---
title: Validators
description: Configuring validators in production networks
sidebar_position: 4
---

> For AI agents: a documentation index is available at [/llms.txt](/llms.txt). Append `.md` to any documentation URL to get the markdown source.


# Configure validators in a production network

As when [configuring bootnodes](bootnodes.md):

1. Create the [node key pair](../../../public-networks/concepts/node-keys.md) (that is, the private and public key) before starting the validator.

   :::tip HSM-backed validator keys
   
   For validators backed by a Hardware Security Module (HSM), create or import the
   node key in the HSM before starting Besu.
   Configure Besu with a security module plugin, such as the
   [Besu HSM plugin](https://github.com/besu-eth/besu-hsm-plugin), using the
   [`--security-module`](../../../public-networks/reference/cli/options.md#security-module)
   option.

   :::

1. When creating validators in the cloud (for example, AWS or Azure), attempt to assign static IP addresses to them. If your network is:

   - Publicly accessible, assign an elastic IP address.
   - Internal only, specify a private IP address when you create the instance and record this IP address.

We recommend storing validator configuration under source control.

## Number of validators required

Ensure you configure enough validators to allow for redundancy. IBFT 2.0 tolerates `f = (n-1)/3` faulty validators, where:

- `f` is the number of faulty validators
- `n` is the number of validators.

## Adding and removing validators

You can [vote validators in or out of the validator pool].

## Validators as bootnodes

Validators can also be bootnodes. Other than the [usual configuration for bootnodes](bootnodes.md), you do not need to specify any extra configuration when a validator is also a bootnode.

If you remove a validator that is also a bootnode, ensure there are enough remaining bootnodes on the network.

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[vote validators in or out of the validator pool]: consensus/ibft.md#add-and-remove-validators