Introduction

Now that everything is set up let's start creating the pool. Please read the official documentation Martin of ATADA pool provides to get a better understanding of the scripts. His tutorial is much more detailed and covers a lot of options. Thank you Martin!

This tutorial on the other hand is for the basics. It contains everything necessary to get a stake pool running and some other fundamental operations. It should help to get a nice and easy workflow.

The transfer with the USB device is fully automated. It just needs to be mounted at the current working environment, which should also work automated. If not, mount it with sudo mount ~/usb_transfer. Make sure to unmount every time before removing sudo umount ~/usb_transfer.

info

This guide assumes, that you are always in $HOME/pool_keys when running a script on the offline machine and in $HOME/pi-pool on the core.

Prerequisits on the cold machine

Let's begin with a directory for your keys.

>_ Terminal
cd
mkdir pool_keys
cd pool_keys

info

Also make sure the offline machine's time is correct, you'll have to do this everytime you use it!

>_ Terminal

timedatectl
timedatectl set-time xxxxx

Create a stake pool

caution

Basically everything is created offline. Make sure that you never expose your secret keys to an online environment and back them up, multiple times best case. The only keys you need on your core are: kes-xxx.skey, vrf.skey and node-xxx.opcert.

Workflow

Create and fund a wallet

First of all you'll need a wallet and with it a staking key. Create the keys and name the wallet accordingly.

offline

>_ Terminal

03a_genStakingPaymentAddr.sh wallet_name cli

Now copy the addresses to your core to fund the new wallet. You'll need your fresh USB drive for that.

offline

>_ Terminal

01_workOffline.sh attach wallet_name.payment.addr
01_workOffline.sh attach wallet_name.staking.addr

Switch the USB drive from offline to online machine. Extract the address files.

core

>_ Terminal

01_workOffline.sh extract

Retrieve the address and send some funds to your new wallet. You'll need at least 502 ADA + tx fees + your pledge.

core

>_ Terminal

cat wallet_name.payment.addr

Query the balance and wait until the new UTXO shows up.

core

>_ Terminal

01_queryAddress.sh wallet_name.payment

When the funds arrived copy the UTXO data to your offline machine.

core

>_ Terminal
01_workOffline.sh add wallet_name.payment

Generate a transaction to register the staking address. It will be submitted later on.

offline

>_ Terminal

03b_regStakingAddrCert.sh wallet_name.staking

Create the pool's keys and certificates

Generate the keys for your core node.

offline

>_ Terminal
04a_genNodeKeys.sh pool_name cli
04b_genVRFKeys.sh pool_name
04c_genKESKeys.sh pool_name
04d_genNodeOpCert.sh pool_name

Generate your stakepool certificate and metadata.json.

offline

>_ Terminal

05a_genStakepoolCert.sh pool_name

This creates a pool_name.pool.json file, which you can edit according to your needs and wishes. Everything is calculated in lovelaces. (Reminder: 1 ADA = 1,000,000 lovelace) So in this case we get a pool with 100k ADA pledge, 340 ADA fixed cost (minimum) and 1% margin.

Add as many of your relays as you want. Either ip or dns based.

Pool description can contain up to 255 characters.

poolMetaUrl points to the Metadata file, which you need to upload later. Github is a popular choice, if you don't want to use your own server.

info

poolMetaUrl can only be 64 characters long. Make sure it points to the raw file. In case you need to shorten the URL you can do it by creating an empty pool_name.metadata.json, upload it and shorten the URL. Make sure the short URL doesn't expire. Later replace it with the actual file.

