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Create Validator with Custom Identity Provider

This page explains how to create a Canton Validator using an external Identity Provider (IdP) instead of Catalyst's integrated Keycloak. In this mode, Catalyst does not create users or OAuth clients for you — all required OIDC clients and users must be set up in your IdP before creating the validator.

The alternative to this approach is using an Integrated Keycloak that automates the process, as detailed in Create Validator with Integrated Keycloak.

Prerequisites: Configure Your Identity Provider

Below you can find a brief overview of how to set up Clients and Users in your Identity Provider before setting up the Validator. For a full description of requirements, consult the Canton Validator OIDC requirements and navigate to the External Identity Provider Configuration page in the installation instructions:

External Identity Provider Configuration (optional)

The sections on secrets and other Kubernetes configuration can be ignored — Catalyst creates them. You only need to set up clients and users beforehand.

Setting up Clients and Users in your Identity Provider

The following clients are used by a Validator node and must be configured with the proper flows in your Identity Provider:

Validator Component
OpenID Flow
Fields required by Catalyst

Validator

Client Credentials Grant

Client Id, Client secret

Canton Name Service

Authorization Code

Client Id

Wallet

Authorization Code

Client Id

It is recommended to allow all audiences for the clients during validator creation. These can be restricted later, once Catalyst has generated the required URLs.

Before setting up the validator, create a user in your Identity Provider and ensure this user has permission to use the OIDC clients created for the validator.

This user will be mapped to the main Validator party and will receive rewards, which can be viewed from the Wallet.

Microsoft Entra ID — Creating Clients and Users for a New Validator

Wallet Client

Create an App Registration for the Wallet:

  • Platform: Single-Page Application

  • No client secret needed

After creating the validator, obtain the Wallet URL and add it to the Wallet App Registration under Authentication:

  • Redirect URI: https://wallet-validator-<name>.<domain>

  • CORS origin: https://wallet-validator-<name>.<domain>

  • Front-channel logout URL: https://wallet-validator-<name>.<domain>

Under Expose an API:

  • Accept the default Application ID URI: api://<client-id>

  • Add a scope named access, who can consent: Admins and users

Redirect URIs, CORS origins, and the logout URL must be added after validator creation — the URLs are only known at that point.

Ledger Client

Create an App Registration for the ledger:

  • Name: e.g. canton-ledger

  • No platform or redirect URI needed

  • Go to Certificates & Secrets → New client secret — save the value immediately

  • Go to Expose an API → Add Application ID URI — accept the default api://<client-id>

  • Click Add a scope:

    • Scope name: access

    • Who can consent: Admins and users

    • Admin consent display name: Ledger API access

    • Admin consent description: Ledger API access

Then grant the Wallet registration access to the Ledger API:

Wallet App Registration → API permissions → Add a permission → My APIs → [ledger app] → access → Add permissions → Grant admin consent

Client
Platform Type
Grant Types
Has Client Secret

Wallet

Single-Page Application

Authorization Code + Refresh Token

No

Ledger

None (Client Credentials only)

Client Credentials

Yes

User Setup

Create a new user in Entra ID → Users → New user → Create new user.

Assign the user to both the Wallet and CNS Enterprise Applications via Enterprise Applications → [app] → Users and Groups → Add user/group.

Fields Required by IntellectEU

After completing the setup, provide the following values to IntellectEU:

Field
Where to find it

Ledger Client Application ID

App Registrations → canton-ledger → Overview → Application (client) ID

Ledger Client Object ID

App Registrations → canton-ledger → Overview → Object ID

Ledger Client Secret

App Registrations → canton-ledger → Certificates & Secrets → value saved during creation

Wallet UI Client ID

App Registrations → [wallet app] → Overview → Application (client) ID

Wallet User Username

Entra ID → Users → [wallet user] → User principal name

Wallet User Password

Set during user creation above

Set Up a Validator

To set up a Validator, go to the Validators tab and click the Set up validator button.

