Version 22.11.0

Author: zah

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,3 +1,90 @@
+2022-11-30 v22.11.0
+===================
+
+Nimbus `v22.11.0` is a `low-urgency` release, bringing the first
+production-ready version of the [Nimbus validator client][1].
+The validator client will enable advanced users such as professional
+institutional operators to take advantage of features such as support
+for [redundant beacon nodes][2], [enhanced validator privacy][3] and
+[distributed keystores][4]. All existing users, currently relying on
+the streamlined stand-alone beacon node setup are not required to take
+action, as this mode of operation will continue to be supported and
+improved forever.
+
+[1]: https://nimbus.guide/validator-client.html
+[2]: https://nimbus.guide/validator-client-options.html#multiple-beacon-nodes
+[3]: https://nimbus.guide/validator-client-options.html#sentry-node-setup
+[4]: https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/issues/3416
+
+### Improvements
+
+* The Nimbus validator client graduates from BETA to production-ready
+  status after numerous improvements and fixes:
+
+  https://nimbus.guide/validator-client.html
+
+* The Nimbus beacon node is now compatible with validator clients
+  taking advantage of the `/eth/v1/beacon/blinded_blocks` end-point:
+
+  https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/pull/4286
+
+* The validator keystore loading during start-up is now 3x faster:
+
+  https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/pull/4301
+
+* The doppelganger detection will now protect validators added
+  on the fly through the Keymanager API:
+
+  https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/pull/4304
+
+* Fine-tuned internal task scheduling will provide better
+  quality-of-service protections for performing all validator
+  duties in the presence of syncing peers performing large
+  number of concurrent block download requests:
+
+  https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/pull/4254
+
+* The `--optimistic` mode of the beacon node will allow you to
+  stay synced with the network even without an execution layer
+  node:
+
+  https://nimbus.guide/optimistic-sync.html#optimistic-mode
+  https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/pull/4262
+
+  Please note that this mode is less secure and intended only
+  for non-critical information retrieval through the Beacon API.
+
+### Fixes
+
+* A small risk for missing block proposals was present under heavy
+  forking activity in the network due to potential inclusion of
+  inappropriate attestations in the produced blocks:
+
+  https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/pull/4273
+
+* A new batching approach for the registration of validators in the
+  builder network will prevent the creation of requests of excessive
+  size that might be rejected by the network. This was a problem
+  affecting testnet nodes running with thousands of validators:
+
+  https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/pull/4364
+
+
+### Deprecated features
+
+* The `--finalized-checkpoint-block` has been deprecated.
+  The client will now download only the latest finalized state
+  during trusted node sync:
+
+  https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/pull/4251
+
+* The end-points `/eth/v1/beacon/blocks/{block_id}`, `/eth/v1/debug/beacon/states/{state_id}`, and `/eth/v1/validator/blocks/{slot}`
+  have been deprecated since they are no longer usable since
+  the Altair hard-fork:
+
+  https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/pull/4279
+
+
 2022-10-14 v22.10.1
 ===================
 
@@ -37,9 +124,9 @@ Nimbus `v22.10.0` is a `medium-urgency` release, continuing our briefly accelera
 * The `/eth/v2/validator/blocks/{slot}` API now features an optional `randao_reveal` parameter in accordance to the latest Beacon API spec:
   https://github.com/ethereum/beacon-APIs/pull/222
   https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/pull/3837
-  
+
 * The `/eth/v1/beacon/blocks` API now supports SSZ-encoded payloads:
-  https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/pull/4154 
+  https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/pull/4154
 
 * The new metrics `beacon_block_builder_proposed`, `beacon_block_builder_missed_with_fallback` and `beacon_block_builder_missed_without_fallback` can help you track the successful and failed attempts to use the configured external block builder:
   https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/pull/4158
@@ -52,8 +139,8 @@ Nimbus `v22.10.0` is a `medium-urgency` release, continuing our briefly accelera
 
