The Ethereum Foundation is testing a method of running validators that could make it easier for institutions holding large amounts of ether to set up staking infrastructure, expand the pool of participants and create a more decentralized network.
In a post on This experiment aims to reduce the complexity of running a validator across multiple machines.
Buterin said the goal is to simplify the process to something close to one-click setup, where operators can select which computers will run validator nodes, launch the software and enter the same key on each computer. The system will then automatically connect to the node and start staking.
“My hope for this project is that we can make distributed staking for institutions the easiest, one-click experience possible,” Buterin wrote.
Running an Ethereum validator today typically means operating a node that holds the keys used to sign blocks and participate in the network. If that machine malfunctions or goes offline, validators may stop working and may be penalized.
Distributed Validator Technology (DVT) changes this by allowing multiple independent machines to work together as a single validator. Multiple nodes work together, rather than relying on one key and one computer, with only a few nodes signing the functionality of the validator. This means that validators can continue to function even if some machines fail.
But existing DVT systems can be complex to deploy because operators must coordinate networks, keys and communications between nodes. Buterin has previously argued that complexity is one of the reasons why large staking providers dominate the ecosystem.
The “DVT-lite” setup is designed to automate much of the process, making it easier for institutions to run distributed validators with minimal infrastructure expertise.
Buterin said he plans to use the system himself and hopes that large ETH holders will adopt a similar setup to help spread control of the Ethereum staking infrastructure to more operators instead of concentrating it in the hands of a few specialized providers.
He wrote: “The idea that ‘running infrastructure’ is a scary, complicated thing and that everyone involved must be a ‘professional’ is scary and anti-devolution and we must attack it head on.”
Read more: Vitalik Buterin proposes simpler ‘distributed validator’ staking for Ethereum
