SLV Introduces Automated Build and Region Optimization for Solana v3 — Simplifying Self-Build Processes and Accelerating Global Updates

ELSOUL LABO B.V. (Headquarters: Amsterdam, the Netherlands; CEO: Fumitake Kawasaki) and Validators DAO have released version v0.9.700 of the open-source software “SLV,” which automates Solana validator and RPC operations.

This update addresses the challenges introduced with Solana v3, where self-building client software from source became mandatory. SLV now fully automates binary builds and distribution. Leveraging Cloudflare R2 and its global edge network, SLV optimizes regional delivery, enabling operators worldwide to perform updates more efficiently, securely, and in less time than ever before.

Challenges in the Solana v3 Era

Since Solana v3, the official distribution of pre-built binaries has been discontinued, requiring all operators to build the client software directly from Rust source code.

As a result, building Jito or Firedancer clients now involves managing multiple dependency packages and build recipes, significantly increasing operational costs and maintenance overhead.

For validators operating across multiple regions or nodes, maintaining consistent binary versions has become difficult. Environmental discrepancies between nodes can affect synchronization and network stability.

Repeated builds across nodes also consume substantial time and increase the risk of human error, often leading to configuration inconsistencies.

To solve these issues, SLV introduces a unified update mechanism that allows the same binary to be deployed across all nodes simultaneously. Validators operating multi-region environments can now update their entire infrastructure at once or selectively update specific regions or nodes — ensuring both flexibility and operational safety.

What’s New in SLV v0.9.700

This release fundamentally solves the challenges of Solana v3 through the following new features:

New Commands
The new commands slv v install:solana and slv r install:solana fully automate Solana binary building, retrieval, and distribution.
Global Automated Build & Distribution System
SLV automatically detects updates for Agave, Jito, and Geyser Plugin, then builds, uploads, and distributes binaries via a global cloud network.
This allows validators to deploy the latest stable environments instantly — without manual builds.
Region-Optimized Delivery via Cloudflare R2
By integrating Cloudflare’s global edge network with R2 storage, SLV automatically serves binaries from the nearest edge region based on user location.
High-speed access has already been achieved across major regions, and future expansions — including domain deployments and edge optimizations across Asia — will further enhance low-latency global delivery.
Ping-Based Mirror Auto-Selection
During setup, SLV measures ping latency across available mirrors and automatically selects the nearest one, retrieving all required software and binaries from that mirror.
This further accelerates setup and synchronization across distributed environments.

Operational Impact

Previously, a complete self-build — from compiling the source to completing catch-up — typically took 20–30 minutes of unavoidable processing time, even under ideal conditions.
This does not include manual preparation or verification, which often added several more minutes.

SLV v0.9.700 eliminates that build time entirely.
By automating binary caching and global distribution, validators can now complete maintenance in only 10–15 minutes — limited solely to the catch-up phase.
All steps are fully automated, making updates dramatically faster, safer, and more consistent than manual processes.

SLV distributes binaries through the Validators DAO-managed Cloudflare R2 network, ensuring secure and fast retrieval of the latest builds from globally optimized storage locations.

Contribution to Decentralization and Network Efficiency

SLV’s region-optimized delivery is more than a speed enhancement — it directly improves overall Solana network efficiency by reducing long-distance transfers between regions and mitigating bandwidth congestion.

Currently, most Solana mainnet validators use the Jito client, where physical distance from the Block Engine has a direct impact on performance.
Higher latency can lead to delays in transaction propagation and bundle submission, affecting block production efficiency.

SLV minimizes such latency by automatically measuring ping values and selecting the nearest Block Engine or distribution node during setup, ensuring stable and optimized performance.

Through these regional optimizations, validators can operate under uniform conditions regardless of physical location, helping maintain Solana’s decentralization and network health.

Future Plans

SLV will continue to update in sync with the latest Solana v3.x, Firedancer, and Jito client versions.

A GUI version of SLV is also under development — a secure local management application that will allow operators to monitor, restart, update nodes, and configure staking fees through a simple graphical interface.

Additionally, SLV will expand its monitoring and alert capabilities, integrating Discord-based notifications and automatic log collection to help validators intuitively understand and manage their operational state.

SLV Release Notes v0.9.700: https://github.com/ValidatorsDAO/slv/releases/tag/v0.9.700
SLV Official Site: https://slv.dev/en
Validators DAO Official Discord: https://discord.gg/C7ZQSrCkYR