Node operations and a cloud migration with failover

In January 2022 I joined the Frankfurt-based company Blocksize Capital as Head of DeFi and Node Operations. From that day I was responsible for the operation of its blockchain infrastructure in several data centers. The company is a node operator in an oracle network and runs a large number of blockchain nodes for protocols such as Ethereum and Avalanche.

What the nodes are for

An oracle network supplies smart contracts with market data from outside the chain. Decentralized exchanges are the main users of these prices. The task of my team was that the contracts receive reliable market data.

Taking over the operation

I took over the operation of the oracle price-data network and its internal documentation. I managed the servers hands-on, built up the node operations team and improved the performance of the nodes.

From Azure to another cloud

Later I migrated the IT infrastructure from Azure to another cloud provider and set up a failover infrastructure, so that a second site takes over when the first one fails.

As Chief Information Officer from January 2023 to November 2024 I coordinated the infrastructure team together with the development, product and sales teams.

Servers and clouds I have worked with

• Azure and Google Cloud Platform at Blocksize Capital, 2022 to November 2024.
• Docker containers and scripted infrastructure since 2019.
• AWS since 2018, with the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate certificate.
• Debian and Ubuntu servers, set up and supported since 2007.
• Setting up hardware and connecting it in datacenters across Europe and the United States.

I have worked with cryptocurrencies since 2015. I am still running blockchain nodes as of today.

Node operations, infrastructure and growth

I have operated blockchain nodes myself, improved their performance, built the team around them and moved the infrastructure to another cloud provider with failover. As CIO, I coordinated this work with development, product and sales. I know how decisions about availability, infrastructure costs, product requirements and growth affect one another. Today I use AI tools to work faster across infrastructure, code and data.