Node Deployment

Hardware requirements, client installation, and optimization for full nodes.

Overview

Operating a full node allows you to verify the state of the blockchain independently, without relying on third-party data providers. Whether you are running a dedicated RPC endpoint for your dApp or bootstrapping a validator, the initial setup requirements are similar.

This section covers the deployment of non-validating nodes (Full Nodes, Archive Nodes, and RPC Endpoints).

💡 Note for Validators

If you are looking to set up a consensus-participating node (Validator), please skip to the [Validator Setup] section. Validators require additional key management and security protocols not covered here.

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Node Types

Before provisioning hardware, identify the specific role your node will serve:

Node Type	Function	Storage Requirement	Use Case
Full Node	Stores recent blocks and state. Verifies all transactions.	Moderate (1TB - 3TB)	Personal use, Wallets, Light dApps.
Archive Node	Stores the entire history of the blockchain state since genesis.	High (4TB - 15TB+)	Indexers, Explorers, Historical Analysis.
RPC Node	A Full/Archive node configured to accept external API requests (HTTP/WSS).	Moderate - High	Backend for dApps, Exchanges, Bots.

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General Hardware Prerequisites

While specific networks (Solana vs. Ethereum) have unique requirements, institutional-grade nodes generally require the following baseline specifications to ensure high uptime.

• Storage (I/O is King): NVMe SSDs are mandatory. Standard SATA SSDs or HDDs will cause sync failures on high-throughput chains like Solana, Sui, and Aptos.

• RAM: ECC (Error Correcting Code) RAM is recommended to prevent data corruption during long-running sync processes.

• Network: A stable 1Gbps+ connection with unmetered ingress/egress is required. Blockchain nodes are bandwidth-intensive.