 * If the chain was re-orged while Nimbus is shut down, this created a low risk that the client may become stuck on a non-canonical block:
   https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/pull/4161
-  
-* Nimbus was not serving the best possible light client updates when back-filling after a trusted node sync:  
+
+* Nimbus was not serving the best possible light client updates when back-filling after a trusted node sync:
   https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/pull/4195
 
 ### Upcoming breaking changes

beacon_chain/conf.nim

@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ type
         name: "rest-max-headers-size" .}: Natural
 
       keymanagerEnabled* {.
-        desc: "Enable the REST keymanager API (BETA version)"
+        desc: "Enable the REST keymanager API"
         defaultValue: false
         name: "keymanager" .}: bool
 
@@ -540,16 +540,16 @@ type
         name: "terminal-total-difficulty-override" .}: Option[string]
 
       validatorMonitorAuto* {.
-        desc: "Automatically monitor locally active validators (BETA)"
+        desc: "Automatically monitor locally active validators"
         defaultValue: false
         name: "validator-monitor-auto" .}: bool
 
       validatorMonitorPubkeys* {.
-        desc: "One or more validators to monitor - works best when --subscribe-all-subnets is enabled (BETA)"
+        desc: "One or more validators to monitor - works best when --subscribe-all-subnets is enabled"
         name: "validator-monitor-pubkey" .}: seq[ValidatorPubKey]
 
       validatorMonitorTotals* {.
-        desc: "Publish metrics to single 'totals' label for better collection performance when monitoring many validators (BETA)"
+        desc: "Publish metrics to single 'totals' label for better collection performance when monitoring many validators"
         defaultValue: false
         name: "validator-monitor-totals" .}: bool
 
@@ -860,7 +860,7 @@ type
       name: "suggested-fee-recipient" .}: Option[Address]
 
     keymanagerEnabled* {.
-      desc: "Enable the REST keymanager API (BETA version)"
+      desc: "Enable the REST keymanager API"
       defaultValue: false
       name: "keymanager" .}: bool
 
@@ -886,18 +886,18 @@ type
       name: "keymanager-token-file" .}: Option[InputFile]
 
     metricsEnabled* {.
-      desc: "Enable the metrics server"
+      desc: "Enable the metrics server (BETA)"
       defaultValue: false
       name: "metrics" .}: bool
 
     metricsAddress* {.
-      desc: "Listening address of the metrics server"
+      desc: "Listening address of the metrics server (BETA)"
       defaultValue: defaultAdminListenAddress
       defaultValueDesc: $defaultAdminListenAddressDesc
       name: "metrics-address" .}: ValidIpAddress
 
     metricsPort* {.
-      desc: "Listening HTTP port of the metrics server"
+      desc: "Listening HTTP port of the metrics server (BETA)"
       defaultValue: 8108
       name: "metrics-port" .}: Port
 
@@ -913,12 +913,12 @@ type
       name: "stop-at-epoch" .}: uint64
 
     payloadBuilderEnable* {.
-      desc: "Enable usage of beacon node with external payload builder"
+      desc: "Enable usage of beacon node with external payload builder (BETA)"
       defaultValue: false
       name: "payload-builder" .}: bool
 
     beaconNodes* {.
-      desc: "URL addresses to one or more beacon node HTTP REST APIs",
+      desc: "URL addresses to one or more beacon node HTTP REST APIs (The support for using multiple beacon nodes is considered BETA quality)",
       defaultValue: @[defaultBeaconNodeUri]
       defaultValueDesc: $defaultBeaconNodeUri
       name: "beacon-node" .}: seq[Uri]
@@ -973,19 +973,19 @@ type
       name: "request-timeout" .}: int
 
     bindPort* {.
-      desc: "Port for the REST (BETA version) HTTP server"
+      desc: "Port for the REST HTTP server"
       defaultValue: defaultEth2RestPort
       defaultValueDesc: $defaultEth2RestPortDesc
       name: "bind-port" .}: Port
 
