Steps to set up the EKO network and dynamically manage network authorities:

1. Use the validator set contracts available at https://github.com/parity-contracts/kovan-validator-set
2. We just need these contracts:

• OwnedSet.sol
• BaseOwnedSet.sol
• ValidatorSet.sol
• Owned.sol

3. Setup the basic chain genesis saved under genesis.json with all required fields for Authority Round consensus engine

{
  "name": "DemoPoA",
  "engine": {
    "authorityRound": {
      "params": {
        "stepDuration": "1",
        "validators" : {
          "list": []
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "params": {
    "gasLimitBoundDivisor": "0x400",
    "maximumExtraDataSize": "0x20",
    "minGasLimit": "0x1388",
    "networkID" : "0x2323",
    "eip155Transition": 0,
    "validateChainIdTransition": 0,
    "eip140Transition": 0,
    "eip211Transition": 0,
    "eip214Transition": 0,
    "eip658Transition": 0
  },
  "genesis": {
    "seal": {
      "authorityRound": {
        "step": "0x0",
        "signature": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000"
      }
    },
    "difficulty": "0x20000",
    "gasLimit": "0x5B8D80"
  },
  "accounts": {
    "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000001": { "balance": "1", "builtin": { "name": "ecrecover", "pricing": { "linear": { "base": 3000, "word": 0 } } } },
    "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000002": { "balance": "1", "builtin": { "name": "sha256", "pricing": { "linear": { "base": 60, "word": 12 } } } },
    "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000003": { "balance": "1", "builtin": { "name": "ripemd160", "pricing": { "linear": { "base": 600, "word": 120 } } } },
    "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000004": { "balance": "1", "builtin": { "name": "identity", "pricing": { "linear": { "base": 15, "word": 3 } } } }
  }
}

4. Setup a node by creating a node config file saved under node.toml

[parity]
chain = "genesis.json"
base_path = "./eko_node_data"
[network]
port = 30300
[rpc]
cors = ["*"]
interface ="0.0.0.0"
port = 8545
apis = ["web3", "eth", "net", "personal", "parity", "eko_set", "traces", "rpc", "eko_accounts"]
[ui]
interface = "0.0.0.0"
port = 8181
[websockets]
port = 8451

5. Start the node using ./eko --config node.toml --nat none
6. Attach the geth to the exposed RPC port of the node using geth attach http://localhost:8545.
7. Create a new account using personal.newAccount() and an account password.
8. Create a file with the node passwords saved as node.pwds and add the password ( assuming the password was “eko” ) as a list

> eko

9. Update the node.toml as follows ( assuming the generated address address is 0x00f3b949bb87ae90574c22f986c34207157b66b2 )

[parity]
chain = "genesis.json"
base_path = "./eko_node_data"
[network]
port = 30300
[rpc]
cors = ["*"]
interface ="0.0.0.0"
port = 8545
apis = ["web3", "eth", "net", "personal", "parity", "eko_set", "traces", "rpc", "eko_accounts"]
[ui]
interface = "0.0.0.0"
port = 8181
[websockets]
port = 8451
[account]
password = ["node.pwds"]
[mining]
engine_signer = "0x00f3b949bb87ae90574c22f986c34207157b66b2"
reseal_on_txs = "none"

10. Restart the node using ./eko --config node.toml --nat none
11. Update the validator section of the genesis.json as follows

"validators": {
   "safeContract": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000005"
}

Such that the final genesis file becomes

{
  "name": "EKOPoA",
  "engine": {
    "authorityRound": {
      "params": {
        "gasLimitBoundDivisor": "0x400",
        "stepDuration": "1",
        "validators": {
          "safeContract": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000005"
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "params": {
    "gasLimitBoundDivisor": "0x400",
    "maximumExtraDataSize": "0x20",
    "minGasLimit": "0x1388",
    "networkID": "0x2323",
    "eip155Transition": 0,
    "validateChainIdTransition": 0,
    "eip140Transition": 0,
    "eip211Transition": 0,
    "eip214Transition": 0,
    "eip658Transition": 0
  },
  "genesis": {
    "seal": {
      "authorityRound": {
        "step": "0x0",
        "signature": "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000"
      }
    },
    "difficulty": "0x20000",
    "gasLimit": "0x56691B7"
  },
  "accounts": {
    "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000001": { "balance": "1", "builtin": { "name": "ecrecover", "pricing": { "linear": { "base": 3000, "word": 0 } } } },
    "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000002": { "balance": "1", "builtin": { "name": "sha256", "pricing": { "linear": { "base": 60, "word": 12 } } } },
    "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000003": { "balance": "1", "builtin": { "name": "ripemd160", "pricing": { "linear": { "base": 600, "word": 120 } } } },
    "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000004": { "balance": "1", "builtin": { "name": "identity", "pricing": { "linear": { "base": 15, "word": 3 } } } }
  }
}

The address specified in the safeContract address will be the deployed address of the validator set contract.

