Re: [squid-users] Unneeded DNS lookups for cache_peer selection

Am 29.01.2014 21:51, schrieb Amos Jeffries:
> On 2014-01-30 03:48, Amon Ott wrote:
>> We have a setup with a single parent proxy that shall be used for all
>> requests. "never_direct allow all" ensures that the parent is not to be
>> bypassed. Still, every request leads to an extra unnecessary (and
>> failing) DNS lookup. We enjoyed several complaints because of unwanted
>> DNS traffic inside a firewalled area. As all results are negative, even
>> the DNS caching does not really help.
>>
>> I have traced the problem into peerSelectDnsPaths() in
>> src/peer_select.cc. It seems that despite the clear fact that only one
>> cache_peer can ever be selected (and has to be selected), the code still
>> makes a DNS request for the hostname in the requested URL to find the
>> best proxy. It would be greatly appreciated if we could suppress these
>> lookups without loosing DNS access for parent proxy lookup by DNS name.
>> The lookup does not make any sense to me even with multiple parents, if
>> the parent selection is never based on the request target host.
>>
>> The only workaround we have found so far is to specify the parent proxy
>> by IP address and tell Squid with "dns_nameservers localhost" to use a
>> not existing DNS server. However, this way we loose the DNS based load
>> balancing at the parent proxy, which we cannot influence ourselves.
>>
>> This looks like a similar problem to the one discussed in
>> http://www.squid-cache.org/mail-archive/squid-users/201309/0364.html
>
>
> It does indeed sound like a similar problem. The issue is likely the
> same, "bad" configuration requiring DNS lookups to happen.
> There are two solutions indicated in my response to that referenced post:
> 1) fixing the ACL tests and config options requiring DNS

I have not found any, please do have a look yourself.

> 2) using /etc/hosts (or a localhost DNS resolver)

This is no good option, because the uplink proxy's IP address can change
at any time, so we need to use its DNS name. That DNS domain is not
under our control, so a DNS server at localhost does not help. In worst
case I would have to run a cron job updating the host entry every minute
or such - sounds horrible.

Since the DNS lookup fails anyway, the solution could be as simple as
having a simple switch to forbid URL target host DNS lookups completely.
Parent proxy selection could still continue like after failed DNS lookup.

> If you are willing to post your config file (without any # comment
> lines) I am happy to check it like I did that earlier one.

The stripped squid.conf is attached. The outgoing address settings are
workarounds for https URL problems without IPv6, which is disabled in
our kernel. We have tested with Squid 3.3.11 and 3.4.2.

Thanks for your help.

Amon Ott

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