* Stay updated with Dash Core versions (latest version is 19.0.0)
* Stay updated with sentinel during Dash Core updates (always check --> cd .dashcore, cd sentinel, git pull). If there is no sentinel update, then you will get a message 'already updated'. If there is a sentinel update available, it will perform a sentinel update. Dash Core v19.0.0 will require a sentinel update !!
* Make sure your masternode runs with recommended specs (
https://docs.dash.org/en/stable/docs/user/masternodes/understanding.html / see last chapter)
* When your masternode is starting to receive a PoSe score, keep an eye on your masternode. A high PoSe score means failure to participate in a DKG session, which takes a number of days (5?) to clear. If you get hit with another failure to participate in a DKG session, that most likely lead to a PoSe ban for your masternode (depends on your current PoSe score). If your masternode performs well you will see the PoSe score of your masternode drop by -1 per block.
These are factors that could lead to a PoSe score (credits xkcd) :
- Bugs in the core node code, we've seen a lot of those in v18 and v19 and tried to fix them all, others may still exist.
- The node is actually off-line.
- The network our VPS is on is off-line.
- Routing issues on the internet.
- The node you are talking to has for some reason 'discouraged' your node ie, it no longer listens to you and thus misses your reply and THEN scores you! We see a LOT of this on testnet.
- Some VPS providers purposely firewall certain networks, I know that coins.host for example F/W traffic between other VPS's on their own network!
- Your node is online, but not at the current tip.
- Your node is online, but severely resource constrained, eg CPU and is SLOW to respond. This can be a fleeting occurrence, since the load on dashd is not constant and if you are using a shared instance it could even be because someone else's VPS is suddenly super busy and drains CPU resources from your own instance !
- Your protx is revoked - Obvious and easy to remedy.
- Your collateral is spent, instant ban.
- You are running a software F/W on your VPS that is interfering or has a rate limit.
- VPS is doing a reboot.
- Malicious nodes? Note that to score a node, it must be voted by others in the quorum too, how many exactly, I don't know. Large operators are incentivised to attack smaller operators, this should be obvious.
- The rogue node, a node that thinks it is synced to tip and erroneously votes to score others that are actually properly synced up.
- etc etc etc.
I normally either stop and restart my masternode, when i notice it received a PoSe score or restart my server.
Both cases could lead to an additional high PoSe score (and possibly a PoSe ban), if your masternode happen to be selected for a DKG session when you are either restarting your masternode or restarting your server. Personally i have not noticed that. It would be a case of being pretty unlucky.