12. Refer to the validator set contracts at https://github.com/parity-contracts/kovan-validator-set

git clone https://github.com/parity-contracts/kovan-validator-set.git
cd kovan-validator-set
remixd -s contracts/ --remix-ide "https://remix.ethereum.org"

Go to http://remix.ethereum.org/

13. Open the localhost connection from the top left corner

14. Select OwnedSet.sol from the list

15. Update the OwnedSet contract constructor as follows

constructor(address[] _initial, address _owner) BaseOwnedSet(_initial)
  public
{
  owner = _owner;
  systemAddress = 0xffffFFFfFFffffffffffffffFfFFFfffFFFfFFfE;
}

16. Update the Owned.sol contract owner variable declaration as follows

address public owner;

17. Update the BaseOwnedSet.sol as follows

• Declare stakeAmount to store the current stake amount for the authorities in the network and validatorStake to store the stakes for each authority mapped to the address as

uint public stakeAmount;
mapping(address => uint) public validatorStake;

• Define a function setStakeAmount to provide the functionality to update the stake amount

function setStakeAmount(uint _stakeAmount)
  external
  onlyOwner
{
  stakeAmount = _stakeAmount;
}

• Declare events

event ValidatorAdded(address indexed validatorAddress, uint stake);
event ValidatorRemoved(address indexed validatorAddress, uint stake);
event CorruptValidatorRemoved(address indexed validatorAddress, uint stake);

• Update the addValidator function as follows

function addValidator(address _validator)
  external
  onlyOwner
  isNotValidator(_validator)
  payable
{
  require(msg.value == stakeAmount);

  status[_validator].isIn = true;
  status[_validator].index = pending.length;
  pending.push(_validator);
  validatorStake[_validator] = stakeAmount;

  triggerChange();

  emit ValidatorAdded(_validator, stakeAmount);
}

• Define a function removeCorruptValidator to add the functionality to remove a corrupt validator from the network and transfer the locked stake amount to the admin. The final function should be as follows,

function removeCorruptValidator(address _validator)
  external
  onlyOwner
  isValidator(_validator)
{
  // Remove validator from pending by moving the
  // last element to its slot
  require(validatorStake[_validator] > 0);

  uint index = status[_validator].index;
  uint _stakeAmount = validatorStake[_validator];

  pending[index] = pending[pending.length - 1];
  status[pending[index]].index = index;
  delete pending[pending.length - 1];
  pending.length--;

  msg.sender.transfer(_stakeAmount);
  validatorStake[_validator] = 0;

  // Reset address status
  delete status[_validator];

  triggerChange();

  emit CorruptValidatorRemoved(_validator, _stakeAmount);
}

• Update the function removeValidator to add the functionality to remove a corrupt validator from the network and transfer the locked stake amount to the admin. The final function should be as follows,

function removeValidator(address _validator)
  external
  onlyOwner
  isValidator(_validator)
{
  require(validatorStake[_validator] > 0);

  // Remove validator from pending by moving the
  // last element to its slot
  uint index = status[_validator].index;
  uint _stakeAmount = validatorStake[_validator];

  pending[index] = pending[pending.length - 1];
  status[pending[index]].index = index;
  delete pending[pending.length - 1];
  pending.length--;

  msg.sender.transfer(_stakeAmount);
  validatorStake[_validator] = 0;

  // Reset address status
  delete status[_validator];

  triggerChange();

  emit ValidatorRemoved(_validator, _stakeAmount);
}

18. Select OwnedSet contract from the list of contracts to deploy.

19. In the arguments section, _initial would contain the list of initial validators. Here you need to place the array of addresses of your validator accounts. We will use [“0x00f3b949bb87ae90574c22f986c34207157b66b2”] as we had assigned earlier to our 1st node config file. _owner should contain the address of the owner address(for this example we will be using 0x00f3b949bb87ae90574c22f986c34207157b66b2) to which you would like to give authority to manage authorities in the network. Also, set the stake amount for all the new authorities in the network. For now we will be setting is to be equal to 200.

