interesting sequence of messages - tor-relays

8 Oct 2012


      I'm running 0.2.4.3-alpha and had to restart it during the night due
to a system crash.  As it was starting up, it put out the following sequence
of messages.
Oct 08 00:38:44.616 [notice] We now have enough directory information to build circuits.
Oct 08 00:38:44.616 [notice] Bootstrapped 80%: Connecting to the Tor network.
Oct 08 00:38:45.728 [notice] Bootstrapped 85%: Finishing handshake with first hop.
Oct 08 00:38:46.130 [notice] Self-testing indicates your ORPort is reachable from the outside. Excellent. Publishing server descriptor.
Oct 08 00:38:46.359 [notice] Bootstrapped 90%: Establishing a Tor circuit.
Oct 08 00:38:48.930 [notice] Our directory information is no longer up-to-date enough to build circuits: We have only 1868/2874 usable descriptors.
Oct 08 00:38:48.930 [notice] I learned some more directory information, but not enough to build a circuit: We have only 1868/2874 usable descriptors.
Oct 08 00:38:49.495 [notice] Tor has successfully opened a circuit. Looks like client functionality is working.
Oct 08 00:38:49.495 [notice] Bootstrapped 100%: Done.
Oct 08 00:38:49.830 [notice] I learned some more directory information, but not enough to build a circuit: We have only 1917/2874 usable descriptors.
Oct 08 00:38:50.062 [notice] I learned some more directory information, but not enough to build a circuit: We have only 2013/2874 usable descriptors.
Oct 08 00:38:50.142 [notice] I learned some more directory information, but not enough to build a circuit: We have only 2108/2874 usable descriptors.
Oct 08 00:38:50.229 [notice] We now have enough directory information to build circuits.
Oct 08 00:38:51.476 [notice] Self-testing indicates your DirPort is reachable from the outside. Excellent.
Oct 08 00:39:03.079 [notice] Performing bandwidth self-test...done.
The above really are nothing new, but just a really clear example of
the screwiness of some common messages.  In particular, the "no longer
up-to-date enough to build circuits" and "learned some more directory
information, but not enough to build a circuit" messages apparently are
issued at times and under conditions contrary to the textual content of
those messages.
     Let's examine the sequence shown above.  
    1) tor claims to have enough information to build a circuit.
    2) It begins doing so by establishing the first hop of a testing
       circuit.
    3) The testing circuit connects to my tor's own ORPort, so...
    4) it builds a circuit to publish a descriptor and publishes it.
    5) In less than 5 seconds from the time tor had enough directory
       information to build circuits, enough of that information has
       expired that tor no longer can build circuits.
    6) tor fetches some descriptors, but still claims not to be able
       to build circuits.
    7) tor announces that it has build a client-side circuit and
       pronounces that its startup is 100% complete.
    8) tor continues to fetch three more batches of descriptors, saying
       that it still needs more to be able to build circuits, even
       after having claimed to have just built another one.
I conclude from the above that the text of the messages claiming not
to have enough directory information to build circuits is in error and
should be revised to reflect the actual situation and events more accurately.
Scott Bennett, Comm. ASMELG, CFIAG
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