<p>From <a href="https://developers.cardano.org/en/testnets/cardano/get-started/installing-and-running-the-cardano-node/running-a-node-as-a-relay/" rel="noreferrer">developers.cardano.org</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Within the Cardano environment, there are two types of nodes: Block-producing nodes, and relay nodes, which are nodes with no operational certificates.</p>
<p>Relay nodes do not have any keys, so they cannot produce blocks. Instead, relays act as proxies between the core network nodes and the internet, establishing a security perimeter around the core, block-producing network nodes. Since external nodes cannot communicate with block-producing nodes directly, relay nodes ensure that the integrity of the core nodes and the blockchain remains intact, even if one or more relays become compromised.</p>
<p>If a relay node becomes compromised, you can simply switch it off and use a different one.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In picture, a typical Cardano stake pool network looks like this:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/98rIX.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/98rIX.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>Also, I would point out, you don't need to run a relay, it is just recommended best practice to protect your block producer from variety of attacks.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-01T08:06:52.333Z
2021-06-01T08:06:52.333Z
Marek Mahut - StakeNuts
<p>I just started out with Cardano and blockchain and I read in an article somewhere that said that each stake pool must run at least one block-producing node and one relay node. The block-producing node holds the keys and certificates necessary to issue blocks, but it is not directly connected to the network.</p>
<p>As far as I understand, the blocks are produced by the pools and each of certain pools are assigned for different slots (epoch divided into slots) to mine a new block, but what do the relay nodes do?</p>

<stake-pool><cardano-node>
What are relay nodes?
# What are relay nodes?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-06-01)

I just started out with Cardano and blockchain and I read in an article somewhere that said that each stake pool must run at least one block-producing node and one relay node. The block-producing node holds the keys and certificates necessary to issue blocks, but it is not directly connected to the network.

As far as I understand, the blocks are produced by the pools and each of certain pools are assigned for different slots (epoch divided into slots) to mine a new block, but what do the relay nodes do?

**Tags:** stake-pool, cardano-node

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-06-01. Score: 11

From [developers.cardano.org](https://developers.cardano.org/en/testnets/cardano/get-started/installing-and-running-the-cardano-node/running-a-node-as-a-relay/):

> Within the Cardano environment, there are two types of nodes: Block-producing nodes, and relay nodes, which are nodes with no operational certificates.
>
> Relay nodes do not have any keys, so they cannot produce blocks. Instead, relays act as proxies between the core network nodes and the internet, establishing a security perimeter around the core, block-producing network nodes. Since external nodes cannot communicate with block-producing nodes directly, relay nodes ensure that the integrity of the core nodes and the blockchain remains intact, even if one or more relays become compromised.
>
> If a relay node becomes compromised, you can simply switch it off and use a different one.

In picture, a typical Cardano stake pool network looks like this:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/98rIX.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/98rIX.png)

Also, I would point out, you don't need to run a relay, it is just recommended best practice to protect your block producer from variety of attacks.


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