Cloud service provider Hetzner blocks access for Solana validators over TOS breach

Cloud service provider Hetzner has stopped providing its services to Solana (SOL) validators, according to a screenshot shared by stake pool operator SolBlaze on Nov. 2.

🚨⚠️ Hetzner just kicked off all @solana nodes hosted on their infrastructure. ⚠️🚨

Over 20% of stake weight on mainnet-beta is delinquent, with thousands of validators offline.

If you are running a Solana validator using Hetzner, please switch to a different provider ASAP. pic.twitter.com/rkXwKvXGVx

— SolBlaze.org | Stake with us! 🔥💃 (@solblaze_org) November 2, 2022

Hetzner requested the unnamed validator to remove all Solana-related activities on their server to have their account unlocked. The firm stated that its policy forbids the use of its servers for crypto-related activities.

Solana Labs co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko and the Head of Communications at Solana Foundation Austin Federa confirmed this development, urging validators to move their operations to a crypto-friendly node service provider.

Yes, about 20% of stake got kicked offline by a data center, but the network keeps humming as validator operator who were impacted migrate to more friendly environments.

This is how it’s supposed to work #KeepStakingDecentralized https://t.co/Aq8a4NlP8h pic.twitter.com/4AJiddvf4n

— Austin Federa | Breakpoint Lisbon (@Austin_Federa) November 2, 2022

Hetzner was in the news recently after it clamped down on Ethereum (ETH) node operators. As of then, the Germany-based firm accounted for roughly 16% of ETH nodes; however, that number has been cut to roughly 12%, according to Ethernodes data.

Solana Labs and Hetzner did not respond to CryptoSlate request for comment as of press time.

Meanwhile, RockawayX’s dashboard shows that the Solana network delinquent stake ratio has dropped to less than 10% as of press time. A delinquent stake operator will not allow the validators and delegators to earn rewards.

The development also appeared to have no effect on the Solana network, as all systems were operational in the last 24 hours.

CryptoSlate data showed that Solana was down 1.35% and was trading for $31.15.