Operational Notes for Solana Testnet Validators
Introduction
Testnet serves not only as a validation environment for mainnet changes, but also as a prerequisite for participation and evaluation programs such as SFDP.
When operating testnet validators using SLV, there are constraints and considerations that differ from mainnet, and these must be understood in advance.
When operating testnet validators using SLV, there are constraints and considerations that differ from mainnet, and these must be understood in advance.
This page summarizes the operational points that are particularly important for SFDP-participating validators and for using BAM on testnet.
Testnet Validator Operation with SFDP Participation in Mind
Validators participating in the SFDP program are expected to operate a testnet validator that is of the same client type as their mainnet validator.
The evaluation does not focus solely on whether the validator can start, but rather on consistency with mainnet behavior, including stability, runtime characteristics, and behavior during upgrades.
The evaluation does not focus solely on whether the validator can start, but rather on consistency with mainnet behavior, including stability, runtime characteristics, and behavior during upgrades.
SLV supports the following testnet configurations:
- Agave
- Firedancer
- BAM
Please ensure that you run a testnet validator from the same client family as the one used on mainnet.
Notes on Using BAM Testnet (Geographical Constraints)
When using BAM on testnet, there are currently strong network latency constraints.
In practice, maintaining a ping latency of less than 35ms to BAM nodes is a prerequisite. From regions outside the United States, connections often fail to establish or cannot be maintained reliably.
In practice, maintaining a ping latency of less than 35ms to BAM nodes is a prerequisite. From regions outside the United States, connections often fail to establish or cannot be maintained reliably.
Before using BAM Testnet, make sure to verify the following:
- Run ping tests against the target BAM nodes and confirm that latency is consistently below 35ms
- If latency exceeds 35ms, do not assume BAM Testnet can be used from that region
BAM Testnet Node Deployment Regions (as of January 2026)
As of January 2026, publicly available BAM Testnet nodes are deployed only in the following three regions:
- Dallas
- New York
- Salt Lake City
Always refer to the official page below for the latest deployment information.
https://bam.dev/validators/
https://bam.dev/validators/
Given the current situation, using BAM Testnet realistically requires deploying testnet validators in:
- One of the three regions listed above
- Or nearby U.S. regions such as Chicago or Los Angeles
While expansion to EMEA and Asia is planned, the current limitation to U.S.-based regions should be understood as a temporary constraint, not a permanent one.