> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.monad.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Node Migration (Promoting a Full Node to Validator)

Backup Recommendation:
We highly recommend backing up all validator configuration files and keys. This ensures you can recover quickly in the event of a node crash or unexpected failure.

There are several ways to achieve high availability for your validator node. This document specifically provides instructions for running a full node and promoting it to a validator using the proper configuration files and keys.

In situations of planned or unplanned maintenance, validators can migrate their node keys with minimal downtime by running a full node. This node can be seamlessly converted into a validator, allowing for continuous participation in consensus.

At the moment downtime results in the loss of rewards for validators and their delegators. However there is **no slashing** live on the chain as of now.

Follow these steps to safely migrate your validator role, minimize downtime, and maintain network health.

## Prerequisites

1. Monad version >= `0.12.x`.
2. `id-secp` and `id-bls` keys of the validator.
3. `node.toml` configuration file of the validator.
4. `KEYSTORE_PASSWORD` value from the `.env` file.

## Instructions

1. Follow the [full node instructions](/node-ops/full-node-installation) to sync a full node to the tip of the network.

2. Backup existing configuration files on the full node from `/home/monad/monad-bft/config` and move them to `/opt/monad/backup`.
   * `/home/monad/monad-bft/config/node.toml`
   * `/home/monad/monad-bft/config/id-secp`
   * `/home/monad/monad-bft/config/id-bls`

3. Copy `id-secp`,`id-bls` and `node.toml` from the validator to the full node.

4. From the full node, run the `monad-sign-name-record` utility to generate a name-record signature for the new IP address.

```bash theme={null}
# Source the .env file to load the keystore password env variable
source /home/monad/.env
# Generate a name record and signature
monad-sign-name-record --address $(curl -s4 ifconfig.me):8000 \
--node-config /home/monad/monad-bft/config/node.toml \
--authenticated-udp-port 8001 \
--self-record-seq-num 1 \
--keystore-path /home/monad/monad-bft/config/id-secp \
--password "$KEYSTORE_PASSWORD"
```

**Example Output:**

```bash theme={null}
self_address = "<IP>:8000"
self_record_seq_num = 1  # Incremented by 1 from the previous value
self_name_record_sig = "<HEX SIG>"
```

1. From the full node, replace the `[peer_discovery]` block in `node.toml` with the output of the above command (3 lines).

<Info>
  * The `self_record_seq_num` is incremented each time the node undergoes a migration process.
  * This value is crucial as it is directly linked to the `self_name_record_sig`, ensuring
    consistency and integrity of the node's identity during transitions.
</Info>

1. If the original validator had (other) custom configuration related to dedicated full nodes, e.g. `[[fullnode_dedicated.identities]]`, those will need to be added to the full node's `node.toml`. To maintain connectivity with downstream nodes all downstream peers must update the name record for the validator in their `node.toml` configuration.

2. Ensure `enable_publisher = true`, `enable_client = true` and `expand_to_group = true`. In `expand_to_group = true` mode, full nodes support relies on secondary raptorcast peers specified in the full node's `node.toml`

3. Double-check and ensure if the **`beneficiary = `** values are copied from the validator's `node.toml` to full node's `node.toml`.

4. From the validator node, run `systemctl` commands to stop the services.

```bash theme={null}
systemctl stop monad-bft monad-rpc monad-execution
```

1. Verify the validator services are stopped.

```bash theme={null}
systemctl status monad-bft monad-rpc monad-execution
```

1. Stop the **full node** services and restart the services as a **validator**.

```bash theme={null}
systemctl stop monad-bft monad-rpc monad-execution
sleep 1
systemctl start monad-bft monad-rpc monad-execution
```

1. Verify the systemd services are running:

```bash theme={null}
systemctl status monad-bft monad-execution monad-rpc

# Check logs for each service
journalctl -fu monad-bft
journalctl -fu monad-execution
journalctl -fu monad-rpc
```

## Restoring the original validator

If you would like to restore the original validator (A) to its original role, you will need to perform one of two procedures:

1. Re-sync A - this will result in some downtime based on the time to statesync / blocksync
   1. Copy the `node.toml` from node B to node A
   2. From A, run `monad-sign-name-record` using node B's `node.toml` with incremented `self_record_seq_num`
   3. Update the corresponding two fields in `node.toml`
   4. From the temporary validator (B), stop the services.
   5. Soft or hard reset (A)
2. Run A as a full node, then perform steps above
   1. For A, generate [new keys](/node-ops/full-node-installation#Generate-Keystores)
   2. Sign a new name record (see instructions above) and [setup as a dedicated node](/node-ops/full-node-installation) to a validator, e.g. your temporary validator (B)
   3. Perform the steps above with roles reversed.

<Warning title="Node Name Management">
  Always ensure that each node maintains distinct `node_name` values in their respective `node.toml` files.

  * If node B was originally a full node with `node_name = "node_B"`, it should retain this name when returning to full node operation
  * Node B should only temporarily use node A's `node_name` during the migration procedure
  * After restoration, each node must return to its original `node_name` to avoid conflicts
</Warning>