⚙️ Installation

System Preparation

Run all commands as root unless stated otherwise.

Update system

apt update && apt upgrade -y

Reboot if kernel was updated.

Install dependencies

apt install -y curl nvme-cli aria2 jq ufw

Install Monad Package

Configure APT repository

cat <<EOF > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/category-labs.sources
Types: deb
URIs: https://pkg.category.xyz/
Suites: noble
Components: main
Signed-By: /etc/apt/keyrings/category-labs.gpg
EOF

curl -fsSL https://pkg.category.xyz/keys/public-key.asc | \
  gpg --dearmor --yes -o /etc/apt/keyrings/category-labs.gpg

Install Monad

apt update
apt install -y monad=0.12.7
apt-mark hold monad

Create Monad User

useradd -m -s /bin/bash monad

Create directory structure:

mkdir -p /home/monad/monad-bft/config/{forkpoint,validators} \
         /home/monad/monad-bft/ledger

---

Configure TrieDB NVMe Device

Identify NVMe drive

nvme list
lsblk -o NAME,SIZE,TYPE,MOUNTPOINT,MODEL

⚠ Ensure the drive has no mounted filesystem

Partition drive

TRIEDB_DRIVE=/dev/nvme1n1   # CHANGE THIS

parted $TRIEDB_DRIVE mklabel gpt
parted $TRIEDB_DRIVE mkpart triedb 0% 100%

Create udev rule

PARTUUID=$(lsblk -o PARTUUID $TRIEDB_DRIVE | tail -n 1)

echo "ENV{ID_PART_ENTRY_UUID}==\"$PARTUUID\", MODE=\"0666\", SYMLINK+=\"triedb\"" \
  > /etc/udev/rules.d/99-triedb.rules

udevadm trigger
udevadm control --reload
udevadm settle
ls -l /dev/triedb

Verify 512-byte LBA

nvme id-ns -H $TRIEDB_DRIVE | grep 'LBA Format' | grep 'in use'

Expected:

Data Size: 512 bytes (in use)

If not:

nvme format --lbaf=0 $TRIEDB_DRIVE

Initialize TrieDB (MPT)

systemctl start monad-mpt
journalctl -u monad-mpt -n 20 -o cat

Service must finish with:

monad-mpt.service: Deactivated successfully.

Firewall Configuration

ufw allow ssh
ufw allow 8000
ufw enable
ufw status

Anti-spam UDP filter:

iptables -I INPUT -p udp --dport 8000 -m length --length 0:1400 -j DROP

Persist rule using iptables-persistent if desired.

Install OTEL Collector

OTEL_VERSION=0.139.0
curl -fsSL https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-releases/releases/download/v${OTEL_VERSION}/otelcol_${OTEL_VERSION}_linux_amd64.deb \
  -o /tmp/otelcol.deb

dpkg -i /tmp/otelcol.deb

cp /opt/monad/scripts/otel-config.yaml /etc/otelcol/config.yaml
systemctl restart otelcol

Metrics endpoint:

http://<NODE_IP>:8889/metrics

Download Configuration Files

Testnet example

MF_BUCKET=https://bucket.monadinfra.com

curl -o /home/monad/.env \
  $MF_BUCKET/config/testnet/latest/.env.example

curl -o /home/monad/monad-bft/config/node.toml \
  $MF_BUCKET/config/testnet/latest/node.toml

Keystore & Keys

Generate password

sed -i "s|^KEYSTORE_PASSWORD=$|KEYSTORE_PASSWORD='$(openssl rand -base64 32)'|" /home/monad/.env
source /home/monad/.env

Backup password:

mkdir -p /opt/monad/backup
echo "$KEYSTORE_PASSWORD" > /opt/monad/backup/keystore-password-backup

Generate keys

monad-keystore create --key-type secp \
  --keystore-path /home/monad/monad-bft/config/id-secp \
  --password "$KEYSTORE_PASSWORD"

monad-keystore create --key-type bls \
  --keystore-path /home/monad/monad-bft/config/id-bls \
  --password "$KEYSTORE_PASSWORD"

⚠ Store backups off-server

---

Hard Reset (Snapshot Restore)

systemctl stop monad-bft monad-execution monad-rpc
bash /opt/monad/scripts/reset-workspace.sh

Restore snapshot:

MF_BUCKET=https://bucket.monadinfra.com
curl -sSL $MF_BUCKET/scripts/testnet/restore-from-snapshot.sh | bash

---

Validator Configuration

Edit:

/home/monad/monad-bft/config/node.toml

Mandatory changes

beneficiary = "0x<VALIDATOR_REWARD_ADDRESS>"
node_name = "validator_<PROVIDER>"

Ensure validator-specific template is used.

Reload config without restart:

monad-debug-node --control-panel-ipc-path \
  /home/monad/monad-bft/controlpanel.sock reload-config

Start Services

chown -R monad:monad /home/monad
systemctl enable monad-bft monad-execution monad-rpc
systemctl start monad-bft monad-execution monad-rpc

Final Notes

• Monitor logs: journalctl -u monad-bft -f

• Monitor metrics via OTEL

• Backup keys regularly

• Never expose keystore password