Checklist | Confirming a healthy functional ETH staking node

Scenario: How do I figure out and confirm that everything is working properly (execution client in sync, consensus client in sync, etc.)

⏩ Quick steps guide

The following steps align with our mainnet guide. You may need to adjust file names and directory locations where appropriate. The core concepts remain the same.

🚀 Execution client Checklist

Concern	Solution
Execution client in sync	Ensure your node's block number matches the tip block of a public block explorer. Find your execution client block # with command journalctl -fu execution Example log output:INFO [12-06
Ports open	Confirm ports are reachable with an external port checker such as https://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports/
Check execution client logs for errors	Use the command journalctl -fu eth1
Understand how to stop/start Execution client	sudo systemctl stop execution sudo systemctl start execution
Understand how to update my Execution client	Refer to this quick guide.
Reduce bandwidth usage	Refer to the mainnet guide.
Execution client node redundancy	Refer to the mainnet guide.

🧬 Consensus client Checklist

Concern	Solution
Installed latest stable release	Refer to how to update consensus client.
Beacon chain client can connect to Execution client	Check for a response with the command:curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X POST --data '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"web3_clientVersion","params":[],"id":67}' http://localhost:8545 You should receive a response similar to: {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":67,"result":"Geth/v1.9.24-stable-cc05b050/linux-amd64/go1.15.5"}
Beacon chain is sync'd to mainnet	Ensure your block number matches the slot# of a public block explorer. Find your consensus client's beacon chain slot # with in logs with command journalctl -fu beacon-chain
Check consensus client's beacon chain logs for errors	Use the command journalctl -fu consensus
Ports open	Confirm ports are reachable with an external port checker such as https://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports/ or https://canyouseeme.org/ . Click here for Port # information.
Understand how to stop/start consensus client	sudo systemctl stop consensus sudo systemctl start consensus
Understand how to update my consensus client	Refer to this quick guide.
Join Discord	Refer to the mainnet guide

🗝️ Consensus Validator Client Checklist

Concern	Solution
Verify keystores are properly imported	Refer to the mainnet guide's section on importing keys.
Check validator logs for errors	Use the command journalctl -fu validator
Verify attestations are working	Check your validators pubkey against a public block explorer.
Verified my mnemonic phrase can be restored.	Refer to the mainnet guide.
Understand how to add more validators	Refer to this quick guide.
Know how to stop/start validator	sudo systemctl stop validator sudo systemctl start validator
Beacon-node redundancy	Refer to the mainnet guide.

🧱 Validator Node Security Checklist

Concern	Solution
Secure the root account	Refer to the best security practices document.
Connect with SSH Keys Only	Refer to the best security practices document.
Harden SSH on a random port	Refer to the best security practices document.
Setup 2-FA for SSH (Optional)	Refer to the best security practices document.
Secure the Shared Memory	Refer to the best security practices document.
Setup a firewall	Refer to the best security practices document.
Setup port forwarding on my router	Refer to the best security practices document.
Setup intrusion-prevention monitoring	Refer to the best security practices document.
Whitelisted my local machine in the ufw firewall	Refer to the best security practices document.
Whitelisted my local machine in Fail2ban	Refer to the best security practices document.
Verify the listening ports	Refer to the best security practices document.

🚦 Validator Node Maintenance and Best Practices Checklist

Concern	Solution
Enabled automatic OS patching	Refer to the best security practices document.
Setup chrony or other NTP time sync service	Refer to the mainnet guide.
Setup Prometheus and Grafana Monitoring/Alerts/Dashboard	Refer to the mainnet guide.
Understand how to handle a power outage	In case of power outage, you want your validator machine to restart as soon as power is available. In the BIOS settings, change the Restore on AC / Power Loss or After Power Loss setting to always on. Better yet, install an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS).
Understand how to migrate consensus clients	Refer to the mainnet guide.
Understand how to voluntary exit	Refer to the mainnet guide.
Used all available LVM disk space	Refer to the mainnet guide.
Understand important directory locations	Refer to the mainnet guide.