v1.12.1 of Rocket Pool's Smart Node has been released! 🔶 Tons of clients (Lighthouse, Teku, Nimbus, etc) have been updated and a few Smart Node features have been added such as notifications and an updated RPL reward panel. The infamous "smartnode" term has been updated to "Smart Node" Users that updated their Smart Node version within 24 hours and post a screenshot received a POAP!

Holders of this POAP celebrated Ethereum Mainnet's upgrade to Dencun. This eagerly anticipated upgrade is projected to reduce gas fees for Layer 2 networks, unlocking greater scaling for the Ethereum ecosystem. Special thanks to the Ethereum Foundation, Ethereum Cat Herders, The Daily Gwei and EthStaker for hosting the watch party call. https://ethereum.org/ https://www.ethereumcatherders.com/ https://thedailygwei.substack.com/ https://ethstaker.cc/

On March 11, 2024, Rocket Pool launched Smartnode version 1.11.9, a crucial update for all users. It's especially necessary if you haven't upgraded to v1.11.8 or if you're using MEV-Boost v1.6. This release incorporates significant updates from clients. It's recommended for everyone to update, as it ensures compatibility with Dencun and includes various enhancements and bug fixes across all clients. Node operators that upgraded within 24 hours were awarded a POAP.

All clients have been updated to their latest Dencun-ready versions, including Geth (v1.13.11), Besu (v24.1.1), Nethermind (v1.25.3), Nimbus (v24.2.0 with regression fixes from v24.1.2), Lodestar (v1.15.0), Teku (v24.1.1), Prysm (v4.2.1, causing potential failures on certain older CPUs without AVX support on Holeski testnet after Deneb fork, but not affecting Mainnet), and Lighthouse (v4.6.0, a medium-priority release with new features, performance enhancements, and bug fixes for Mainnet users). Smartnode changes include Nimbus pruning mode defaulting to "Prune" for new users, with existing users needing manual configuration via rocketpool service config. The deprecated Prater testnet has been entirely removed from Smartnode, and Nethermind's automatic pruning threshold increased from 250 GB to 300 GB. Rocket Pool node operators that updated their software within 24 hours received this POAP.

In 2023, Rocket Pool node operators actively engaged in prompt smart node updates to qualify for a POAP. These timely upgrades not only facilitated the testing of new software but also motivated node operators to ensure the continuous maintenance of their nodes. Node operators used their POAPs to enter a raffle to crown a champion. [object Object] was victorious and was awarded 5 RPL and his name on the POAP. This POAP was awarded to all raffle participants.

EthStaker core crew members Yorick, Remy Roy, and Unvetica host another validator workshop. This time the crew is focused on how to update when running a non-validating RPC node, how to add a 🐼to your graffiti tag, switching from Geth to another client, showing off how to move using coincashews’s setup, in addition to having members from the Stereum team showing how to do merge-ready setup with their platform.

The address which minted this POAP participated in the KZG Summoning Ceremony: a publicly coordinated ritual to produce a random output. This output will be used in Proto-Danksharding, aka EIP 4844: an Ethereum scaling mechanism which will hopefully enable lower Layer 2 fees and greater global accessibility. EIP-4844 is expected to go live with the Dencun network upgrade in the near future. As of the time of writing, this ceremony was the largest setup of this kind when considering the number of contributions.

0xFornax, a dedicated and long-standing community member, has officially joined the Rocket Pool team! 0xFornax's addition brings not only Golang expertise but also a wealth of insights and skills to the table. In his new role, he will be immersing himself in various aspects of the protocol and contributing to the development of the smart node stack. The Rocket Pool team continues to grow stronger and more vibrant, thanks to the valuable contributions of individuals like 0xFornax. A POAP was gifted to those who celebrate this exciting addition to the Rocket Pool team.