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prysm/api
james-prysm 641d90990d grpc fallback improvements (#16215)
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**What type of PR is this?**

## Summary

This PR implements gRPC fallback support for the validator client,
allowing it to automatically switch between multiple beacon node
endpoints when the primary node becomes unavailable or unhealthy.

## Changes

- Added `grpcConnectionProvider` to manage multiple gRPC connections
with circular failover
- Validator automatically detects unhealthy beacon nodes and switches to
the next available endpoint
- Health checks verify both node responsiveness AND sync status before
accepting a node
- Improved logging to only show "Found fully synced beacon node" when an
actual switch occurs (reduces log noise)


I removed the old middleware that uses gRPC's built in load balancer
because:

- gRPC's pick_first load balancer doesn't provide sync-status-aware
failover
- The validator needs to ensure it connects to a fully synced node, not
just a reachable one

## Test Scenario

### Setup
Deployed a 4-node Kurtosis testnet with local validator connecting to 2
beacon nodes:

```yaml
# kurtosis-grpc-fallback-test.yaml
participants:
  - el_type: nethermind
    cl_type: prysm
    validator_count: 128  # Keeps chain advancing
  - el_type: nethermind
    cl_type: prysm
    validator_count: 64
  - el_type: nethermind
    cl_type: prysm
    validator_count: 64   # Keeps chain advancing
  - el_type: nethermind
    cl_type: prysm
    validator_count: 64   # Keeps chain advancing

network_params:
  fulu_fork_epoch: 0
  seconds_per_slot: 6
```

Local validator started with:
```bash
./validator --beacon-rpc-provider=127.0.0.1:33005,127.0.0.1:33012 ...
```

### Test 1: Primary Failover (cl-1 → cl-2)

1. Stopped cl-1 beacon node
2. Validator detected failure and switched to cl-2

**Logs:**
```
WARN  Beacon node is not responding, switching host currentHost=127.0.0.1:33005 nextHost=127.0.0.1:33012
DEBUG Trying gRPC endpoint newHost=127.0.0.1:33012 previousHost=127.0.0.1:33005
INFO  Failover succeeded: connected to healthy beacon node failedAttempts=[127.0.0.1:33005] newHost=127.0.0.1:33012 previousHost=127.0.0.1:33005
```

**Result:**  PASSED - Validator continued submitting attestations on
cl-2

### Test 2: Circular Failover (cl-2 → cl-1)

1. Restarted cl-1, stopped cl-2
2. Validator detected failure and switched back to cl-1

**Logs:**
```
WARN  Beacon node is not responding, switching host currentHost=127.0.0.1:33012 nextHost=127.0.0.1:33005
DEBUG Trying gRPC endpoint newHost=127.0.0.1:33005 previousHost=127.0.0.1:33012
INFO  Failover succeeded: connected to healthy beacon node failedAttempts=[127.0.0.1:33012] newHost=127.0.0.1:33005 previousHost=127.0.0.1:33012
```

**Result:**  PASSED - Circular fallback works correctly

## Key Log Messages

| Log Level | Message | Source |
|-----------|---------|--------|
| WARN | "Beacon node is not responding, switching host" |
`changeHost()` in validator.go |
| INFO | "Switched gRPC endpoint" | `SetHost()` in
grpc_connection_provider.go |
| INFO | "Found fully synced beacon node" | `FindHealthyHost()` in
validator.go (only on actual switch) |

## Test Plan

- [x] Verify primary failover (cl-1 → cl-2)
- [x] Verify circular failover (cl-2 → cl-1)
- [x] Verify validator continues producing attestations after switch
- [x] Verify "Found fully synced beacon node" only logs on actual switch
(not every health check)

**What does this PR do? Why is it needed?**

**Which issues(s) does this PR fix?**

Fixes # https://github.com/OffchainLabs/prysm/pull/7133


**Other notes for review**

**Acknowledgements**

- [x] I have read
[CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/blob/develop/CONTRIBUTING.md).
- [x] I have included a uniquely named [changelog fragment
file](https://github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/blob/develop/CONTRIBUTING.md#maintaining-changelogmd).
- [x] I have added a description with sufficient context for reviewers
to understand this PR.
- [x] I have tested that my changes work as expected and I added a
testing plan to the PR description (if applicable).

---------

Co-authored-by: factory-droid[bot] <138933559+factory-droid[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Radosław Kapka <rkapka@wp.pl>
Co-authored-by: Manu NALEPA <enalepa@offchainlabs.com>
2026-02-02 14:51:56 +00:00
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2026-02-02 14:51:56 +00:00
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