diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/client-auth.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/client-auth.sgml index bf71ea6b88..0064302a8b 100644 --- a/doc/src/sgml/client-auth.sgml +++ b/doc/src/sgml/client-auth.sgml @@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ hostnossl database user If a host name is specified (anything that is not an IP address - or a special key word is processed as a potential host name), + or a special key word is treated as a host name), that name is compared with the result of a reverse name resolution of the client's IP address (e.g., reverse DNS lookup, if DNS is used). Host name comparisons are case @@ -310,22 +310,28 @@ hostnossl database user the client's host name instead of the IP address in the log. + + This field only applies to host, + hostssl, and hostnossl records. + + - Occasionally, users have wondered why host names are handled - in this seemingly complicated way with two name resolutions - and requiring reverse lookup of IP addresses, which is - sometimes not set up or points to some undesirable host name. - It is primarily for efficiency: A connection attempt requires - two resolver lookups of the current client's address. If - there is resolver problem with that address, it becomes only + Users sometimes wonder why host names are handled + in this seemingly complicated way, with two name resolutions + including a reverse lookup of the client's IP address. This + complicates use of the feature in case the client's reverse DNS + entry is not set up or yields some undesirable host name. + It is done primarily for efficiency: this way, a connection attempt + requires at most two resolver lookups, one reverse and one forward. + If there is a resolver problem with some address, it becomes only that client's problem. A hypothetical alternative - implementation which only does forward lookups would have to + implementation that only did forward lookups would have to resolve every host name mentioned in - pg_hba.conf at every connection attempt. - That would already be slow by itself. And if there is a - resolver problem with one of the host names, it becomes - everyone's problem. + pg_hba.conf during every connection attempt. + That could be quite slow if many names are listed. + And if there is a resolver problem with one of the host names, + it becomes everyone's problem. @@ -340,11 +346,6 @@ hostnossl database user Apache HTTP Server and TCP Wrappers. - - - This field only applies to host, - hostssl, and hostnossl records. -