility Asset Handled By Synchronizer security Super Validators Protocol security Canton/Splice development Network-wide DoS protection Synchronizer operators
Compliance Considerations Depending on your jurisdiction and use case:
Consideration Action Data residency Ensure validator location meets requirements Audit requirements Maintain logs and records KYC/AML Implement for your parties if required Regulatory reporting Build necessary capabilities
Canton’s privacy model helps with compliance by ensuring data stays with entitled parties. However, you remain responsible for your regulatory obligations.
Costs Operating a validator involves several cost categories:
Infrastructure Costs Component Typical Range Compute 200 − 200- 200 − Database 100 − 100- 100 − Network 50 − 50- 50 − Storage Varies with volume
Network Costs Cost Description Traffic fees Canton Coin for transactions Variable Based on transaction volume and size
Operational Costs Cost Description Personnel Time for monitoring, upgrades, incidents Tooling Monitoring, logging, alerting
Support Resources Resource Description Slack #validator-operations for peer support Forum forum.canton.network for technical questions Documentation This site and docs.sync.global
Commercial Support Tier Contact Discretionary da-support@digitalasset.com (best effort)SLA-based support@digitalasset.com (enterprise)
Becoming a Validator Prerequisites
Technical capacity : Team capable of operating containerized servicesInfrastructure : Meet infrastructure requirements Sponsorship : Super Validator willing to sponsorCanton Coin : Budget for traffic fees
Process
Contact a Super Validator (list at canton.foundation )Discuss your use case and onboarding requirementsPrepare infrastructure according to requirementsComplete onboarding with sponsorshipBegin operations and maintain your node
Next Steps
Validator Setup Begin deploying your validator node.
Infrastructure Requirements Review detailed infrastructure requirements.
