Verifying that you are up and running

Prerequisites verification

Before verifying your Blockfrost platform operation, make sure that these critical configurations are correct:

A running Cardano node

A running mainnet (production) instance of cardano-node with a public IP address.

NFT address configuration

Important: You must use the exact address containing your Icebreaker NFT, not your general wallet address.

When running the init command or configuring manually, use the specific address containing the NFT:


--reward-address addr1xxx...  # Address containing NFT, not general wallet address

Your wallet likely contains multiple addresses. The platform requires specifically the address where the NFT resides. Check your wallet to identify which address holds the Icebreaker NFT.

Network port configuration

Make sure that your required ports are properly opened. The default Blockfrost platform port is 3000.

For cloud hosting

Azure: Create a new outbound rule allowing port 3000 traffic
AWS: Configure security groups to permit port 3000 traffic
Other providers: Update firewall settings accordingly.

Basic service verification

After confirming prerequisites, verify the service itself:

Installation verification

Confirm that the software is properly installed:


blockfrost-platform --version

This should return the current version number.

Service startup verification

Start the service and check for successful initialization:


blockfrost-platform --network mainnet \
                    --node-address 127.0.0.1 \
                    --secret your_icebreaker_secret \
                    --reward-address your_nft_address

In the logs, you should see initialization messages. The message DEBUG: Decoding done indicates normal operation.

If you don’t see this message or encounter errors, check:

Node socket path accessibility
Network configuration
Secret key validity.

Operational verification

Once the service is running, verify that it is functioning correctly:

Understanding the UUID

The Blockfrost platform generates a new UUID each time it starts. This UUID is critical for accessing endpoints:

Example log entry showing UUID

INFO: Your instance ID: 3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6

Make a note of this UUID as you’ll need it for subsequent verification steps. Remember that this changes every time you restart the service.

Metrics endpoint verification

Check if your service is properly reporting metrics:


wget http://your-server-ip:3000/3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6/metrics

Replace the UUID in the URL with your current instance ID. If functioning properly, this endpoint provides:

API calls served count
Resource utilization statistics
Uptime information.

Note: The metrics endpoint may require the latest binary. If you receive a 500 error, update your installation.

Grafana dashboard monitoring

For a visual verification of your node’s status, access the Blockfrost Grafana dashboard:


https://blockfrost.grafana.net/public-dashboards/8d618eda298d472a996ca3473ab36177

Your node will appear as ‘Icebreaker X’ where X is your assigned number (visible in your NFT metadata).

This dashboard provides:

Connection status
Performance metrics
Comparison with other Icebreaker nodes.

Troubleshooting common issues

If verification fails, check these common issues:

Not seeing ‘Decoding done’ message

Ensure your Cardano node is fully synced
Check node socket path accessibility.

Cannot access metrics endpoint

Verify you’re using the current UUID
Confirm port 3000 is accessible from your network
Check if you need to update to the latest binary.

Not appearing in Grafana

Allow up to 10 minutes for your node to appear
Verify your NFT address is correctly configured
Ensure outbound connections are permitted by your firewall.