Node Setup

Set up and run a provider node to earn rewards by contributing compute resources.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

Linux machine - Ubuntu 22.04+ or Debian 12+ recommended
Docker - Version 24.0+ installed and running
Node.js - Version 20+ (for the CLI)
Stable internet - Reliable connection with decent bandwidth
Public IP or port forwarding - Your node must be reachable from the internet

Ensure your firewall allows inbound connections on port 4002 (the default API port). The orchestrator and tenant deployments need to reach your node on this port.

Installation

Install the Kova Node CLI

npm install -g @kova/node-cli

Verify the installation:

kova-node --version

Initialize Your Node

kova-node init

This creates a configuration file at ~/.kova/config.json with default settings. You'll be prompted to set your pricing and resource limits.

Configure Pricing and Resources

Edit ~/.kova/config.json or use CLI flags:

kova-node config set pricing.cpu 0.10
kova-node config set pricing.memory 0.05
kova-node config set pricing.storage 0.02
kova-node config set resources.maxCpu 8
kova-node config set resources.maxMemory 16
kova-node config set resources.maxDisk 200

Register on the Network

kova-node register

This registers your node with the orchestrator. You'll receive a node ID and API key that are saved to your config automatically.

Start the Provider

kova-node start

Your node will connect to the network, start sending heartbeats, and begin accepting bids.

Configuration Reference

The config file at ~/.kova/config.json:

{
  "nodeId": "auto-generated-on-register",
  "apiKey": "auto-generated-on-register",
  "orchestratorUrl": "https://app.kovanetwork.com/api/v1",
  "apiPort": 4002,
  "pricing": {
    "cpu": 0.10,
    "memory": 0.05,
    "storage": 0.02,
    "gpu": 1.00
  },
  "resources": {
    "maxCpu": 8,
    "maxMemory": 16,
    "maxDisk": 200,
    "gpus": []
  }
}

Pricing Fields

Field	Description	Unit
`pricing.cpu`	Price per CPU core	$ per block
`pricing.memory`	Price per GB of memory	$ per block
`pricing.storage`	Price per GB of disk	$ per block
`pricing.gpu`	Price per GPU	$ per block

Resource Limits

Field	Description	Default
`resources.maxCpu`	Maximum CPU cores to offer	All available
`resources.maxMemory`	Maximum memory in GB	80% of total
`resources.maxDisk`	Maximum disk in GB	100
`resources.gpus`	GPU devices to offer (see below)	Empty

GPU Configuration

If your machine has GPUs, add them to the config:

{
  "resources": {
    "gpus": [
      {
        "vendor": "nvidia",
        "model": "rtx4090",
        "deviceId": "0"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Environment Variables

All settings can be overridden with environment variables:

Variable	Description
`KOVA_ORCHESTRATOR_URL`	Orchestrator API endpoint
`KOVA_API_KEY`	Node API key (from registration)
`KOVA_API_PORT`	API port for incoming connections (default: 4002)
`KOVA_MAX_CPU`	Maximum CPU cores
`KOVA_MAX_MEMORY`	Maximum memory in GB
`KOVA_MAX_DISK`	Maximum disk in GB

Running as a Service

For production, run the node as a systemd service:

sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/kova-node.service > /dev/null <<EOF
[Unit]
Description=Kova Provider Node
After=network.target docker.service
Requires=docker.service

[Service]
Type=simple
User=$USER
ExecStart=$(which kova-node) start
Restart=always
RestartSec=10
Environment=KOVA_ORCHESTRATOR_URL=https://app.kovanetwork.com/api/v1

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
EOF

sudo systemctl enable kova-node
sudo systemctl start kova-node

Monitoring Your Node

CLI Status

kova-node status

This shows your node's connection state, active leases, resource usage, and earnings.

Dashboard Provider Panel

Node uptime and availability
Active deployments running on your node
Earnings history and pending payments
Resource utilization over time

Start with conservative resource limits and gradually increase them as you get comfortable. Monitor your node's performance to make sure deployments run smoothly -- provider reputation affects bid acceptance rates.