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Split validator private keys

warning

This process should only be used if you want to split an existing validator private key into multiple private key shares for use in a Distributed Validator Cluster. If your existing validator is not properly shut down before the Distributed Validator starts, your validator may be slashed.

If you are starting a new validator, you should follow a quickstart guide instead.

If you use MEV-Boost, make sure you turned off your MEV-Boost service for the time of splitting the keys, otherwise you may hit this issue.

Split an existing Ethereum validator key into multiple key shares for use in an Obol Distributed Validator Cluster.

Pre-requisites​

  • Ensure you have the existing validator keystores (the ones to split) and passwords.
  • Ensure you have docker installed.
  • Make sure docker is running before executing the commands below.

Step 1. Clone the charon repo and copy existing keystore files​

Clone the Charon repo.

   # Clone the repo
   git clone https://github.com/ObolNetwork/charon.git

   # Change directory
   cd charon/

   # Create a folder within this checked out repo
   mkdir split_keys

Copy the existing validator keystore.json files into this new folder. Alongside them, with a matching filename but ending with .txt should be the password to the keystore (e.g.: keystore-0.json, keystore-0.txt).

At the end of this process, you should have a tree like this:

├── split_keys
│   ├── keystore-0.json
│   ├── keystore-0.txt
│   ├── keystore-1.json
│   ├── keystore-1.txt
│   ...
│   ├── keystore-N.json
│   ├── keystore-N.txt

Step 2. Split the keys using the charon docker command​

Run the following docker command to split the keys:

CHARON_VERSION=                # E.g. v1.0.0
CLUSTER_NAME=                  # The name of the cluster you want to create.
WITHDRAWAL_ADDRESS=            # The address you want to use for withdrawals (this is just for accuracy in your lock file, you can't change a withdrawal address for a validator that has already been deposited)
FEE_RECIPIENT_ADDRESS=         # The address you want to use for block reward and MEV payments.
NODES=                         # The number of nodes in the cluster.

docker run --rm -v $(pwd):/opt/charon obolnetwork/charon:${CHARON_VERSION} create cluster \
   --name="${CLUSTER_NAME}" \
   --withdrawal-addresses="${WITHDRAWAL_ADDRESS}" \
   --fee-recipient-addresses="${FEE_RECIPIENT_ADDRESS}" \
   --split-existing-keys \
   --split-keys-dir=/opt/charon/split_keys \
   --nodes ${NODES} \
   --network mainnet

The above command will create validator_keys along with cluster-lock.json in ./cluster for each node.

Command output:

***************** WARNING: Splitting keys **********************
 Please make sure any existing validator has been shut down for
 at least 2 finalised epochs before starting the Charon cluster,
 otherwise slashing could occur.                               
****************************************************************

Created Charon cluster:
 --split-existing-keys=true

./cluster/
├─ node[0-*]/                   # Directory for each node
│  ├─ charon-enr-private-key    # Charon networking private key for node authentication
│  ├─ cluster-lock.json         # Cluster lock defines the cluster lock file which is signed by all nodes
│  ├─ validator_keys            # Validator keystores and password
│  │  ├─ keystore-*.json        # Validator private share key for duty signing
│  │  ├─ keystore-*.txt         # Keystore password files for keystore-*.json

These split keys can now be used to start a Charon cluster.