Network setup

This page covers how the Entropy network functions from a conceptual standpoint. For techincal and actionable information on the various Entropy networks, check out the Networks reference page.

Joining the network

This section explains the process for validator nodes to join the network. The process works something like this:

The new validator operates an Entropy chain node and a threshold server.
This new validator registers with the chain.
If the stake is enough and the node gets selected to be a validator, it will act as a relayer and be eligible to be added to the signer set.

sequenceDiagram
    title Joining The Network
    participant NV as New_Validator
    participant C as Chain

    NV->>NV: Spins up chain instance
    NV->>NV: Starts threshold server
    C->>NV: Places NV in validator set
    CV->>NV: Validates validator's subgroup, then encrypts and sends keys

ℹ️

The network is not currently accepting public/user-ran validator nodes. We will announce when we plan to start allowing new nodes to join the network.

Required information

Each validator node requires the following information before it can join the network:

Endpoint: The IP address of its threshold server.
X25519 Public Key: Its public encryption key for encrypting messages to and from other validators.
Threshold Server Signing Account: The account for the threshold server to submit transactions to the Entropy chain.

Jumpstart

The network needs a “jump start” to be in a usefull state. Pretty much this means we need to do a network wide DKG to create the network parent key. This is started through a blockchain call which informs the selected TSSs to do a dkg. These TSSs will create the network parent key and create the first signing comittee.

Through reshares TSSs will get subbed in and out of the signing comittee. At registration user’s are given a derivation off of the parent key and during signing we have a just in time key derivation to allow for singing for a given account.

sequenceDiagram
    participant Anyone
    participant Chain
    participant Validator Alice
    participant Validator Bob
    participant Validator Charlie
    participant Validator David

    Anyone ->> Chain: Calls jumpstart_network().
    
    Note over Chain: Selects validators for distributed-key-generation (DKG).
    Chain ->> Validator Alice: do DKG message sent.
    Chain ->> Validator Bob: do DKG message sent.
    Note over Validator Alice, Validator Bob: Perform DKG.
    Validator Alice ->> Chain: Confirms network is jumpstarted.
    Validator Bob ->> Chain: Confirms network is jumpstarted.
    Note over Chain: Network is jumpstarted, Alice and Bob are signers.

Key management Programs