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GITBOOK-247: Link fix and text change
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kenrogers authored and gitbook-bot committed Jan 7, 2025
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Expand Up @@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ While you _can_ run a node using these specs, it's _recommended_ to assign more
* **1TB disk space for Bitcoin node**

{% hint style="warning" %}
MacOS with an ARM processor is NOT recommended
MacOS with an ARM (M-series chip) processor is NOT recommended

The way Docker for Mac on an Arm CPU is designed makes the I/O incredibly slow, and blockchains are _**very**_ heavy on I/O. This only seems to affect MacOS, other Arm based systems like Raspberry Pi work as expected.
The way Docker for Mac on an Arm CPU is designed makes the I/O incredibly slow, and blockchains are _**very**_ heavy on I/O. This only seems to affect MacOS with the M-series chip, other Arm based systems like Raspberry Pi work as expected.
{% endhint %}

### **Quickstart**
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Expand Up @@ -12,79 +12,56 @@ tl;dr: avoid single point of failures, introduce redundancy, monitor things.

### Monitor your Signer and collect logs

- See
[here](https://www.notion.so/guides-and-tutorials/running-a-signer/how-to-monitor-signer.md)
on how to set up monitoring.
- Retain at least 1 week of logs for both the Signer and the Stacks node.
* See [here](how-to-monitor-signer.md) on how to set up monitoring.
* Retain at least 1 week of logs for both the Signer and the Stacks node.

### Downstream components

- Run a *dedicated* Bitcoin node and Stacks node per Signer.
- Ensure the nodes are provisioned with the minimum hardware requirements
described
[here](https://docs.stacks.co/guides-and-tutorials/running-a-signer#minimum-system-requirements).
- Nodes should be *exclusively dedicated* to serve the Signer. Avoid
re-using them to serve other clients as that may negatively affect
performance (no *mock-signing*, no *Stacks API nodes*).
- If running dedicated nodes is not possible, then ensure that the Bitcoin /
Stacks nodes do not become single point of failures for *multiple* signers
depending on them.
- Introduce redundancy, load balancing, rely on a robust Bitcoin RPC
provider, etc.
* Run a _dedicated_ Bitcoin node and Stacks node per Signer.
* Ensure the nodes are provisioned with the minimum hardware requirements described [here](https://docs.stacks.co/guides-and-tutorials/running-a-signer#minimum-system-requirements).
* Nodes should be _exclusively dedicated_ to serve the Signer. Avoid re-using them to serve other clients as that may negatively affect performance (no _mock-signing_, no _Stacks API nodes_).
* If running dedicated nodes is not possible, then ensure that the Bitcoin / Stacks nodes do not become single point of failures for _multiple_ signers depending on them.
* Introduce redundancy, load balancing, rely on a robust Bitcoin RPC provider, etc.

### Split voting power across multiple Signers

- Distribute your voting power across multiple, distinct Signer public keys to
mitigate the risk of loss or downtime from a single compromised key.
- Each Signer should also limit voting power to a maximum amount and invite
Stackers to use a different Signer when the limit is reached.
* Distribute your voting power across multiple, distinct Signer public keys to mitigate the risk of loss or downtime from a single compromised key.
* Each Signer should also limit voting power to a maximum amount and invite Stackers to use a different Signer when the limit is reached.

### Monitor new software releases

- Stay up-to-date with new releases, patches, and security advisories (e.g.,
GitHub, mailing lists, Discord).
- Apply updates as quickly as possible, especially those addressing a security
vulnerability.
* Stay up-to-date with new releases, patches, and security advisories (e.g., GitHub, mailing lists, Discord).
* Apply updates as quickly as possible, especially those addressing a security vulnerability.

### Upgrade procedures

- Upgrading one Signer instance at the time.
- Test the update on one instance and, if successful, proceed to the others.
- While your Signer is offline for upgrades, it won't sign any blocks. Ensure
that the downtime is as short as possible.
* Upgrading one Signer instance at the time.
* Test the update on one instance and, if successful, proceed to the others.
* While your Signer is offline for upgrades, it won't sign any blocks. Ensure that the downtime is as short as possible.

### Diversified hosting

- Use different provider / configuration where feasible (e.g., a self-hosted
instance and one in the cloud, or in two different data center regions, etc.).
- Ensure each host has redundant power supply and network connectivity.
* Use different provider / configuration where feasible (e.g., a self-hosted instance and one in the cloud, or in two different data center regions, etc.).
* Ensure each host has redundant power supply and network connectivity.

### Fall-back deployments

- Deploy additional Stacks nodes and Bitcoin nodes to be used as fall-back.
- Use the same configuration as your _active_ instances.
- For the Stacks node, comment out the `event_observer` section.
- Prepare a backup Signer (same configuration) to be quickly activated, but _do
not run it_.
- At all times, there should be _exactly_ one Signer instance running for each
Signer private key.
- These instances should be hosted on separate physical hosts (see *diversified
hosting*) from the instances usually active in operations (serving each
Signer).
- If an active instance (e.g., the Signer, the Stacks node or the Bitcoin node)
fails, you can quickly switch to the fall-back configuration to continue
operations. To do that:
- Run the backup Signer.
- Enable the `event_observer` section of the Node configuration.
- Restart the node.
* Deploy additional Stacks nodes and Bitcoin nodes to be used as fall-back.
* Use the same configuration as your _active_ instances.
* For the Stacks node, comment out the `event_observer` section.
* Prepare a backup Signer (same configuration) to be quickly activated, but _do not run it_.
* At all times, there should be _exactly_ one Signer instance running for each Signer private key.
* These instances should be hosted on separate physical hosts (see _diversified hosting_) from the instances usually active in operations (serving each Signer).
* If an active instance (e.g., the Signer, the Stacks node or the Bitcoin node) fails, you can quickly switch to the fall-back configuration to continue operations. To do that:
* Run the backup Signer.
* Enable the `event_observer` section of the Node configuration.
* Restart the node.

### Redundancy in operations

- Ensure that multiple, trusted users can manage and maintain signer instances.
- Where feasible, users should span different timezones.
* Ensure that multiple, trusted users can manage and maintain signer instances.
* Where feasible, users should span different timezones.

### Backup signer keys in cold-storage

- Keep an offline, secure backup of all Signer private keys (e.g., hardware
security modules or encrypted storage devices).

* Keep an offline, secure backup of all Signer private keys (e.g., hardware security modules or encrypted storage devices).

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