1

Main Settings Configuration

Provide the following information:

  • Sponsor SV Name

  • Name

  • Onboard secret

  • Image tag

  • Image repo

  • Image pull secret

  • Scan address

  • SV sponsor address

  • Party hint

  • Migration id

More info about these fields
Field
Description

Sponsor SV Name

The name of the Super Validator that sponsored you to join the network

Name

The identifier or label for the validator node

Onboard secret

Passphrase obtained from the super validator in order to join the network

Image tag

The specific version or tag of the container image to be used

Image repo

The repository where the container image is stored

Image pull secret

Credentials required to pull the container image from a private registry

Scan address

The address used for scanning and retrieving validator-related data

SV Sponsor Address

URL of the SV app of the super validator sponsoring you (starts with https://sv.sv-N)

Party hint

Used as a prefix for the Party ID. Format: <organization>-<function>-<enumerator>, e.g., myCompany-myWallet-1

Migration id

Used to track database migrations. Starts at 0 and increments by 1 with each migration

An onboarding secret should be requested from your sponsoring SV in order to join the network.

Only turn on the Restore participant identities toggle if you want to restore a validator from an Identity Dump.

2

Cluster Configuration

2.1 — Enable or disable:

  • Disable wallet

  • Fail on app version mismatch

  • Disable probes

2.2 — Fill in the fields:

  • Default JVM Options

  • Top up: Enable, Min Top up interval, Target throughput, Contact point

Make sure to set the Custom Authentication flag ON.

2.3 — Fill in the custom authentication fields:

  • CNS Client Id

  • Wallet Client Id

  • Ledger API Client Id

  • Ledger API Client Secret

  • Ledger API User

  • Wallet User

  • Audience

More info about custom authentication fields
Field
Description

CNS Client Id

Client for the Canton Name Service

Wallet Client Id

Client for the Wallet application

Ledger API Client Id

Client for the Validator

Ledger API Client Secret

Secret part of the Client Credentials Grant Flow for the Validator client

Ledger API User

User of the components described above

Wallet User

User that will access the wallet application and receive rewards

Audience

Audience claim expected by the clients

3

Cluster Participant Configuration

Provide the following information:

  • Node Identifier

  • Enable or disable: Expose Ledger API, Private JSON API

  • Default JVM Options

3.1 — Database Type

A PostgreSQL database will be created automatically.

  • Database User

  • Database Password

4

Configure Resources

  • Requested CPU

  • CPU limit

  • Requested memory

  • Memory limit

  • Replicas

The pre-filled figures for resource configuration are a standard recommendation. Please adapt to your unique scenario if needed.

5

Configure Environment Variables

Override the values of the environment variables for:

  • Participant node

  • Validator backend

  • Canton Name Service UI

  • Wallet UI

This is a very specific configuration. If you are not sure about this step, please contact IntellectEU.

6

Summary

Review your Validator configuration. Once confirmed, click the Confirm button to finalize and proceed with the deployment.

Identity and Access Management

In deployments where an external Identity Provider is used, your organization is responsible for managing user credentials and access controls for the validator infrastructure.

We strongly recommend updating the password for this user account after the initial setup to ensure that access remains secure and unique.

Resetting the Wallet User Password in Your Identity Provider

To change the password for the wallet user, refer to the official documentation for your IdP. Typical steps include:

  1. Log into your Identity Provider's admin portal.

  2. Locate the user account associated with the validator (e.g., $VALIDATOR_NAME_walletuser).

  3. Initiate a password reset or manual update from the user management section.

  4. Disable any temporary password flags if you want to use the new password directly.

  5. Update any validator configuration files or services that use this credential.

Always ensure that the new credentials are stored securely and are reflected across all dependent components.

If your IdP integrates with federation or SSO, ensure that policies and password propagation are correctly applied.

Common IdP documentation resources
PreviousCreate Validator with Integrated KeycloakNextValidator Backups and Identity Dumps

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