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ParaTime Client Node

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These instructions are for setting up a ParaTime client node which only observes ParaTime activity and can submit transactions. If you want to run a ParaTime node instead, see the instructions for running a ParaTime node. Similarly, if you want to run a validator or a non-validator node instead, see the instructions for running a validator node or instructions for running a non-validator node.

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If you are looking for some concrete ParaTimes that you can run, see the list of ParaTimes and their parameters.

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Oasis Core refers to ParaTimes as runtimes internally, so all configuration options will have runtime in their name.

This guide will cover setting up your ParaTime client node for the Oasis Network. This guide assumes some basic knowledge on the use of command line tools.

Prerequisites​

Before following this guide, make sure you've followed the Prerequisites and Run a Non-validator Node sections and have:

  • Oasis Node binary installed and configured on your system.
  • The chosen top-level /node/ working directory prepared. In addition to etc and data directories, also prepare the following directories:
    • bin: This will store binaries needed by Oasis Node for running the ParaTimes.
    • runtimes: This will store the ParaTime bundles.
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Feel free to name your working directory as you wish, e.g. /srv/oasis/.

Just make sure to use the correct working directory path in the instructions below.

  • Genesis file copied to /node/etc/genesis.json.
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Reading the rest of the ParaTime node setup instructions may also be useful.

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To speed up bootstraping your new node, we recommend copying node's state from your existing node or syncing it using state sync.

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Running a ParaTime client node doesn't require registering an entity or its nodes.

It also doesn't require having any stake.

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Running a client node for a ParaTime that runs in a trusted execution environment (TEE) doesn't require having the same TEE available on the ParaTime client node.

For example, running a ParaTime client node for an SGX-enabled ParaTime like Cipher doesn't require having SGX on the ParaTime client node.

The ParaTime Bundle​

In order to run a ParaTime node you need to obtain an active ParaTime bundle, see the Network Parameters page (Mainnet, Testnet). The bundle (.orc extension that stands for Oasis Runtime Container) contains all the needed ParaTime binaries together with the identifier and version metadata to ease deployment.

When the ParaTime is running in a trusted execution environment (TEE) the bundle will also contain all the required artifacts (e.g. SGXS version of the binary and any enclave signatures).

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Like the genesis document, make sure you obtain these from a trusted source.

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Compiling the ParaTime Binary from Source Code​

In case you decide to build the ParaTime binary from source yourself, make sure that you follow our guidelines for deterministic compilation to ensure that you receive the exact same binary.

Install ParaTime Bundle​

For each ParaTime, you need to obtain its bundle and install it to the runtimes subdirectory of your node's working directory.

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For example, for the Cipher ParaTime, you would have to obtain the cipher-paratime.orc bundle and install it to /node/runtimes/cipher-paratime.orc.

Install Bubblewrap Sandbox (at least version 0.3.3)​

ParaTime client nodes execute ParaTime binaries inside a sandboxed environment provided by Bubblewrap. In order to install it, please follow these instructions, depending on your distribution:

sudo apt install bubblewrap

Ensure you have a new enough version by running:

bwrap --version
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Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (and earlier) provide overly-old bubblewrap. Follow Other Distributions section on those systems.

Configuration​

In order to configure the ParaTime client node, create the /node/etc/config.yml file with the following content:

mode: client
common:
    data_dir: /node/data
    log:
        format: JSON
        level:
            cometbft: info
            cometbft/context: error
            default: info
genesis:
    file: /node/etc/genesis.json
p2p:
    seeds:
      # List of seed nodes to connect to.
      # NOTE: You can add additional seed nodes to this list if you want.
        - {{ seed_node_address }}
runtime:
    # Paths to ParaTime bundles for all of the supported ParaTimes.
    paths:
        - {{ runtime_orc_path }}

Before using this configuration you should collect the following information to replace the variables present in the configuration file:.

  • {{ seed_node_address }}: The seed node address in the form ID@IP:port.
    • You can find the current Oasis Seed Node address in the Network Parameters page (Mainnet, Testnet).
  • {{ runtime_orc_path }}: Path to the ParaTime bundle of the form /node/runtimes/foo-paratime.orc.
    • You can find the current Oasis-supported ParaTimes in the Network Parameters page (Mainnet, Testnet).
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Make sure the consensus port (default: 26656) and p2p.port (default: 9200) are exposed and publicly accessible on the internet (for TCP and UDP traffic).

Configuring TEE Paratime Client Node​

If your node requires the ability to issue queries that can access confidential data, start by following the Configuration section to create the /node/etc/config.yml file. Once the file is set up, add the following content to the runtime part within the /node/etc/config.yml file:

# ... sections not relevant are omitted ...
runtime:
    # Paths to ParaTime bundles for all of the supported ParaTimes.
    paths:
        - {{ runtime_orc_path }}
    environment: sgx
    sgx_loader: /node/bin/oasis-core-runtime-loader

Before using this configuration you should collect the following information to replace the variables present in the configuration file:

  • {{ runtime_orc_path }}: Path to the ParaTime bundle of the form /node/runtimes/foo-paratime.orc.

Enabling Expensive Queries​

In case you need to issue runtime queries that may require more resources to compute (e.g. when running a Web3 Gateway), you need to configure the following in your node's /node/etc/config.yml file:

# ... sections not relevant are omitted ...
runtime:
    paths:
      - {{ runtime_orc_path }}
    environment: sgx
    config:
      {{ runtime_id }}:
          estimate_gas_by_simulating_contracts: true
          allowed_queries:
              - all_expensive: true
  • {{ runtime_id}}: You can find the runtime_id in the Network Parameters chapter (Mainnet, Testnet)
  • {{ runtime_orc_path }}: Path to the ParaTime bundle of the form /node/runtimes/foo-paratime.orc.

Starting the Oasis Node​

You can start the node by running the following command:

oasis-node --config /node/etc/config.yml

Checking Node Status​

To ensure that your node is properly connected with the network, you can run the following command after the node has started:

oasis-node control status -a unix:/node/data/internal.sock

See also​

📄️ Web3 Gateway

Web3 gateway for Emerald and Sapphire ParaTimes