     bindAddress* {.
-      desc: "Listening address of the REST (BETA version) HTTP server"
+      desc: "Listening address of the REST HTTP server"
       defaultValue: defaultAdminListenAddress
       defaultValueDesc: $defaultAdminListenAddressDesc
       name: "bind-address" .}: ValidIpAddress
 
     tlsEnabled* {.
-      desc: "Use secure TLS communication for REST (BETA version) server"
+      desc: "Use secure TLS communication for REST server"
       defaultValue: false
       name: "tls" .}: bool
 

beacon_chain/version.nim

@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ when not defined(nimscript):
 
 const
   versionMajor* = 22
-  versionMinor* = 10
-  versionBuild* = 1
+  versionMinor* = 11
+  versionBuild* = 0
 
   versionBlob* = "stateofus" # Single word - ends up in the default graffiti
 

docs/the_nimbus_book/src/keymanager-api.md

@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
 # Keymanager API
 
-!!! warning
-    This feature is currently in BETA - we are still testing it and implementation details may change in response to community feedback. **We strongly advise against using it on mainnet** - your validators may get slashed
-
 The standardized [Keymanager API](https://ethereum.github.io/keymanager-APIs/) can be used to add, remove, or [migrate](./migration.md) validators on the fly while the beacon node is running.
 
 As of `v1.7.0` it supports `web3signer` keystores.

docs/the_nimbus_book/src/options.md

@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ The following options are available:
                                [=infinite].
      --rest-max-body-size      Maximum size of REST request body (kilobytes) [=16384].
      --rest-max-headers-size   Maximum size of REST request headers (kilobytes) [=64].
-     --keymanager              Enable the REST keymanager API (BETA version) [=false].
+     --keymanager              Enable the REST keymanager API [=false].
      --keymanager-port         Listening port for the REST keymanager API [=5052].
      --keymanager-address      Listening port for the REST keymanager API [=127.0.0.1].
      --keymanager-allow-origin  Limit the access to the Keymanager API to a particular hostname (for
@@ -106,11 +106,11 @@ The following options are available:
                                a validator with the same index (a doppelganger), before sending an attestation
                                itself. This protects against slashing (due to double-voting) but means you will
                                miss two attestations when restarting. [=true].
-     --validator-monitor-auto  Automatically monitor locally active validators (BETA) [=false].
+     --validator-monitor-auto  Automatically monitor locally active validators [=false].
      --validator-monitor-pubkey  One or more validators to monitor - works best when --subscribe-all-subnets is
-                               enabled (BETA).
+                               enabled.
      --validator-monitor-totals  Publish metrics to single 'totals' label for better collection performance when
-                               monitoring many validators (BETA) [=false].
+                               monitoring many validators [=false].
      --suggested-fee-recipient  Suggested fee recipient.
      --payload-builder         Enable external payload builder [=false].
      --payload-builder-url     Payload builder URL.

docs/the_nimbus_book/src/validator-client.md

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Run a separate validator client
 
 !!! warning
-    This feature is currently in BETA - we are still testing it and implementation details may change in response to community feedback. **We strongly advise against using it on mainnet** - your validators may get slashed
+    Some features of the validator client, such as the metrics server, are currently in BETA and details may change in response to community feedback. Please consult the `--help` screen for more details.
 
 By default, Nimbus integrates the validator client into the main beacon node process - this is a simple, safe and efficient way to run a validator.
 

docs/the_nimbus_book/src/validator-monitor.md

@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
 # Validator monitoring
 
-!!! warning
-    This feature is currently in BETA - implementation details such as metric names and counters may change in response to community feedback.
-
 The validator monitoring feature allows for tracking the life-cycle and performance of one or more validators in detail.
 
 Monitoring can be carried out for any validator, with slightly more detail for validators that are running in the same beacon node.