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[experimental] replace static peer endpoints with signed identity tokens #135

Description

@maceip

summary

exploration to replace static peer endpoints with signed identity tokens as the primary peer endpoint selection method, while keeping the existing bucket-based ownership model intact.

what changed

why tho

reverse dns and static IPs (that we get for free from aws) are location labels, not identity: they can be reassigned, changed, or cached stale, so the same ip↔hostname pair can point to a different machine over time. TLS endpoint trust is tied to hostname/cert binding, so when addresses churn, host-based verification tracks routing details instead of a durable peer identity, increasing ambiguity in who is actually at the other end.

rollout plan

  • start with preferred modes that keep fallback behavior
  • validate mixed-fleet behavior and failure handling
  • move to stricter modes only after token coverage is complete

notes

this is not a full network rewrite. it is a compatibility-first change to peer endpoint selection that reduces direct dependence on bare ip:port in the normal path. the beauty in using s3 for the control plane & universal façade was motivation in using DNS similarly

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