# Chains

The **Cosmos Ecosystem** is based on **Tendermint**, that relies on a set of validators to secure the network. The role of validators is to run a full node and participate in consensus by broadcasting votes that contain cryptographic signatures signed by the validator's private key. Validators commit new blocks in the blockchain and receive revenue in exchange for their work. Validators must also participate in governance by voting on proposals. Validators are weighted according to their total stake.

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## Our validation set up consist of:



* The typical set up for a chain that we validate cosist of : **2-of-3 multisig cluster running** [**Horcrux**](https://github.com/strangelove-ventures/horcrux) **connected to 3 sentry nodes**.
* The nodes are running in a mix of owned and rented **bare-metal servers**. Owned servers are located in a proprietary datacenter in US. The others are spead across EU in different locations and different datacenter providers in order to garantee the most redundancy as possible. (for more infomation [contact us)](broken-reference).
* **Monitoring tools** are primarily [Tenderduty](https://github.com/blockpane/tenderduty) and Prometheus.


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Advantages of using an Horcrux cluster against more traditional methods:

* Providing high availability for block signing by ensuring fault tolerance.
* Securing validator private key by distributing it across multiple private signer nodes using threshold Ed25519 signatures.
* Add security and availability without sacrificing block sign performance.

## The followings are our criteria to select a chain to validate:

* [x] **Incentives alignment**: Long-term alignment of incentives between validators, users, and the project team is important to ensure the longevity and success of the chain. It's crucial to research the chain's reward structure, governance mechanisms, and how the project team, and community are incentivized to continue development.
* [x] **Technical advancements**: The ability to stay up to date with the latest technical advancements and innovate in the blockchain space is important for the long-term success of the chain.&#x20;
* [x] **Community engagement**: Strong community engagement and participation in governance is decisive for the long-term success of the chain. It's important to research the level of engagement and participation of the community and the availability of community-driven initiatives.
* [x] **Token economics**: Understanding the token economics of the chain, such as token supply, token distribution, and token utilization, is crucial for long-term success. Research the chain's token economics and how it aligns with the project vision and roadmap.
* [x] **Community and governance**: Joining a strong and active community is one of the duties of validators as it allows them to play a role inimportant updates and developments and to participate in the governance process.
* [x] **Long-term vision and roadmap**: It is essential to research the chain's long-term vision and development roadmap to ensure that it aligns with your own goals and objectives as a validator.
* [x] **Compliance**: In some cases, it's important to ensure that the chain is compliant with regulations in the jurisdiction where the validator is located.