You may also add an URL to an extended.metadata.json, which holds more information like the URL to your logo etc. Just create the file on your local machine, it's quite self-explanatory. The png icon is limited to 64x64 while the logo could use 400x400 pixels. jpg works aswell.

pool_name.pool.json
extended.metadata.json

>_ Terminal
{
   "poolName": "pool_name",  
   "poolOwner": [
      {
      "ownerName": "wallet_name",
      "ownerWitness": "local"
      }
   ],
   "poolRewards": "wallet_name",
   "poolPledge": "100000000000",    
   "poolCost": "340000000",
   "poolMargin": "0.01"
   "poolRelays": [
      {
      "relayType": "dns",
      "relayEntry": "relay.mypool.com",
      "relayPort": "3001"
      }
      {
      "relayType": "ip",
      "relayEntry": "x.x.x.x (ipv4 of relay)",
      "relayPort": "3002"
      }
   ],
   "poolMetaName": "This is my Pool",
   "poolMetaDescription": "This is the description of my Pool!",
   "poolMetaTicker": "POOL",
   "poolMetaHomepage": "https://mypool.com",
   "poolMetaUrl": "https://mypool.com/pool_name.metadata.json",
   "poolExtendedMetaUrl": "",
   "---": "--- DO NOT EDIT BELOW THIS LINE ---"
}

>_ Terminal
{
    "info": {
        "url_png_icon_64x64": "",
        "url_png_logo": "",
        "location": "",
        "social": {
            "twitter_handle": "",
            "telegram_handle": "",
            "facebook_handle": "",
            "youtube_handle": "",
            "twitch_handle": "",
            "discord_handle": "",
            "github_handle": ""
        },
        "company": {
            "name": "",
            "city": "",
            "country": ""
                    },
        "about": {
            "me": "",
            "server": "",
        "company": ""
        },
    "my-pool-ids": {
        "0": ""
    },
    "when-satured-then-recommend": {
        "0": ""
    }
    }
   
}

Now run 05a_genStakepoolCert.sh pool_name again. This will generate the pool_name.pool.cert file and the actual pool_name.metadata.json. Later you can upload the metadata.json to the URL you specified in the previous step. Do not edit it anymore or the hash won't fit! If you want to change something, change it in the pool_name.pool.json and run 05a_genStakepoolCert.sh pool_name again.

Delegate to your own pool as owner. (Pledge)

offline

>_ Terminal

05b_genDelegationCert.sh pool_name wallet_name

Generate the stakepool registration transaction. The script also attaches the new pool_name.metadata.json to the offline transfer file.

offline

>_ Terminal

05c_regStakepoolCert.sh pool_name wallet_name.payment

Now attach the files needed by the core.

offline

>_ Terminal
01_workOffline.sh attach pool_name.vrf.skey
01_workOffline.sh attach pool_name.kes-xxx.skey
01_workOffline.sh attach pool_name.node-xxx.opcert

You are done with the offline part. Unmount and bring your USB drive to the core again.

core

>_ Terminal

01_workOffline.sh extract

For convenience rename the core files so you don't have to change the startup script every KES rotation.

core

>_ Terminal
mv pool_name.kes-xxx.skey kes.skey
mv pool_name.vrf.skey vrf.skey
mv pool_name.node-xxx.opcert node.cert

Now change the startup script and add the three files.

core

>_ Terminal
nano $HOME/.local/bin/cardano-service

#!/bin/bash
. /home/ada/.adaenv

TOPOLOGY=${NODE_FILES}/${NODE_CONFIG}-topology.json
DB_PATH=${NODE_HOME}/db
CONFIG=${NODE_FILES}/${NODE_CONFIG}-config.json
KES=${NODE_HOME}/kes.skey
VRF=${NODE_HOME}/vrf.skey
CERT=${NODE_HOME}/node.cert
cardano-node +RTS -N4 --disable-delayed-os-memory-return -RTS run \
  --topology ${TOPOLOGY} \
  --database-path ${DB_PATH} \
  --socket-path ${CARDANO_NODE_SOCKET_PATH} \
  --port ${NODE_PORT} \
  --config ${CONFIG} \
  --shelley-kes-key ${KES} \
  --shelley-vrf-key ${VRF} \
  --shelley-operational-certificate ${CERT}

Restart the service.

core

>_ Terminal

cardano-service restart

While your core is starting you can transfer the pool_name.metadata.json to your local machine and upload it to the prepared URL. Do the same with the extended metadata and your logos, if you have made them.