20. Copy the bytecode of contract along with the encoded values of input fields by clicking the briefcase button 💼.
21. Update the account section for the genesis.json as follows,

"accounts": {
        ."0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000001": { "balance": "1", "builtin": { "name": "ecrecover", "pricing": { "linear": { "base": 3000, "word": 0 } } } },
       "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000002": { "balance": "1", "builtin": { "name": "sha256", "pricing": { "linear": { "base": 60, "word": 12 } } } },
       "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000003": { "balance": "1", "builtin": { "name": "ripemd160", "pricing": { "linear": { "base": 600, "word": 120 } } } },
       "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000004": { "balance": "1", "builtin": { "name": "identity", "pricing": { "linear": { "base": 15, "word": 3 } } } },
        "<owner_address_holding_premined_ethers>": {"balance": "<provide_initial_premined_ether_balance_here>"},
        "0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000005": {"balance": "<provide_initial_balance_here>", "constructor": "<paste_byte_code_here>"}
    }

22. Restart the Eko nodes with the keys of the 0x00f3b949bb87ae90574c22f986c34207157b66b2 account.
23. Connect the metamask to the exposed RPC port of the nodes.
24. Import the account 0x00f3b949bb87ae90574c22f986c34207157b66b2 using its private key to the metamask accounts list.
25. Select Injected Web3 as the preferred environment in remix solidity browser.

26. Access and interact with the validator set contracts using At Address functionality of remix solidity browser, the contracts are predeployed at 0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000005

27. Check the current validator by calling getValidators and the owner by calling owner constant functions

28. To add a new authority in the network, Copy the genesis file and start the second node with the node config saved under node.toml (on 2nd nodes system)

[parity]
chain = "../genesis.json"
base_path = "./eko_node_data1"
[network]
port = 30301
[rpc]
cors = ["*"]
interface ="0.0.0.0"
port = 8541
apis = ["web3", "eth", "net", "personal", "parity", "eko_set", "traces", "rpc", "eko_accounts"]
[ui]
interface = "0.0.0.0"
port = 8181
[websockets]
port = 8451

29. Connect the nodes, Here we will simply use curl. Obtain 1st node’s enode:

curl --data '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"parity_enode","params":[],"id":0}' -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X POST localhost:8545

30. Add the result to node 1 (replace enode://RESULT in the command):

curl --data '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"parity_addReservedPeer","params":["enode://RESULT"],"id":0}' -H "Content-Type: application/json" -X POST localhost:8541

Now the nodes should indicate 1/25 peers in the console, which means they are connected to each other.

31. Geth attach to the node’s RPC exposed port using geth attach http://localhost:8541
32. Generate a new account using personal.newAccount(). Choose a password for the account.
33. Update the node config file for the second node by assigning the generated account value ( assuming the generated account is 0x8c7cfb7f40b7a6c4d34c7619c6075d0402112811) to the engine_signer such that the node config file looks like,

[parity]
chain = "../genesis.json"
base_path = "./eko_node_data1"
[network]
port = 30301
[rpc]
cors = ["*"]
interface ="0.0.0.0"
port = 8541
apis = ["web3", "eth", "net", "personal", "parity", "eko_set", "traces", "rpc", "eko_accounts"]
[ui]
interface = "0.0.0.0"
port = 8181
[websockets]
port = 8451
[account]
password = ["node.pwds"]
[mining]
engine_signer = "0x8c7cfb7f40b7a6c4d34c7619c6075d0402112811"
reseal_on_txs = "none"

34. Restart the second node
35. Sign in with the owner account using the metamask and select the Injected Web3 from the environment dropdown in remix solidity browser.
36. Now, access the OwnedSet.sol contract again as before using the predeployed contract address and perform the transaction addValidator with address parameter 0x8c7cfb7f40b7a6c4d34c7619c6075d0402112811 to add the second node’s owner address as a new authority.

Note: the stake amount as msg.value needs to be supplied with this transaction

37. The node logs should look like,

38. We can check the stakes for the validator using the constant function validatorStake as,

39. Now, if we call getValidator we should get

This gives a confirmation that the new authority has been added to the network.

40. To remove an authority the owner should perform the transaction removeValidator with address parameter 0x8c7cfb7f40b7a6c4d34c7619c6075d0402112811. The stakes will be transferred to the authority’s address from the contract and the validator will be removed from the network.

The node logs should look like,

Now, if we call getValidator we should get

This gives a confirmation that the mentioned authority has been removed from the network.

When we check the stake balance now, we should get

41. To remove a corrupt authority the owner should perform the transaction removeCorruptValidator with the address parameter 0x8c7cfb7f40b7a6c4d34c7619c6075d0402112811. In this case, the stake will not be transferred to the authority’s address but these will be transferred to the owner’s address and the validator will be removed from the network.