Distributed Validator Technology (DVT) allows a cluster of nodes run by an individual, group, or community of operators to collaboratively run one or more validators for Ethereum.
Obolβs middleware, Charon, is an implementation of DVT that addresses the following Ethereum Staking challenges:
- Itβs way too common for a validator to go offline.
- Itβs possible for both nodes in an active-passive setup to make an attestation for the same slot, this will get your validator slashed.
- Validators have hot private keys in single, online, locations that can be compromised; this could get your validator slashed.
- 32 (or 16) ether represents a high economic barrier for individual at-home stakers.
- Operator and client centralization leads to correlation risk in the network, DVT allows you to diversify both.
- Validators need periodic maintenance such as database pruning and client updates that incur downtime and inactivity penalties
DVT acts as a decentralizing force on the entire Ethereum network while adding resiliency and reducing risk. Read more here.
π£οΈΒ Roadmap
The following is an overview of the milestones to be completed as Obol DVT gets ready for Ethereum mainnet. Click each card for more info π
Milestones
πΒ Quickstarts
π«Β Client Compatibility
Validator π
Consensus π | Teku | Lighthouse | Nimbus | Prysm | Lodestar | Vouch |
Teku | β
| β
| β
| β
| β
| β
|
Lighthouse | β
| β
| β
| β
| β
| β
|
Nimbus | β
| β
| β | β | β
| β |
Prysm | β
| β | β | β
| β
| β |
Lodestar | β | β
| β
| β | β
| β
|
γ
€ | γ
€ | γ
€ | γ
€ | γ
€ | γ
€ | γ
€ |
NOTES:
- Lighthouse CL
v4.3.0is not compatible with Teku VC versions afterv23.6.0
Successful Duties Observed on a Public Testnet
Duty \ VC | Teku | Lighthouse | Nimbus | Prysm | Lodestar | Vouch |
Attestation | β
| β
| β
| β
| β
| β
|
Attestation Aggregation | β
| π§ | β
| β
| β
| π§ |
Block Proposal | β
| β
| β
| β
| β
| β
|
BlindedBeaconBlock Proposal | β
| β
| β
| β
| β
| β
|
Sync Committee Message | β
| β
| β
| β
| β
| β
|
Sync Committee Contribution | β
| π§ | β
| π§ | β
| π§ |
NOTE:
- Blinded beacon block proposals are only supported for clusters created with charon release
v0.17.0and onwards.
- Teku VC supported as of
v24.4.0. Add the--Xobol-dvt-integration-enabled=trueflag to the validator client to enable aggregations.
- Lighthouse VC support from
v5.0.0. Add the--distributedflag to the validator client to enable aggregations (still WIP as ofv5.1.3).
- Nimbus VC support from
v23.11.0. Add the--distributedflag to enable aggregations.
- Prysm VC support is added from prysm version
v5.0.0onwards. Add the--distributedflag to enable aggregations.
- Lodestar support from
v1.8.0. Add the--distributedflag to the validator client to enable aggregations.
Key Managers Tested
Key Manager | Tested |
β
| |
π§ | |
π |
π€Β Launcher Support
UI and CLI validator provisioning software
Launcher \ Flow | Solo | Group | Creator |
DV Launchpad | γ
€ | γ
€ | γ
€ |
β
| β
| β
| |
β
| β
| β
| |
π | π§ | π | |
β
| β
| π§ | |
π§ | π§ | π | |
π§ | β
| π | |
π§ | π§ | π | |
π§ | π§ | π | |
π | π | π | |
π | π§ | π | |
π | π | π |
Charon should be used with caution on mainnet according to its License andΒ Terms of Use.
π§Β Support
π£Β Obol Updates
Β