Check the status of the core. When it's up again you can submit the transactions. First the staking key registration, then repeat the same command for the stake pool registration.

core

>_ Terminal

01_workOffline.sh execute

Confirm successful registration

pool.vet

pool.vet is a website for pool operators to check the validity of their stake pools on chain data. You can check this site Pool.vet for problems and clues as to how to fix them.

adapools.org

You should create an account and claim your pool here at adapools.org.

pooltool.io

You should also create an account and claim your pool here on pooltool.io.

Rotate KES keys

caution

Make sure to rotate your KES keys and node certificate before! they expire.

info

Before starting check timedatectl on your offline machine and adjust, if needed.

Create the new KES keypair. You will notice that the counter increments automatically.

offline

>_ Terminal

04c_genKESKeys.sh pool_name

Create a new operational certificate.

offline

>_ Terminal

04d_genNodeOpCert.sh pool_name

Now attach the new files.

offline

>_ Terminal
01_workOffline.sh attach pool_name.vrf.skey
01_workOffline.sh attach pool_name.kes-xxx.skey
01_workOffline.sh attach pool_name.node-xxx.opcert

Unmount and bring the USB drive to the core. Stop the node and extract the files.

core

>_ Terminal

cardano-service stop
01_workOffline.sh extract

Now rename/move them to match the startup script. Then start again. That's it.

core

>_ Terminal
mv pool_name.kes-xxx.skey kes.skey
mv pool_name.vrf.skey vrf.skey
mv pool_name.node-xxx.opcert node.cert
cardano-service start 

Update pool registration

First get up-to-date information from the core via your USB drive.

core

>_ Terminal
01_workOffline.sh add wallet_name.payment

Switch to the offline machine and edit the values you want to change in the pool_name.pool.json.

offline

>_ Terminal
chmod 600 pool_name.pool.json
nano pool_name.pool.json
chmod 400 pool_name.pool.json

Create a new certificate pool_name.pool.cert and pool_name.metadata.json.

offline

>_ Terminal

05a_genStakepoolCert.sh pool_name

Create the registration transaction. If the metadata didn't change you don't need to attach it to the transfer file.

offline

>_ Terminal

05c_regStakepoolCert.sh pool_name wallet_name.payment

Now switch to the core. First, if you changed the metadata, 01_workOffline.sh extract and upload it. Otherwise skip this step and submit the transaction directly.

core

>_ Terminal

01_workOffline.sh execute

Claim rewards

First get up-to-date information from the core via your USB drive.

core

>_ Terminal
01_workOffline.sh add wallet_name.payment
01_workOffline.sh add wallet_name.staking

Switch over to the offline machine.

offline

>_ Terminal

01_claimRewards.sh wallet_name.staking wallet_name.payment

Back to the core.

core

>_ Terminal

01_workOffline.sh execute

Send a simple transaction

First get up-to-date information from the core via your USB drive. Create a other_wallet.payment.addr which contains the address (and only the address) you want to send your ADA to.

core

>_ Terminal
01_workOffline.sh add wallet_name.payment
01_workOffline.sh attach other_wallet.payment.addr

Bring everything over to the cold machine and create the transaction. This will send 1000 ADA from your pledge wallet to the other wallet. (Again everything in lovelaces. 1 ADA = 1000000 lovelace)

offline

>_ Terminal
01_workOffline.sh extract
01_sendLovelaces.sh wallet_name.payment other_wallet.payment 1000000000

caution

Make sure to meet your pledge at any time. And some ADA for transactions fees on top aren't bad.

USB transfer and submitting at your core.

core

>_ Terminal

01_workOffline.sh execute

Introduction

info

Prerequisits on the cold machine

info

Create a stake pool

caution

Workflow​

Create and fund a wallet​

Create the pool's keys and certificates​

info

Confirm successful registration​

pool.vet​

adapools.org​

pooltool.io​

Rotate KES keys

caution

info

Update pool registration

Claim rewards

Send a simple transaction

caution

Workflow

Create and fund a wallet

Create the pool's keys and certificates

Confirm successful registration

pool.vet

adapools.org

pooltool.io