Akash NEAR Protocol Challenge

Challenges
#1

Summary . This challenge is to set up a NEAR Validator node on Akash. Providing reproducible deployment files for anyone to us via the awesome Akash repo. This node guide should be relevant to both validators and blockchain nodes that dApps need to access the blockchain.

Objectives

  • Run NEAR chain node and validator node on the Akash decentralized cloud
  • Containerize instances and initialize them on the network

How to connect with Akash on this Challenge

Resources

Deliverables in order of Strategic Value (highest value first)

  • All deployment files submitted to the awesome Akash repo via pull request
  • Readme with instructions to maintain the submission submitted to the awesome Akash repo via pull request
  • Demo video
  • Bonus if you can do both the validator and chain node in a single set of deployment files
#2

hello want to ask when i see near documentation i only see three types of node validator, archival, and RPC, and there is no chain node, is chain node equal to RPC or archival?

#3

I’m working on this… :grinning:

1 Like
#4

Hi, following up on discord and will post the resolution / answer here in order to help others that may have the same question.

Thanks
Alani

#5

Great, lookin forward to seeing your work.

#6

Hello,
Do you have any specifics on what you’re working on so that we can provide you with any support you need?
Thanks,
Alani

1 Like
#7

Thank you for asking. Actually, I had some difficulties with this challenge:

Running a validator node on NEAR requires several steps including a “restart”. When you run a node, it creates a unique new pair of private/public key. The validator must use the key pair to deploy a staking pool smart contract (using his personal NEAR wallet which the validator node doesn’t need to have access to). When the smart contract is ready, the validator must edit the account_id inside the node to the staking pool address and restart the node.

Well, I wanted the NEAR node deployment on Akash to be easy and without many steps. I’m trying to automate as much as possible, but yet there will be many deployment environment variables and a must-follow guide. I hope it’s not a problem.

I believe there is no way to automate that “restart” I mentioned earlier. If you know a way to do that, please share.

Thank you

#8

Hi @nickyharpor , though this appears to mostly be NEAR issues, I see you also mention hoping it would be easier to deploy on Akash but there are many ENV variables necessary. Have you tried to deploy onto Akash using Akashlytics - where manual set up of ENV variables would not be necessary. Not sure if Akashlytics would work for your use case but I’ll recommend taking a look. https://www.akashlytics.com/

Alani

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#9

It is an RPC node.

#10

thank you for the reply mando, but i just confused because when we run validator node we basically also run RPC node automatically, for it to be a complete submission do we need to run RPC node in separate docker container or only run validator node with RPC option in one docker container is enough? because in the bonus it said " * Bonus if you can do both the validator and chain node in a single set of deployment files"

#11

I should rephrase that in the challenge. Yes, the goal was to point out that you need the RPC work to run the validator. I can see how that looks like two separate workloads.

1 Like