# Runtime API - add server gives invalid addr

**URL:** <https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830>\
**Category:** Help!\
**Created:** [August 7, 2018, 12:57pm UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830 "2018-08-07T12:57:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 17\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![abhi19gupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@abhi19gupta](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/abhi19gupta)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2018, 12:57pm UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/1 "2018-08-07T12:57:48Z")

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I am trying to use HAProxy’s runtime API to dynamically add backend servers as mentioned on [https://www.haproxy.com/blog/dynamic-scaling-for-microservices-with-runtime-api](https://www.haproxy.com/blog/dynamic-scaling-for-microservices-with-runtime-api).

When I execute this command:  
set server be\_template/websrv1 addr [google.com](http://google.com) port 8080  
I get the error as:  
Invalid addr ‘google. com’ by ‘stats socket command’  
(Of course I used google as an example, I have my own fqdn for actual purpose)

However I don’t receive the error when I replace google (or my own fqdn) with the actual IP. Probably this indicates the DNS resolution is not working in the runtime API. (I am able to use the same server address if I put it in thr config at start up)

Can anyone help me out with this?

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**Author:** ![lukastribus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@lukastribus](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/lukastribus)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/2 "2018-08-07T17:44:25Z")

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This is expected behavior, as per the docs:

[https://cbonte.github.io/haproxy-dconv/1.8/management.html#9.3-set%20server](https://cbonte.github.io/haproxy-dconv/1.8/management.html#9.3-set%20server)

> `set server <backend>/<server> addr <ip4 or ip6 address> [port <port>]`  
> Replace the current IP address of a server by the one provided.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![abhi19gupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@abhi19gupta](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/abhi19gupta)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 5:26am UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/3 "2018-08-08T05:26:21Z")

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Oh I missed that! Thanks for pointing out.

I suppose I should use  
set server be\_template/websrv1 fqdn [google.com](http://google.com) port 8080  
(Note: fqdn instead of addr)

However this is giving me the error:  
could not update be\_template/websrv1 FQDN by ‘stats socket command’

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lukastribus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@lukastribus](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/lukastribus)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 8:07am UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/4 "2018-08-08T08:07:48Z")

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Right, I did not know about the fqdn feature. For this you need haproxy 1.8 though. Which release are you running?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![abhi19gupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@abhi19gupta](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/abhi19gupta)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 9:17am UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/5 "2018-08-08T09:17:44Z")

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I am running version 1.8.12

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lukastribus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@lukastribus](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/lukastribus)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 9:32am UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/6 "2018-08-08T09:32:58Z")

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I don’t think you can specify the port, can you try without?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![abhi19gupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@abhi19gupta](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/abhi19gupta)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 9:40am UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/7 "2018-08-08T09:40:33Z")

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I am still getting the same error without specifying port.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![abhi19gupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@abhi19gupta](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/abhi19gupta)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2018, 5:18am UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/8 "2018-08-09T05:18:44Z")

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Is there any other way I can get past this?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lukastribus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@lukastribus](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/lukastribus)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2018, 12:05pm UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/9 "2018-08-09T12:05:50Z")

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I don’t have an answer or solution for you right now, I will have to invest some time to check it out. Can you share the output of `haproxy -vv` and your entire configuration please?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![abhi19gupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@abhi19gupta](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/abhi19gupta)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 6:06pm UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/10 "2018-08-12T18:06:07Z")

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Output of haproxy -vv:

```
HA-Proxy version 1.8.12-8a200c7 2018/06/27
Copywright 2000-2018 Willy Tarreau <willy@haproxy.org>

Build options :
	TARGET = linux26
	CPU = generic
	CC = gcc
	CFLAGS = -O2 -g -fno-strict-aliasing -Wdeclaration-after-statement -fwrapv -fno-strict-overflow -Wno-unused-label
	OPTIONS = USE_ZLIB=1 USE_OPENSSL=1 USE_PCRE=1

Default settings :
	maxconn = 2000, bufsize = 16384, maxrewrite = 1024, maxpollevents = 200

Built with network namespace support.
Built with zlib version : 1.2.3
Running on zlib version : 1.2.3
Compression algorithms supported : identity("identity"), deflate("deflate"), raw-deflate("deflate"), gzip("gzip")
Built with PCRE version : 7.8 2008-09-05
Running on PCRE version : 7.8 2008-09-05
PCRE library supports JIT : no (USE_PCRE_JIT not set)
Encrypted password support via crypt(3): yes
Built with transparent proxt support using : IP_TRANSPARENT IP_FREEBIND
Built with OpenSSL version : OpenSSL 1.1.0g 2 Nov 2017
Running on OpenSSL version : OpenSSL 1.1.0g 2 Nov 2017
OpenSSL library supports TLS extensions : yes
OpenSSL library supports SNI : yes
OpenSSL library supports : TLSv1.0 TLSv1.1 TLSv1.2

Available polling systems :
	epoll : pref=300, test result OK
	poll : pref=200, test result OK
	select : pref=150, test result OK
Total: 3 (3 usable), will use epoll,

Available filters :
	[Trace] trace
	[COMP] compression
	[SPOE] spoe
```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![abhi19gupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@abhi19gupta](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/abhi19gupta)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 6:07pm UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/11 "2018-08-12T18:07:08Z")

