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    NAT reflection or split DNS with short TTLs

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved NAT
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    • johnpozJ
      johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
      last edited by

      In your case with the fast transition between networks, I have to concur that this is a case where nat reflection seems to be a work around that solves the problem.

      While I am not a fan to be sure.. If nat reflection is working and removes the issue of fast transition between networks - then it would be the logical choice it seems.  Be it a sub optimal solution or not.

      I am curious on the use case to why devices make such a fast transition and need access to the site in question - if you would be willing to share some details of why this occurs.

      While some here think I am a zealot for my way is the only right way, this is far from the truth.  I am for the most logical, efficient way to accomplish a task.  If nat reflection works out to be the only really workable solution, then that is what it is.  Others here seem to think it should be the first choice and looking at other more optimal ways to do something is waste of time and effort ;)

      An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
      If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
      Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
      SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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      • mircolinoM
        mircolino
        last edited by

        @johnpoz:

        I am curious on the use case to why devices make such a fast transition and need access to the site in question - if you would be willing to share some details of why this occurs.

        With a default 1h TTL I frankly don't see this as such a rare occurrence. You step out of the office for lunch and most likely you won't be able to access your site/app from your smartphone. And if you wait long enough for the DNS cache entry to expire, when you make it back to the office your site/app will, once again, not be accessible for another hour ;)

        Admittedly a TTL of 60s would minimize the issue but at the cost of a much higher DNS traffic and latency (since the name has to be resolved practically every time).

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        • N
          NOYB
          last edited by

          Perhaps there should be a new DHCP DNS option that could be pushed to clients along with the DNS settings, that would instruct the client to flush its DNS cache when attaching and detaching to/from "this" network AND DNS servers are also changing.

          Anyone up for writing an RFC?

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          • keyserK
            keyser Rebel Alliance
            last edited by

            I don't get it. I thought all devices were supposed to flush their DNS cache for security reasons every time they change their network/ip stack settings.

            Is't this a security issue (although an exploit is very very complicated) when a user walks from one net to the other?

            Love the no fuss of using the official appliances :-)

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            • johnpozJ
              johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
              last edited by

              Yeah at a loss to why the transition would not flush the dns.. Most likely something wrong with the client not following standards..

              I have never run into such an issue before..  So for example - I create a host override for my www.cnn.com to point to 192.168.9.7, a ubuntu box on my server running apache that is serving up http..

              
              > dig www.cnn.com
              
              ; <<>> DiG 9.11.0-P3 <<>> www.cnn.com
              ;; global options: +cmd
              ;; Got answer:
              ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 48395
              ;; flags: qr rd ra ad; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0
              
              ;; QUESTION SECTION:
              ;www.cnn.com.                   IN      A
              
              ;; ANSWER SECTION:
              www.cnn.com.            2977    IN      A       192.168.9.7
              
              ;; Query time: 3 msec
              ;; SERVER: 192.168.3.10#53(192.168.3.10)
              ;; WHEN: Sun Feb 26 06:45:17 Central Standard Time 2017
              ;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 45
              
              

              If I transition my my phone from wifi to LTE it correctly resolves as I move back and forth..  See attached - on my wifi, go to www.cnn.com get my ubuntu site.  Turn off wifi so on cell and refresh page and get real cnn page.. Go back to wifi and get my ubuntu box.. This is all in a few seconds - long enough to click to wifi and hit refresh..  Way less than even 60 seconds..

              hostoverride.png
              hostoverride.png_thumb

              An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
              If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
              Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
              SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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              • K
                kpa
                last edited by

                As far as I know it's completely up to the OS vendor to decide what to do with the local DNS cache when the DHCP assigned IP addresses change on any of the interfaces. The DHCP standard is completely void of any information or recommendations on what to do with the DNS cache when a lease with completely new IP address/gateway/DNS forwarders is acquired.

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                • N
                  NOYB
                  last edited by

                  The act of turning on/off wifi may have an impact as well rather that a transition that occurs with wifi remaining on.  Just speculation.  Think a DHCP option to tell client how to handle transitions to/from "this" network would be nice.  Then it could be up to the network operator.

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                  • johnpozJ
                    johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                    last edited by

                    Well I don't have to turn it off - I can test when I leave this morning.. Once I am outside the range of wifi and it has to use LTE and sees what happen.

                    The OP has still not explained why there would ever be such a fast transition back and forth..  Just tell the users that if they transition so fast to go to airplane mode or something.

                    An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                    If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                    Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                    SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                    • N
                      NOYB
                      last edited by

                      @johnpoz:

                      Just tell the users that if they transition so fast to go to airplane mode or something.

                      Sure glad you've never been my network engineer.  Impact user experience in favor of accommodating network equipment.  Poor trade off IMO.  The network is there to accommodate people and the apps they use.  Not the other way around.  If that means NAT reflection.  Then so be it.

                      Oh and I disagree about the OP still not having explained the need for quick transition.  Yes the OP did.  User experience.

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                      • johnpozJ
                        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                        last edited by

                        While I agree you would want the user exp to be as best as possible.  But we have yet to get any actual details of why there is such a transition..

                        To be honest the problem I still say is PEBKAC – my guess is he has not configured his local dns correctly or has something wrong in his public dns.

                        I have been using devices tech devices since there has been tech devices that could use wireless, etc.. And working DNS for just as long - and have never seen such an issue before.  I can test with my son's android next time he comes over.

                        But this seems to be one off for sure - if nat reflection is working for him and his users.. Than as I said before he can use that - but I really don't understand this use case.. As you can see from my test the instant I transition it uses the dns query it makes on that network.

                        An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                        If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                        Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                        SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                        • N
                          NOYB
                          last edited by

                          @johnpoz:

                          I still say is PEBKAC

                          You should turn your chair over to someone else who can alleviate that problem.

                          @johnpoz:

                          …we have yet to get any actual details of why there is such a transition..

                          The OP did explain that.

                          @johnpoz:

                          I really don't understand this use case.

                          Then stop making personal insults regarding something you don't understand.

                          @johnpoz:

                          As you can see from my test the instant I transition it uses the dns query it makes on that network.

                          No I cannot see that from your test.  The only test results you have presented was invalid.  As I pointed out earlier.

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