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A SuperNode is a compute-intensive node that extends a Lumera Protocol validator with specialized services. Validators handle consensus and block production. SuperNodes handle the heavy lifting of Cascade storage, Sense verification, and AI inference. Every SuperNode is paired with a validator but must run on a separate server. The SuperNode keeps its own account, keys, and stake delegation, and talks to the Lumera chain over gRPC. A full video walkthrough of the setup is available on YouTube.
Existing operators. The v1.20.0 EVM upgrade changes account key derivation. On networks that have upgraded (testnet today), the daemon can migrate your account once evm_key_name is set in config.yml, or you can migrate first yourself. See the EVM upgrade page.

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Services and rewards

Cascade is permanent, redundant file storage. Your SuperNode encodes files with RaptorQ erasure coding, splits them into redundant symbols, and distributes the symbols across the P2P network. The original file can be rebuilt even when a subset of symbols is lost. Sense protects content integrity. Participating SuperNodes independently evaluate submitted media for near duplicates and reach a consensus backed verdict. The protocol selects a set of top ranked SuperNodes for each action, based on stake and performance. If your SuperNode is selected and fulfills the action correctly, you receive a share of the action fee. This is proof of service income, separate from validator staking rewards. Higher stake and reliable uptime improve your rank and your earning opportunities.

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Architecture

The SuperNode and its validator are two independent hosts that meet on chain. The validator produces blocks through its normal consensus P2P on port 26656. The SuperNode separately talks to the Lumera chain over gRPC to read state and broadcast its own messages. Supernode Architecture What ties the two hosts together is a pair of on-chain records.
  • register-supernode(VALOPER, SN_ENDPOINT, SN_ACCOUNT). Signed by the validator operator key, this message binds a specific SuperNode endpoint and account to a specific validator. Only that validator’s operator can register, update, or retire the SuperNode.
  • Stake delegation from SN_ACCOUNT to VALOPER. Under LEP-3, the combined total of validator self-delegation and this SN account delegation must meet the network’s minimum stake.
Together those two records form the entire SuperNode and validator relationship. SuperNodes also form a peer-to-peer mesh with other SuperNodes over a Kademlia DHT on port 4445, used for data replication and storage challenge proofs across the network.

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Key information

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Staking requirements (LEP-3)

SuperNode registration requires a minimum combined stake from two sources, enforced on chain through the minimum_stake_for_sn parameter. The stake can come from two sources combined. Both count toward the minimum.
  1. Validator self-delegation, which must be non-zero.
  2. Delegation from the SuperNode account (SN_ACCOUNT) to your validator.
For example, 8,000 LUME self-delegated plus 2,000 LUME from SN_ACCOUNT gives 10,000 LUME total, which meets the requirement. You can verify the current on-chain requirement at any time.
This parameter is governable and can change through a governance proposal. Always check the current value before registering.

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Hardware requirements

SuperNodes are more resource-intensive than validators because of the compute workloads they handle.
ARM processors are not supported. HDDs are not suitable. NVMe SSDs are required for the I/O demands of storage and compute tasks.

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Required ports

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SuperNode host

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Validator host

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Prerequisites

Before setting up a SuperNode, you need the following.
  • A running Lumera validator in a bonded state. See the testnet or mainnet validator guide.
  • A separate server meeting the hardware requirements above.
  • Access to the validator operator key for registration transactions.
  • Testnet LUME tokens from the testnet faucet, the AstroStake faucet, or Discord.

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Automated setup

If you prefer a one-command setup, use the tested setup script that handles all steps automatically.
The script is interactive. It pauses for key creation and gRPC configuration, then prints the registration command to run on your validator host. See the source and full guide for details. For a manual step-by-step walkthrough, continue with the pages below.

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Next steps

Node setup

Install sn-manager and initialize the SuperNode.

Register

Fund, delegate, and register on chain.

Operations

Monitor, upgrade, and troubleshoot your node.