> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.lumera.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Run a SuperNode on Lumera

> Pair a dedicated SuperNode server with your validator to serve Cascade, Sense, and AI workloads for extra rewards.

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](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BW3NH0qXbU) is available on YouTube.

<Note>
  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](/upgrades/evm-upgrade).
</Note>

## 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.

## 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.

<img className="block dark:hidden mx-auto" src="https://mintcdn.com/lumeraprotocol/izWPZ7kcPzv32-z6/images/diagrams/supernode-architecture-light.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=izWPZ7kcPzv32-z6&q=85&s=790b06f8ce27f2b829b2ac9483dd14e8" alt="Supernode Architecture" width="820" height="620" data-path="images/diagrams/supernode-architecture-light.svg" />

<img className="hidden dark:block mx-auto" src="https://mintcdn.com/lumeraprotocol/izWPZ7kcPzv32-z6/images/diagrams/supernode-architecture-dark.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=izWPZ7kcPzv32-z6&q=85&s=f948dad68b7d444a6dec57ee53d561f3" alt="Supernode Architecture" width="820" height="620" data-path="images/diagrams/supernode-architecture-dark.svg" />

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.

## Key information

| Item               | Testnet                                                                                                              | Mainnet                                                                         |
| ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Chain ID           | `lumera-testnet-2`                                                                                                   | `lumera-mainnet-1`                                                              |
| Binary             | `sn-manager` ([releases](https://github.com/LumeraProtocol/supernode/releases))                                      | `sn-manager` ([releases](https://github.com/LumeraProtocol/supernode/releases)) |
| Config directory   | `~/.supernode`                                                                                                       | `~/.supernode`                                                                  |
| Min combined stake | 10,000 LUME (self-delegation + SN account)                                                                           | 25,000 LUME (self-delegation + SN account)                                      |
| SuperNode explorer | [portal.testnet.lumera.io/supernodes](https://portal.testnet.lumera.io/lumera-testnet-2/supernodes)                  | Not available yet                                                               |
| SuperNode API      | [list\_super\_nodes](https://lumera-testnet-api.bonynode.online/LumeraProtocol/lumera/supernode/v1/list_super_nodes) | Not available yet                                                               |
| Explorer           | [portal.testnet.lumera.io](https://portal.testnet.lumera.io/lumera-testnet-2)                                        | [portal.lumera.io](https://portal.lumera.io)                                    |

## Staking requirements (LEP-3)

SuperNode registration requires a minimum combined stake from two sources, enforced on chain through the `minimum_stake_for_sn` parameter.

| Network   | Minimum stake                      |
| --------- | ---------------------------------- |
| Testnet-2 | 10,000 LUME (10,000,000,000 ulume) |

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.

```bash theme={null}
# Via CLI
lumerad query supernode params

# Via REST API
curl -s https://lumera-testnet-api.bonynode.online/LumeraProtocol/lumera/supernode/v1/params | jq '.params.minimum_stake_for_sn'
```

<Note>
  This parameter is governable and can change through a governance proposal. Always check the current value before registering.
</Note>

## Hardware requirements

SuperNodes are more resource-intensive than validators because of the compute workloads they handle.

| Component | Minimum           | Recommended   |
| --------- | ----------------- | ------------- |
| CPU       | 8 cores (x86\_64) | 16+ cores     |
| RAM       | 16 GB             | 64 GB         |
| Storage   | 1 TB NVMe SSD     | 4 TB NVMe SSD |
| Network   | 1 Gbps            | 5 Gbps        |
| OS        | Ubuntu 22.04+     | Ubuntu 22.04+ |

<Warning>
  ARM processors are not supported. HDDs are not suitable. NVMe SSDs are required for the I/O demands of storage and compute tasks.
</Warning>

## Required ports

### SuperNode host

| Port | Protocol | Purpose            |
| ---- | -------- | ------------------ |
| 4444 | TCP      | SuperNode gRPC API |
| 4445 | TCP      | P2P communication  |
| 8002 | TCP      | REST gateway       |

### Validator host

| Port  | Protocol | Purpose                                               |
| ----- | -------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| 26656 | TCP      | CometBFT P2P (public, standard validator requirement) |
| 9090  | TCP      | gRPC, only needed for the self-hosted endpoint option |

## Prerequisites

Before setting up a SuperNode, you need the following.

* A running Lumera validator in a bonded state. See the [testnet](/validators/overview) or [mainnet](/validators/overview) 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](/faucet), the [AstroStake faucet](https://faucet.astrostake.xyz/lumera), or [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/lumeraprotocol).

## Automated setup

If you prefer a one-command setup, use the tested setup script that handles all steps automatically.

```bash theme={null}
wget -O setup-supernode.sh https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kaleababayneh/lumera-validator/main/setup-supernode.sh
chmod +x setup-supernode.sh
./setup-supernode.sh
```

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](https://github.com/kaleababayneh/lumera-validator) for details.

For a manual step-by-step walkthrough, continue with the pages below.

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Node setup" icon="server" href="/supernodes/node-setup">
    Install sn-manager and initialize the SuperNode.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Register" icon="signature" href="/supernodes/register">
    Fund, delegate, and register on chain.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Operations" icon="wrench" href="/supernodes/operations">
    Monitor, upgrade, and troubleshoot your node.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>