> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.autheo.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Pause and resume a validator

> How to temporarily pause a validator node for maintenance without being jailed, and how to resume operation.

There is no native "pause" command in Cosmos SDK. Pausing a validator means it will stop signing blocks, which will eventually trigger jailing due to liveness failures. Plan maintenance carefully to minimize missed blocks and avoid jailing.

## Understanding liveness requirements

The `x/slashing` module tracks missed blocks via a sliding window. Check the current parameters:

```bash theme={null}
autheod query slashing params --chain-id autheo_2127-1
```

Key parameters:

* `signed_blocks_window` — the window size (e.g., 10,000 blocks)
* `min_signed_per_window` — the minimum fraction that must be signed (e.g., 0.5 = 50%)

If you miss more than `(1 - min_signed_per_window) × signed_blocks_window` consecutive blocks, the validator is jailed.

## Short maintenance (\< a few hours)

For brief maintenance within the liveness window, you can stop the node and restart without additional steps:

```bash theme={null}
sudo systemctl stop autheod

# Perform maintenance (upgrades, disk expansion, config changes, etc.)

sudo systemctl start autheod
sudo journalctl -u autheod -f
```

Monitor the node's missed block count after restart:

```bash theme={null}
autheod query slashing signing-info \
  $(autheod tendermint show-validator --home /path/to/node-home)
```

## Long maintenance (risk of jailing)

For extended maintenance that exceeds the liveness window, temporarily reduce your validator's power by unbonding stake:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Unbond your self-delegation">
    ```bash theme={null}
    autheod tx staking unbond <autheovaloper-address> <amount>aauth \
      --from mykey \
      --chain-id autheo_2127-1 \
      --keyring-backend file
    ```

    Unbonding reduces voting power to zero, which removes the node from the active set and stops jailing eligibility.

    <Note>
      The unbonding period is \~21 days. During this period, the THEO cannot be transferred or re-delegated.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Perform maintenance">
    With zero voting power, the validator is not required to sign blocks. Perform all necessary maintenance.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Re-delegate when ready to resume">
    After the unbonding period, re-delegate to re-enter the active set:

    ```bash theme={null}
    autheod tx staking delegate <autheovaloper-address> <amount>aauth \
      --from mykey \
      --chain-id autheo_2127-1 \
      --keyring-backend file
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Resuming after jailing

If the node was jailed during maintenance:

1. Ensure the node is fully synced: `autheod status | jq '.SyncInfo.catching_up'`
2. Unjail:
   ```bash theme={null}
   autheod tx slashing unjail \
     --from mykey \
     --chain-id autheo_2127-1 \
     --keyring-backend file
   ```
3. If the license shows `BOUND`, re-delegate to restore `ACTIVE` status.

## Best practices

* Schedule maintenance during low-activity periods
* Use a monitoring alert to track missed blocks in real time
* For planned extended maintenance, notify delegators in advance
* Always have a snapshot ready to restore quickly if the node fails to sync after restart