[tor-bugs] #31644 [Core Tor/Tor]: NumPrimaryGuards is set to 6, but the log file keep reports that is missing descriptors for 1/3 of our primary entry guards

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#31644: NumPrimaryGuards is set to 6, but the log file keep reports that is missing
descriptors for 1/3 of our primary entry guards
-------------------------------------------------+-------------------------
 Reporter:  s7r                                  |          Owner:  (none)
     Type:  defect                               |         Status:  closed
 Priority:  Medium                               |      Milestone:  Tor:
                                                 |  unspecified
Component:  Core Tor/Tor                         |        Version:  Tor:
                                                 |  0.4.1.2-alpha
 Severity:  Normal                               |     Resolution:  not a
 Keywords:  tor-guard, tor-client, state-file,   |  bug
  035-backport-maybe, 040-backport-maybe, 041    |  Actual Points:
  -backport-maybe                                |
Parent ID:  #31657                               |         Points:
 Reviewer:                                       |        Sponsor:
-------------------------------------------------+-------------------------

Comment (by teor):

 Replying to [comment:4 s7r]:
 > Ok, won't reopen this since it's not a bug, but just asking to confirm:
 > If `NumPrimaryGuards` is set to something > 3, this will be transparent
 in the log file as Tor will just sample more primary guards in the list
 and only complain if it is missing descriptors for one or more of our
 '''primary entry''' guards (`NumEntryGuards`), correct?

 The log message is about "primary entry guards" (entry guards that are
 primary guards), not "primary guards".

 I don't know what happens if NumEntryGuards is higher than
 NumPrimaryGuards.
 Please open another bug if you try it and something weird happens.

 > And because of #25853 when `NumEntryGuards` is set to <= 3, Tor will
 default to 3 (but actually try hard to just use 1) and also default to
 `NumPrimaryGuards` to 3 if not set to a higher number.

 I don't think #25853 is the right ticket number?

 For reliability, Tor makes sure that a few primary entry guards are
 reachable, so it always has a guard available.
 For privacy, Tor tries to use one guard as much as possible.

 > So this means only if `NumEntryGuards = 6` would be used we would see
 "missing descriptors for '''n/6''' of our primary entry guards", and if
 `NumEntryGuards = 6` this means `NumPrimaryGuards = 6` as well, unless
 manually set to something > 6.

 I don't know. Why don't you try it and find out?
 And open another bug if there are issues.

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Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/31644#comment:5>
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