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Re: DNS cache

From: Daniel Stenberg via curl-library <curl-library_at_lists.haxx.se>
Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2023 22:56:51 +0200 (CEST)

On Thu, 3 Aug 2023, Babacar Ndiaye via curl-library wrote:

> "Typically this means asking for both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses and there may
> be a whole set of those returned to libcurl. That set of addresses is then
> tried until one works, or it returns failure."
>
> Does this mean the cache will on remember one single address (the first one
> that worked)?

No. The next time the address is used from the cache, the addresses are tested
in the exact same order as it did the last time: in the order they were
returned by the name resolver function.

Trying the working version first (and the failing ones last) is certainly an
optmization waiting to be done.

> 2. Say we cache an entry and the name gets re-pointed to a new IP (service
> moved to a new IP). Is your expectation that we'd get a code 7 (couldnt
> connect to server) next time we try to reuse the IP?

The expectation is primarily to only cache addresses for a period of time
during which it is likely to still work. That's why the the default DNS cache
timeout is set to only 60 seconds.

If the host name changes address while the cache still holds the old set,
there are several different potential outcomes when that is used. Including:

1. another service might use that address (and port) now, and if that is an
unauthenticated protocol you might connect and issue requests to the wrong
host. It might even succeed but give you unexpected data.

2. the service might use TLS and then you get a cert error

3. nothing might be answering on that IP/port so you get a connect failure

4. now something might swallow every packet on that IP so you get a connect
timeout

...

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Received on 2023-08-03