Release v2.1.1

• BEEFY activation now requires the native registered-key quorum independently in the complete active and queued validator sets, rather than unanimous registration (#5653). Every validator retains its original slot and stays in the denominator: 40 of 59, or 41 of 60. No smaller committee is introduced.
• Workspace packages are 2.1.1; Vara runtime spec versions are 20101, with regenerated SDK metadata (#5654). Transaction and runtime API versions are unchanged.
• The supported four-key migration targets 11000 → 20101. Session-key conversion remains a no-op for already-migrated spec 20100 state.
• Initial or still-pending source activation requires beefy.setNewGenesis(1). A separately approved restart after the existing start has been reached retains positive checked delays.
• Release packaging fixes and the coordinated mainnet runbook are included (#5652).

Operator actions

Publication does not enact the runtime, activate BEEFY, or authorize Ethereum bridge cutover. BABE/GRANDPA continue block production and canonical finality.

1. v2.1.0 nodes remain compatible with this runtime patch; another binary replacement solely for quorum activation is not required. Older incompatible nodes must upgrade before enactment. Preserve databases, service configuration and the complete keystore; retain --chain vara. Arrange indexed proof archives before the first MMR insertion.
2. Qualify the exact production WASM and supported finalized predecessor, then obtain separate governance approval for enactment. Verify finalized spec 20101 and SessionKeys API 2. The v2.1.0 WASM does not contain this quorum change.
3. After enactment, validators register owner-bound keys using local author_rotateKeysWithOwner and ordinary session.setKeys(keys, proof). Rotation replaces all five keys: retain old private entries through their duties and retention periods. Empty proofs are not supported.
4. Observe registered-key propagation and actual signing capacity in both complete active/queued sets before separately approving source activation. A bare quorum leaves no spare capacity for signer outages. Verify advancing native commitments and historical MMR proofs.
5. Keep paired relayer changes and Ethereum bridge cutover under their own reviewed destination, custody/replay and governance procedures.

Pinned instructions: coordinator runbook, commands and qualification gates, validator checklist. Release-build success does not establish live-state or exact-production-artifact enactment qualification.

Artifacts

Use gear with --chain vara, or ghcr.io/gear-tech/node:v2.1.1. The prebuilt Linux x86-64 binary targets Ubuntu 24.04; verify --version on the actual host before replacing a working service.

For mainnet governance, use production_vara_runtime_v2_01_01.wasm and its matching metadata. Verify downloads against SHA256SUMS. The testnet WASM and metadata are not mainnet upgrade artifacts. The node intentionally embeds the testnet runtime; --chain vara executes the on-chain mainnet WASM.

Immutable source: f176a80c9e1f973766d53becc2c7e8a3f10a24ee.

Full changelog: v2.1.0...v2.1.1