# Collator node - Quick Start Guide

## Subscription

Purchasing a subscription is the first step to setting up your Collator node(s) on the Energy Web X Parachain. Follow the steps below to subscribe.

1. Login to Launchpad with your account or create an account
2. Switch to the **VaaS** environment of Launchpad using the toggle on the top right of the Launchpad screen.
3. Under **Node** in the left hand bar menu, go to "**Purchase**"

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4. Currently, you can only purchase a Collator node with EW managed cloud. Chose the number of nodes you would like to purchase.
5. Validate your choice by clicking on "**Subscribe**". This will take you to the payment screen.&#x20;

Once your payment is validated, your subscription is active and you can start setting up your nodes.

## Collator Node Creation and Deployment

Once your subscription is active, follow the steps below to set-up and manage your nodes.

1. Under **Collator Node**, go to "**Manage**". You will see your purchased bundle of nodes that are ready for deployment.

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2. Click **Deploy**&#x20;
3. Fill in the necessary configurations details and go to **Deploy**

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4. You will find your newly deployed node under **Collator Nodes** by clicking **Manage**.&#x20;

## Collator Node Management

You can access more information about your collator node details by clicking on **View Details** when in the manage view.

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This section will include all general and specific details about your node and will allow you to kick off and track onboarding.

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You can also view Node Analytics, such as Network Type, On-Chain Metrics, Logs and Alerts at any time by clicking **Monitor Node**.&#x20;

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### Collator Node Statuses

A Collator node progresses through multiple independent statuses during setup and onboarding. These reflect infrastructure provisioning, chain synchronization, and onboarding state.

#### 1. Node Status (Infrastructure Lifecycle)

The **node status** reflects the state of the underlying infrastructure managed by Launchpad.

* **Requested**\
  The node deployment has been initiated and infrastructure provisioning is in progress.
* **Provisioning** *(automatic)*\
  Launchpad provisions and configures the collator environment. No operator action is required.
* **Ready**\
  Infrastructure provisioning is complete. The node is operational and able to begin chain synchronization.

***

#### 2. Sync Status (Chain Synchronization)

The **sync status** indicates whether the node has fully synchronized with the **Energy Web X** network.

* **N/A**\
  The node is not yet ready to begin syncing (infrastructure provisioning not complete).
* **Syncing**\
  The node is actively synchronizing with the EWX network.\
  This process can take **up to 48 hours or longer**, depending on network conditions.
* **Synced**\
  The node is fully synchronized and ready for onboarding.
* **Failed**\
  The deployment or initialization process failed and the node is not operational. Manual intervention or redeployment is required.

***

## Collator Node onboarding

Once the Collator node is deployed and synced, the onboarding process can be initiated by clicking **Start Onboarding** in the **About** section of the Collator node's **Details** page.

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You can choose between **Manual onboarding** and **Automatic onboarding**.&#x20;

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#### Manual onboarding

Manual onboarding is intended for operators who want **full control and custody** over their Collator accounts and keys.

With manual onboarding, the operator:

* Brings their own **EWX account**
* Manages **token funding** across chains
* Executes and self-validates required on-chain actions

Launchpad guides the operator step by step and validates progress where possible.

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**Manual Onboarding Steps:**

1. **Import EWX Account**
   * The operator imports an existing EWX account address, holding a minimum of **5010 EWT** (see [Business & Token Requirements](https://docs.energyweb.org/launchpad/~/revisions/frkg3sR15oSxC1z0bKz9/blockchain-infrastructure/collator-nodes/collator-node-business-and-token-requirements) for details).
   * Launchpad verifies on-chain state to ensure the account exists and is active.
2. **EVM Account Funding (self-validated)**
   * The operator must ensure the following EVM accounts are funded:
     * **EWC EVM account**: 1 EWT
     * **Ethereum EVM account**: 0.15 ETH
   * The operator confirms completion by manually validating and checking the corresponding confirmation boxes.
3. **Session Key Assignment (`set_keys`)**
   * The operator executes the `set_keys` transaction using their EWX account.
   * First, make a copy of the Collator node's Session Key Hex displayed in the **Session Key** field in the **Collator Node ⇒ Details** page.
   * To do so, navigate to [Polkadot Explorer](https://polkadot.js.org/apps/?rpc=wss%3A%2F%2Fpublic-rpc.mainnet.energywebx.com%2F#/explorer), ensure you connect with the **EWX Collator account** from Step 1.
     * Select **Developer ⇒ Extrinsics**
       * Choose the EWX Collator account in the account field
       * Select the following module and call: **session ⇒ setKeys(keys,proof)**
       * Input the copied **Session Key Hex** into the **keys: EwParachainRuntimeSessionKeys** field.&#x20;
       * Input **0x0** in the **proof: Bytes** field.&#x20;
       * Submit transaction and sign with the collator account.&#x20;
   * This step must be completed and self-validated by the operator.

Upon completion, click **Request Collator Authorization** for the Collator node to be authorized and registered to enter the candidate pool. You will be informed via email when your Collator is ready and the onboarding status within the **Details** page will change to **Ready**.

#### Automatic onboarding

**Note:** Automatic onboarding is temporarily suspended.&#x20;

With the Automatic onboarding, all the necessary steps will be automatically done by the Launchpad platform, allowing you to get started immediately with your Collator node.

With automatic onboarding:

* Launchpad performs all required steps automatically
* Account setup, key assignment, and validation are handled by the platform
* No manual on-chain actions are required

Once all steps are complete, the operator can click **Request for Collator Authorization**.

The operator will be notified by email when the Collator is ready, and the onboarding status in the Details view will update to **Ready**.