# Pools up and running in the testnet, now what...? **URL:** \ **Category:** Operate a Stake Pool\ **Created:** [8 November 2021 17:10 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/pools-up-and-running-in-the-testnet-now-what/83841 "2021-11-08T17:10:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardano-Cal](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.cardano.org/cardano-cal/32/27737_2.png) [@Cardano-Cal](https://forum.cardano.org/u/Cardano-Cal)\ **Post date:** [8 November 2021 17:10 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/pools-up-and-running-in-the-testnet-now-what/83841/1 "2021-11-08T17:10:32Z")
I have a pool running in the testnet and all seems to be running fine, all nodes are processing transactions and the pool is showing in [adatools.io](https://testnet.adatools.io/pools/4e356db6eacffa0b538b51a726cafe93fbcbc4234b21f6cefe23b11e) I want to run it for a month to learn what I can before moving to the mainnet. What should I be doing, practicing, learning in this month? How can I learn this on a deeper level? ---
**Author:** ![ATFFpool](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.cardano.org/atffpool/32/38506_2.png) [@ATFFpool](https://forum.cardano.org/u/ATFFpool)\ **Post date:** [9 November 2021 14:55 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/pools-up-and-running-in-the-testnet-now-what/83841/2 "2021-11-09T14:55:09Z")
Hi Cal! Not sure what kind of servers you are using, but the important difference between mainnet and testnet is that we are working with real money in the mainnet, obviously. So depending on what you did or didn’t do with your testnet servers, security is the main topic I’d focus on. How to harden your servers, firewall config, ssh, using an air-gapped machine to sign transactions, how to use a hardware wallet, and so on. Also, if your goal is to run a profitable stake pool, you should think about ways to promote your pool, think about a marketing strategy, your pool ‘brand’, your social media presence. What are the prerequisites to be accepted as an ISPO (DEXes) or for IOG or CF delegation rounds. Regards, Ewald ---
**Author:** ![Cardano-Cal](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.cardano.org/cardano-cal/32/27737_2.png) [@Cardano-Cal](https://forum.cardano.org/u/Cardano-Cal)\ **Post date:** [11 November 2021 05:24 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/pools-up-and-running-in-the-testnet-now-what/83841/3 "2021-11-11T05:24:45Z")
Hi, Thanks for the feedback > So depending on what you did or didn’t do with your testnet servers, security is the main topic I’d focus on. > > How to harden your servers, firewall config, ssh, using an air-gapped machine to sign transactions, how to use a hardware wallet, and so on. I’m pretty comfortable with all of this, the hardware wallet is something I can look into 👍🏼 > Also, if your goal is to run a profitable stake pool, you should think about ways to promote your pool, think about a marketing strategy, your pool ‘brand’, your social media presence. Definitely 👍🏼 > What are the prerequisites to be accepted as an ISPO (DEXes) or for IOG or CF delegation rounds This sounds interesting, do you have any links or resources? So as an operator, day-to-day, month-to-month, what do you have to do on the node? Update versions, replace KES keys, …? ---
**Author:** ![ATFFpool](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex023/user_avatar/forum.cardano.org/atffpool/32/38506_2.png) [@ATFFpool](https://forum.cardano.org/u/ATFFpool)\ **Post date:** [11 November 2021 09:25 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/pools-up-and-running-in-the-testnet-now-what/83841/4 "2021-11-11T09:25:43Z")
Always welcome. Regarding delegation by IOG or CF, have a look here: > [@Cardano Foundation's New Delegation Methodology: Supporting the Architects of the Future](https://forum.cardano.org/t/cardano-foundations-new-delegation-methodology-supporting-the-architects-of-the-future/79594): > > We at the Cardano Foundation would like to announce a change to our delegation methodology. The requirements of the protocol are constantly evolving as we deploy our technology stack. We will continuously update our delegation methodology to support our community. For earlier delegations, our delegation strategy focused on supporting the decentralization and deployment of the Cardano protocol. This is why we delegated to smaller stake pools. It is also why we supported those who run single pool… [https://iohk.io/en/blog/posts/2021/10/27/iogs-third-round-of-ada-delegation-gives-voice-to-cardano-stake-pool-operators/](https://iohk.io/en/blog/posts/2021/10/27/iogs-third-round-of-ada-delegation-gives-voice-to-cardano-stake-pool-operators/) Make sure to follow both on Twitter to not miss on new rounds and deadlines. Regarding what you have to do on the node, this depends a lot on how your setup looks like so it is hard to say, but in principle running the nodes is not very time consuming when everything is up and running. KES keys have to replaced every 3 months and it just takes a few minutes, there are updates from time to time (make sure to follow input-output-hk on Github to get updates, version 1.31.0 was released yesterday for example: [GitHub - IntersectMBO/cardano-node: The core component that is used to participate in a Cardano decentralised blockchain.](https://github.com/input-output-hk/cardano-node)) EDIT: Oh yes, and what I forgot, you might want to join one or several of the SPO alliances: F2LB, xSPO, MDP, bare metal,…