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Config file:

```
global
	log /home/usera/hap-logs local0
	log /home/usera/hap-logs local1 notice
	maxconn 4096
	stats socket /home/usera/temp.sock mode 666 level admin
	stats socket ipv4@127.0.0.1:9999 level admin
	stats timeout 2m

defaults
	log global
	mode http
	option httplog
	option redispatch
	option log-health-checks
	monitor-uri /haproxy-health-check
	retries 3
	timeout connect 10000
	timeout queue 10000
	timeout server 10000
	timeout client 10000

frontend http-in
	bind ipv4@*.8080
	default_backend backend_servers

backend backend_servers
	balance roundrobin
	server webserver1 abc.com:8889 weight 1 check inter 2000 rise 2 fall 3 port 8889
	server-template websrv 1-10 abc.com:8889 weight 1 check inter 2000 rise 2 fall 3 port 8889 disabled
	stats enable
	stats admin if TRUE
	stats uri /admin?stats
	stats realm Haproxy\ Statistics
	stats refresh 10s

listen stats
	bind ipv4@*:9992
	mode http
	stats enable
	stats admin if TRUE
	stats uri /admin?stats
	stats refresh 10s
	stats show-legends
	stats realm Haproxy\ Statistics
```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![abhi19gupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@abhi19gupta](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/abhi19gupta)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 6:08pm UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/12 "2018-08-12T18:08:44Z")

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Please do reply if you begin inspecting this. Thanks for your time.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lukastribus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@lukastribus](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/lukastribus)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 9:13am UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/13 "2018-08-14T09:13:20Z")

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This requires the internal DNS resolver to be configured, it does not use libc lookup features.

It works for me in a configuration like this:

```
resolvers googledns
        nameserver 8888 8.8.8.8:53
        nameserver 8844 8.8.4.4:53
        hold valid 600s

backend test
        server www1 neverssl.com:80 resolvers googledns resolve-prefer ipv4

```

Also, the port is never updated, it is not supported to change the port (although the command is not rejected).

I will have the documentation updated. Also there is a crash bug when this is malconfigured and haproxy has been compiled with thread support.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![abhi19gupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@abhi19gupta](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/abhi19gupta)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 1:48pm UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/14 "2018-08-14T13:48:54Z")

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Thanks, internal dns resolver works for me!

Though it would have been better to rely on libc lookup. Is there any plan to make that available within the API?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lukastribus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@lukastribus](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/lukastribus)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 2:27pm UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/15 "2018-08-14T14:27:28Z")

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I’m not aware of it, no.

A reason may be that the libc resolver infrastructure in haproxy does not update the IP address of fqdn records. Only the internal resolver can continually update the ÍP address, so it makes sense to resctrict this to the internal resolver.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![abhi19gupta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@abhi19gupta](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/abhi19gupta)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 5:43pm UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/16 "2018-08-17T17:43:11Z")

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Does this mean that updates to IP address during runtime (as mentioned on [http://cbonte.github.io/haproxy-dconv/1.8/configuration.html#5.3.1](http://cbonte.github.io/haproxy-dconv/1.8/configuration.html#5.3.1)) (say due to connection timeout in a server’s health check) also won’t use the libc function (and instead rely on internal resolver)? Ideally, this should be done using libc as well, right? I don’t want to copy (and maintain) the DNS settings from /etc/resolv.conf to my HAProxy config.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lukastribus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@lukastribus](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/lukastribus)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2018, 7:13pm UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/runtime-api-add-server-gives-invalid-addr/2830/17 "2018-08-17T19:13:40Z")

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No, libc resolution happens on startup only. The resolver was implemented for resolution during run-time.

In 1.9 (currently in development) the [parse-resolv-conf](https://cbonte.github.io/haproxy-dconv/1.9/configuration.html#5.3.2-parse-resolv-conf) keyword will allow automatic parsing of `/etc/resolv.conf` at startup.