> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.astralbeam.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.astralbeam.io/operators/operator-guide.md).

# Overview

This guide is for operators who want to deploy and run AstralBeam relayer infrastructure.

## Overview

A complete bridge deployment consists of:

```mermaid
flowchart TB
    subgraph Relayers[Relayer Network 5 nodes]
        R1[Relayer 1]
        R2[Relayer 2]
        R3[Relayer 3]
        R4[Relayer 4]
        R5[Relayer 5]
    end

    subgraph Support[Support Services]
        API[API Server]
        DB[MySQL/Aurora]
        Prometheus[Prometheus]
        Grafana[Grafana]
    end

    R1 <--> R2
    R2 <--> R3
    R3 <--> R4
    R4 <--> R5
    R5 <--> R1

    API --> DB
    Prometheus --> Grafana
```

## Components

| Component       | Purpose                     | Instances            |
| --------------- | --------------------------- | -------------------- |
| Relayer Workers | Process bridge transactions | 5 (3-of-5 threshold) |
| P2P Network     | Signature exchange          | Built into relayers  |
| MySQL/Aurora    | API transaction history     | 1                    |
| API Server      | REST API for frontend       | 1-2                  |
| Prometheus      | Metrics collection          | 1                    |
| Grafana         | Dashboards and alerts       | 1                    |

## Deployment Options

### 1. [Local Development](/operators/local-setup.md)

Single-node setup for testing and development.

```bash
npm run dev
```

### 2. [Docker Compose](https://github.com/make-software/cspr-bridge/tree/master/gitbook/operator-guide/docker-deployment.md)

Multi-container local deployment with all services.

```bash
docker-compose up -d
```

### 3. [AWS Deployment](https://github.com/make-software/cspr-bridge/tree/master/gitbook/operator-guide/aws-deployment.md)

Production-grade deployment using Ansible playbooks.

```bash
ansible-playbook -i inventory deploy.yml
```

## Quick Start Checklist

### Prerequisites

* [ ] Node.js 20+ installed
* [ ] MySQL 8.0+ or Aurora (for API only)
* [ ] RPC endpoints for all chains
* [ ] Relayer private keys generated
* [ ] CSPR funded for gas

### Configuration

* [ ] Create `.env` file with RPC URLs
* [ ] Configure chain settings
* [ ] Set up relayer keys
* [ ] Configure P2P ports

### Deployment

* [ ] Deploy contracts (or use existing)
* [ ] Register relayer addresses
* [ ] Start relayer workers
* [ ] Verify P2P connectivity
* [ ] Monitor initial transactions

## Architecture Overview

### Relayer Workers

Each relayer runs two workers:

| Worker     | Direction     | Purpose                       |
| ---------- | ------------- | ----------------------------- |
| EVM→Casper | EVM to Casper | Monitor locks, submit mints   |
| Casper→EVM | Casper to EVM | Monitor burns, submit unlocks |

### P2P Network

Relayers communicate via HTTP/HTTPS with TLS encryption:

* **Protocol**: HTTPS with TLS 1.3
* **Ports**: 9000 (default P2P port)
* **Authentication**: Mutual auth challenges with ECDSA signatures
* **Message Types**: Signature requests/responses, heartbeats, status queries, state sync

### State Persistence

**Relayers** use file-based JSON persistence (no database required):

* Processed event tracking
* Block header submissions
* Pending attestations

**API Server** uses MySQL/Aurora for:

* Transaction history and indexing
* Token registry
* Chain configuration

## Hardware Requirements

### Minimum (Testnet)

| Resource | Requirement |
| -------- | ----------- |
| CPU      | 2 cores     |
| RAM      | 4 GB        |
| Storage  | 50 GB SSD   |
| Network  | 100 Mbps    |

### Recommended (Mainnet)

| Resource | Requirement |
| -------- | ----------- |
| CPU      | 4 cores     |
| RAM      | 8 GB        |
| Storage  | 100 GB SSD  |
| Network  | 1 Gbps      |

## Network Requirements

### Ports

| Port | Protocol | Purpose               |
| ---- | -------- | --------------------- |
| 8080 | TCP      | P2P EVM→Casper        |
| 8180 | TCP      | P2P Casper→EVM        |
| 9080 | TCP      | Prometheus metrics    |
| 3001 | TCP      | API server (optional) |

### Firewall Rules

```bash
# Allow P2P from other relayers
ufw allow from 10.0.0.0/8 to any port 8080
ufw allow from 10.0.0.0/8 to any port 8180

# Allow metrics from monitoring
ufw allow from 10.0.0.0/8 to any port 9080
```

## Security Considerations

### Key Management

* Store private keys in secure vault (AWS Secrets Manager)
* Never commit keys to version control
* Rotate keys periodically
* Use hardware security modules (HSM) for mainnet

### Network Security

* Use TLS for P2P communication
* Restrict port access to known IPs
* Use VPN for management access
* Enable DDoS protection

### Operational Security

* Monitor for suspicious activity
* Set up alerting for failures
* Maintain audit logs
* Regular security reviews

## Support Resources

* [CLI Reference](/operators/cli-reference.md) - Complete CLI documentation
* [Troubleshooting](https://github.com/make-software/cspr-bridge/tree/master/gitbook/operator-guide/troubleshooting.md) - Common issues and solutions
* [FAQ](https://github.com/make-software/cspr-bridge/tree/master/gitbook/operator-guide/faq.md) - Frequently asked questions


---

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