Solana: Failed to validate the location snapshot bank when starting the validator on the mainnet

Solana RPC Node Crashes Due to Incorrect Snapshot Bank Configuration

A recent incident has highlighted a potential issue in the Solana blockchain that is causing the mainnet RPC node to crash. The issue lies in how the snapshot bank is configured for new validators.

According to the logs, on November 10th at 17:35:02, a panic message was printed stating that the rebuilt bank for slot number 300607256 had failed during startup. However, further investigation showed that this error was not due to an actual blockchain issue, but rather to a misconfiguration of the snapshot bank.

Snapshot Bank Configuration Issue

In Solana, the snapshot bank is responsible for creating a new transaction batch whenever a validator is created. The snapshot_bank_utils module in the Solana runtime handles this process and ensures that the correct batch is created based on the current block number and slot ID.

The issue occurs when the snapshot bank configuration is not configured correctly, resulting in the creation of an incorrect batch for the new validation tool. This can cause the RPC node to crash or unexpected errors.

Possible causes of the issue

There are several possible causes for this issue, including:

• Incorrect site ID: If the site ID used to rebuild the bank is not configured correctly, it can result in the creation of an incorrect batch.

• Insufficient configuration

  : The snapshot bank may require additional configuration or parameters to create the batch correctly.

• Incorrect block number: Using a block number that is too large can cause issues during the batch creation process.

Traffic and resolution

To resolve this issue, it is essential to carefully review and validate the snapshot bank configuration for new validators coming online. Here are some steps that can be taken:

• Check the site ID: Ensure that the site ID used to rebuild the bank is correct and properly configured.

• Check the block number: Ensure that the block number used to create the batch is not too large.

• Adjust configuration parameters: Check and adjust the configuration parameters required by the snapshot bank.

Conclusion

The failure of the Solana RPC node on the mainnet due to incorrect snapshot bank configuration highlights the importance of proper installation and validation when creating new validators. Users can prevent similar issues in the future by verifying the site ID, block number, and adjusting configuration parameters as needed.

Additional Tips

• Carefully review the documentation for Solana’s runtime and snapshot bank modules.

• Test and validate the snapshot bank configuration before deploying it to the network.

• Regularly monitor and update your RPC node configuration to ensure it stays up to date with the latest requirements.