Introducing Node Monitor
Running nodes on the IC can be complex. Documentation is scattered, there’s no standard troubleshooting process, and support is fragmented. As performance-based rewards (PBR) roll out, these gaps will become more costly. Small misconfigurations or downtime could mean penalties and lost income.
Node Monitor is a platform built by and for Node Providers (NPs) to simplify this. It brings visibility, context, and control into one place. That way, NPs can focus on keeping their infrastructure healthy instead of wrestling with scripts or scattered dashboards.
Our first release focuses on three essentials:
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Alerts when a node goes down as well as risks or has incurred penalties.
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Data visualizations to help give NPs the context they need.
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Actionable insights, letting providers remove underperforming nodes from subnets to avoid penalties.
The broader goal is to make operating ICP nodes approachable, not just for existing providers, but also for the next generation entering the ecosystem.
How It’s Built
Node Monitor’s architecture is simple:
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Frontend: Queries the Node Reward canister directly to visualize block production, uptime, and penalties in real time.
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Backend: Handles email alerts, daily summaries, authentication, and subscriptions.
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Database: Stores minimal user data like account info, preferences, and alert settings.
Status of the Project
Following the announcement of our public dashboard back in June, Node Monitor is now live in its early form:
The platform:
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Sends daily performance summaries and downtime alerts.
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Displays Trustworthy Node Metrics through an interactive dashboard.
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Supports Change Subnet Membership proposals directly into the interface, so NPs can take immediate corrective action when needed.
View the demo of all these features in action here.
Future Plans
Node Monitor is just getting started. The roadmap has four phases:
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Reliability: Optimize user experience, enable faster node swaps, and deliver monthly reward reports.
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Observability: Integrate hardware-level metrics for root-cause analysis of downtime or degraded performance.
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Actionability: Enable one-click redeploys and remote troubleshooting through secure integrations.
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Vertical Integration: Manage not just nodes, but also payouts, expenses, and governance, all from one dashboard.
The long-term goal is to make running a node on the Internet Computer even simples than running a server on AWS, but fully decentralized, verifiable, and community-driven.
Resources
App: Special thanks to the DFINITY team, @sat and @pietrodimarco for their support throughout the project!
Many thanks as well to the DFINITY Grants Committee, who have kept us on track and performed the reviews of our milestones.
