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How to choose the right Validator

To effectively stake your DVPN, choosing the appropriate validator is crucial. Validators play a pivotal role in maintaining the Sentinel blockchain, ensuring the integrity of transactions and overseeing upgrades. Selecting dedicated validators is essential for the continued success of Sentinel.

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Be aware that the validator will automatically vote on proposals for you. However, if you choose to vote yourself, your vote will replace the validator's.

Here are key considerations when choosing a validator, listed in no particular order:

  • Reachable. Ensure your chosen validator is easily reachable for inquiries or concerns. The ability to communicate with them is vital, especially during critical events. Validators with clear communication channels, often found through links on the explorer, are preferable.

  • Community Engagement. Opt for validators actively involved in the community. A responsive presence in community forums, assistance to fellow members, and overall positive engagement are indicators of a reliable validator. Supporting validators who contribute positively fosters a stronger community.

  • Validator Setup. Assess the hardware and security configurations of the validator. A robust setup with quality hardware and secure configurations (firewall, anti-brute force, anti-DDoS, monitoring, sentries, fail-over) is essential to prevent downtime, slashing, or jailing. While it's challenging to verify their setup, ongoing communication and monitoring through the explorer can provide insights.

  • Testnet. Choose a validator that supports testnet, as it indicates commitment to the project's growth and success. Validators who actively participate in testing contribute to the project's improvement. Acknowledging their presence on the testnet demonstrates a commitment beyond mainnet rewards.

  • Full Archive Node. Some validators run full archive nodes, enhancing network resilience by tracking all blockchain transactions. Supporting validators with this additional commitment strengthens the overall network.

  • Project Involvement. Seek validators who stay informed about project developments, announcements, proposals, and upgrades. Checking a validator's participation in proposals on the explorer's validator page provides valuable insights. Involvement in project activities is crucial to ensuring timely actions and community support.

  • Commission Rates. Consider the commission rates of validators. While lower commission rates increase your delegation rewards, it's essential to strike a balance, recognizing the effort validators put into securing the network and contributing to project improvement.

  • Decentralization. Promote decentralization by spreading your voting power across multiple validators. Delegating coins to various validators prevents a single validator or a small group from monopolizing decision-making during votes. Your stake contributes to a more democratic governance structure on the Sentinel blockchain.