Secure Node FAQ
Q: What are the requirements for a Secure Node in order to participate in the 3.5% portion of the mining reward?
A: Secure Node requirements:
1. Operate ZenCash node software on a capable system.
a. Recommended memory is more than 4GB
b. Decent internet connection
c. Secured to prevent hacking.
2. Maintain entire ZenCash blockchain on the system.
3. Provide a valid SSL certificate to the ZenCash Node software to use for communicating with other nodes and wallets.
4. Keep at least 42 ZenCash on the server in a t_address for staking
5. Monitor the SecureNode channel for challenge messages from SecureNodeHQ approximately every 10 minutes (in a z_transaction message field)
6. Respond to challenge with identifying information of the Secure Node.
7. Challenge response will be a combination of two things:
a. Send a shielded message to SecureNodeHQ containing public t_address and GNUnet document location in message f ield
b. Publish a document to GNUnet signed with private t_address including:
i. public t_address of staking Zen, which will also be used for reward payment.
ii. SSL certificate and IP address
iii. Block header from blockchain
iv. Other information that may be necessary to make sure it is a unique server
8. Other potential requirements that may come up in future to allow ZenCash system to use the Secure Nodes for consensus and computing power
The Secure Node tracking system will publish the challenges, and the responses from the Secure Node will be tracked and published on a web page for visibility. Payments will be done on a regular basis.
Q: Will you publish a guide on how to set up and run a Secure Node?
A: Yes we will publish a guide on how to set up and run a Secure Node. Coming soon on the ZenCash Blog at
https://blog.zencash.ioQ: If I have no Linux skills will you show me how to set up and run a Secure Node?
A: If you are completely unfamiliar with how to use Linux then it probably won't be something appropriate for you to do. The priority in compensating Secure Nodes is to make sure the ZenCash network has a good amount of nodes with sufficient computing power and security to operate the system reliably.
This means we want the people who are operating Secure Nodes to understand what they are doing, which is why we are intentionally placing a lower limit on technical skill to operate them. And asking people to put 42 ZenCash on the Secure Node at risk. This is by design, so the operator of the Secure Node makes the system secure.
See more complete update on Projects here:
https://blog.zencash.io/zencash-software-development-projects-update/