> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://protocol.crunchdao.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Model Orchestrator > Manages the lifecycle of participant model containers — deploying, monitoring, and keeping them reachable. The Model Orchestrator is responsible for keeping submitted models **running and reachable**. It is the operational backbone of the [Model Nodes](/core-concepts/model-nodes). Diagram showing the Model Orchestrator deploying and monitoring model containers, with a gRPC endpoint for Coordinator access ## What it does The Orchestrator: * **Starts and stops** model containers based on on-chain authorizations * **Ensures one running instance** per model — restarts containers if they crash * **Verifies ownership and permissions** by reading the blockchain (in production) * **Exposes a gRPC endpoint** so the Coordinator's [Model Runner Client](/core-concepts/model-runner-and-client#model-runner-client) can discover and connect to models When a new model is authorized on-chain, the Orchestrator automatically builds a Docker-based runtime, deploys it, and makes the connection details available to the Coordinator. ## Running locally The Orchestrator runs as part of your local development stack (via `make deploy`), letting you simulate a full Model Node on your machine and validate an end-to-end flow before going to production. The Coordinator Platform at `http://localhost:3000` provides a UI for submitting and managing local test models — so you can test the complete loop without deploying anything to the blockchain. How the Secure Model Protocol authenticates communication between Coordinators and Model Runners.