# Identity Transition [Based on Identity Transition Demo by mvines](https://github.com/mvines/validator-Identity-transition-demo) {% embed url="" %} Live identity transition demo (video starts at actual transition timestamp) {% endembed %} ## Hot Swap Configuration Requirements * Two non-delinquent validator nodes * Junk identities on both validators to use when not actively voting * Validator startup scripts both modified to use symbolic link as the identity * Validator startup scripts both modified to include staked identity as authorized voter ### Generating Junk Identities Both validators need to have secondary identities to assume when not actively voting. You can generate these "junk" identities on each of your validators like so: ```bash solana-keygen new -s --no-bip39-passphrase -o unstaked-identity.json ``` ### Validator Startup Script Modifications The identity flag and authorized voter flags should be modified on **both** validators. Note that `identity.json` is not a real file but a symbolic link we will create shortly - so don't worry about whether or not that file exists. However, the authorized voter flag does need to point to your staked identity file (your main identity). I renamed mine to `staked-identity.json` for clarity and simplicity. You can certainly name yours whatever you'd like, just make sure they are specified as authorized voters as shown below. ```bash exec /home/sol/bin/agave-validator \ --identity /home/sol/identity.json \ --vote-account /home/sol/vote.json \ --authorized-voter /home/sol/staked-identity.json \ ``` Summary: * Identity is a symbolic link we will create in the next section. It may point to your staked identity or your inactive "junk" identity. * Vote account is exactly what you think it is. No changes. Just shown for context. * Authorized voter points to your main, staked identity. ### Creating Identity Symlinks An important part of how this system functions is the `identity.json` symbolic link. This link allows us to soft link the desired identity so that the validator can restart or stop/start with the same identity we last intended it to have. On your actively voting validator, link this to your staked identity ```bash ln -sf /home/sol/staked-identity.json /home/sol/identity.json ``` On your inactive, non-voting validator, link this to your unstaked "junk" identity ```bash ln -sf /home/sol/unstaked-identity.json /home/sol/identity.json ``` ### Transition Preparation Checklist At this point on both validators you should have: * Generated unstaked "junk" identities * Updated your validator startup scripts * Created symbolic links to point to respective identities If you have done this - great! You're ready to transition! ### Transition Process #### Active Validator * Wait for a restart window * Set identity to unstaked "junk" identity * Correct symbolic link to reflect this change * Copy the tower file to the inactive validator ```bash #!/bin/bash # example script of the above steps - change IP obviously agave-validator -l /mnt/ledger wait-for-restart-window --min-idle-time 2 --skip-new-snapshot-check agave-validator -l /mnt/ledger set-identity /home/sol/unstaked-identity.json ln -sf /home/sol/unstaked-identity.json /home/sol/identity.json scp /mnt/ledger/tower-1_9-$(solana-keygen pubkey /home/sol/staked-identity.json).bin sol@68.100.100.10:/mnt/ledger ``` (At this point your primary identity is no longer voting) #### Inactive Validator * Set identity to your staked identity (requiring the tower) * Rewrite symbolic link to reflect this ```bash #!/bin/bash agave-validator -l /mnt/ledger set-identity --require-tower /home/sol/staked-identity.json ln -sf /home/sol/staked-identity.json /home/sol/identity.json ``` #### Verification Verify identities transitioned successfully using either monitor or `solana catchup --our-localhost 8899` --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://pumpkins-pool.gitbook.io/pumpkins-pool/identity-transition.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.