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Restarting a cluster

Step 1. Identify the slot that the cluster will be restarted at

This will probably be the last root that was made. Call this slot SLOT_X

Step 2. Stop the validator(s)

Step 3. Install the new velas version

Step 4. Create a new snapshot for slot SLOT_X with a hard fork at slot SLOT_X

$ velas-ledger-tool -l ledger create-snapshot SLOT_X ledger --hard-fork SLOT_X

The ledger directory should now contain the new snapshot. velas-ledger-tool create-snapshot will also output the new shred version, and bank hash value, call this NEW_SHRED_VERSION and NEW_BANK_HASH respectively.

Adjust your validator's arugments:

 --expected-shred-version NEW_SHRED_VERSION
--wait-for-supermajority SLOT_X
--expected-bank-hash NEW_BANK_HASH

Then restart the validator.

Confirm with the log that the validator booted and is now in a holding pattern at SLOT_X, waiting for a super majority.

Step 5. Update shred documentation

Edit https://github.com/velas/velas-chain-docs/blob/master/docs/src/clusters.md, replacing the old shred version with NEW_SHRED_VERSION. Ensure the edits make it into the release channel

Step 6. Announce the restart on Discord:

Post something like the following to #announcements (adjusting the text as appropriate):

Hi @Validators,

We've released v0.3.6 and are ready to get TdS back up again.

Steps:

  1. Install the v0.3.6 release: https://github.com/velas/velas-chain/releases/tag/v0.3.6

a. Preferred method, start from your local ledger with:

velas-validator
--wait-for-supermajority 12961040 # <-- NEW! IMPORTANT!
--expected-shred-version 56096 # <-- NEW! IMPORTANT!
--expected-bank-hash 6q2oTgs8FiJxra2Zo1N8tzWqo5b6uGbjmFgoWDsXxchY # <-- NEW! IMPORTANT!
--hard-fork 56096 # <-- NEW! IMPORTANT!
--entrypoint 35.203.170.30:8001 # <-- Same as before
--trusted-validator 5D1fNXzvv5NjV1ysLjirC4WY92RNsVH18vjmcszZd8on
--expected-genesis-hash 4uhcVJyU9pJkvQyS88uRDiswHXSCkY3zQawwpjk2NsNY
--no-untrusted-rpc
--limit-ledger-size
--no-snapshot-fetch
--no-genesis-fetch
... # <-- your other --identity/--vote-account/etc arguments

b. If your validator doesn't have ledger up to slot 21042873, have it download a snapshot by removing --no-snapshot-fetch --no-genesis-fetch --hard-fork 21042873 arguments. You can check for which slots your ledger has with: velas-ledger-tool -l path/to/ledger bounds

  1. Wait until 80% of the stake comes online

To confirm your restarted validator is correctly waiting for the 80%: a. Look for N% of active stake visible in gossip log messages b. Ask it over RPC what slot it's on: velas --url http://127.0.0.1:8899 slot. It should return 12961040 until we get to 80% stake

Thanks!

Step 7. Wait and listen

Monitor the validators as they restart. Answer questions, help folks,