Project Proposal: Canton Validator Terminal
Author: Manny Pasricha
- Project Summary & Personal Background
As an active node operator on the Canton network, I have experienced firsthand the massive security and coordination bottlenecks we face daily. Currently, validators are forced to rely on Web2 platforms like Telegram and Discord to coordinate patches, discuss governance, and handle emergencies. These platforms are notorious honeypots for social engineering, scammers, and impersonation.
I am building the Canton Validator Terminal: a secure, real-time operations and governance hub built exclusively for verified network operators. It is time we bring our coordination infrastructure up to the same enterprise-grade security standards as the ledger we maintain.
- The Solution & Value Proposition
The terminal acts as a "System of Engagement"—a secure backroom for live execution and crisis management.
The Cryptographic Bouncer: Instead of easily faked email accounts, users log in by cryptographically proving ownership of their Canton Identity (Party). This instantly creates a 100% verified, zero-spam environment where you always know exactly who you are talking to.
Soft Consensus & Polling: Blockchain governance is messy. The terminal features a verified polling system, allowing validators to gauge sentiment and achieve soft consensus on emergency patches or forks before an official on-chain vote is formalized on GitHub.
Enterprise Architecture: To keep network fees near zero, the application utilizes a Hybrid Architecture (Web2.5). It uses the Canton ledger strictly for the authentication gatekeeper, while routing heavy data (like 30-day chat retention and polling) to a secure, off-chain database.
- Funding Request & Breakdown
I am requesting a total grant of $35,000 USD (payable in equivalent CC).
This capital ensures the sustainable development of the terminal, covering engineering hours, cloud database architecture, and the high-cost requirement of maintaining my active Super Validator node ($3,000/month). Keeping this node online is a strict requirement to act as the primary QA infrastructure for live Keycloak authentication testing during the rollout phases.
- Roadmap & Milestones
The architecture is divided into four distinct deliverables to ensure secure, steady deployment. Funds will be distributed upon the successful delivery of each:
Milestone 1: UI & Database Architecture ($7,000 USD in CC)
Delivery of the Next.js frontend, Supabase vault setup, and isolation logic for 1-on-1 and group chats.
Milestone 2: Enterprise Authentication & The Gatekeeper ($8,000 USD in CC)
Delivery of the Python Render API, Keycloak integration, and cryptographic token verification.
Milestone 3: Cloud Deployment & Dynamic Provider Integration ($10,000 USD in CC)
Deployment of the universal cloud-hosted terminal and implementation of the master access directory. Instead of fragmented local installations via Docker, we will finalize a centralized authentication gateway capable of dynamically reading and approving Identity Provider URLs (e.g., Keycloak) from various validator hosting companies via our secure database.
Delivery includes successful testnet integration and Month 1 node maintenance for live network QA.
Milestone 4: Mainnet Launch & Security Audit ($10,000 USD in CC)
Final bug fixes, onboarding documentation for validators, and official mainnet rollout. (Includes Month 2 & 3 node maintenance for post-launch monitoring).
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to working with a champion from the Tech & Ops Committee to bring this critical infrastructure to life.
Best regards,
Manny Pasricha
