1. Operating System Preparation
Start by bringing the system up to date:
apt update && apt upgrade -y
If the upgrade included a kernel update, reboot the machine before proceeding.
Install the utilities needed for disk management, networking, and downloads:
apt install -y curl aria2 jq nvme-cli ufw
3. Add the Monad Package Repository
Create a dedicated APT source file:
cat <<EOF > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/category-labs.sources
Types: deb
URIs: https://pkg.category.xyz/
Suites: noble
Components: main
Signed-By: /etc/apt/keyrings/category-labs.gpg
EOF
Import and register the repository signing key:
Install Monad and lock the version:
4. Create a Dedicated Monad User
Running services under a non-root user is required.
Prepare the directory layout:
5.1 Identify the NVMe Device
List available NVMe drives:
⚠️ Make sure the selected device is unused and not mounted.
5.2 Partition the Device
Set the correct device path before running:
Create a GPT partition spanning the entire disk:
5.3 Create a Persistent Device Alias
Fetch the partition UUID:
Create a udev rule for a stable symlink:
Reload udev rules and verify:
6. Verify Logical Block Size
Ensure the namespace uses 512-byte sectors:
Expected output:
If a different LBA format is active:
7. Initialize the TrieDB (MPT)
Start the MPT initialization service:
A successful run ends with:
8. Firewall Configuration
Allow SSH and Monad P2P traffic:
Optional UDP packet filtering:
9. Telemetry (OpenTelemetry Collector)
Download and install the collector package:
Apply the Monad telemetry configuration:
Metrics endpoint:
10. Download Network Configuration Files
11. Validator Key Generation
Generate a strong keystore password:
Create validator keys:
12. Snapshot-Based Sync
Stop running services:
Reset the workspace and restore from snapshot:
13. Validator Node Configuration
Edit the configuration file:
Update the required fields:
Reload configuration without restarting services:
14. Start Monad Services
Set ownership and enable services:
15. Validator Registration (Staking CLI)
Install the staking CLI:
Recover private keys:
Register the validator:
16. Validation Checks
