TLS: preload configuration items

2 files changed, 119 insertions, 1 deletions

diff --git a/doc/doc-docbook/spec.xfpt b/doc/doc-docbook/spec.xfpt
index 2e4df803f..d0c3e7846 100644
--- a/doc/doc-docbook/spec.xfpt
+++ b/doc/doc-docbook/spec.xfpt
@@ -29271,6 +29271,61 @@ There is no current way to staple a proof for a client certificate.
 .endd
 
 
+.new
+.section "Caching of static server configuration items" "SECTserverTLScache"
+.cindex certificate caching
+.cindex privatekey caching
+.cindex crl caching
+.cindex ocsp caching
+.cindex ciphers caching
+.cindex "CA bundle" caching
+.cindex "certificate authorities" caching
+.cindex tls_certificate caching
+.cindex tls_privatekey caching
+.cindex tls_crl caching
+.cindex tls_ocsp_file caching
+.cindex tls_require_ciphers caching
+.cindex tls_verify_certificate caching
+.cindex caching certificate
+.cindex caching privatekey
+.cindex caching crl
+.cindex caching ocsp
+.cindex caching ciphers
+.cindex caching "certificate authorities
+If any of the main configuration options &%tls_certificate%&, &%tls_privatekey%&,
+&%tls_crl%& and &%tls_ocsp_file%& have values with no
+expandable elements,
+then the associated information is loaded at daemon startup.
+It is made available
+to child processes forked for handling received SMTP connections.
+
+This caching is currently only supported under Linux.
+
+If caching is not possible, for example if an item has to be dependent
+on the peer host so contains a &$sender_host_name$& expansion, the load
+of the associated information is done at the startup of the TLS connection.
+
+The cache is invalidated and reloaded after any changes to the directories
+containing files specified by these options.
+
+The information specified by the main option &%tls_verify_certificates%&
+is similarly cached so long as it specifies files explicitly
+or (under GnuTLS) is the string &"system,cache"&.
+The latter case is not automatically invaludated;
+it is the operator's responsibility to arrange for a daemon restart
+any time the system certificate authority bundle is updated.
+A HUP signal is sufficient for this.
+The value &"system"& results in no caching under GnuTLS.
+
+The macro _HAVE_TLS_CA_CACHE will be defined if the suffix for "system"
+is acceptable in configurations for the Exim executavble.
+
+Caching of the system Certificate Authorities bundle can
+save siginificant time and processing on every TLS connection
+accepted by Exim.
+.wen
+
+
 
 
 .section "Configuring an Exim client to use TLS" "SECTclientTLS"
@@ -29311,7 +29366,10 @@ unencrypted.
 
 The &%tls_certificate%& and &%tls_privatekey%& options of the &(smtp)&
 transport provide the client with a certificate, which is passed to the server
-if it requests it. If the server is Exim, it will request a certificate only if
+if it requests it.
+This is an optional thing for TLS connections, although either end
+may insist on it.
+If the server is Exim, it will request a certificate only if
 &%tls_verify_hosts%& or &%tls_try_verify_hosts%& matches the client.
 
 &*Note*&: Do not use a certificate which has the OCSP-must-staple extension,
@@ -29391,6 +29449,62 @@ outgoing connection.
 
 
 
+.new
+.section "Caching of static client configuration items" "SECTclientTLScache"
+.cindex certificate caching
+.cindex privatekey caching
+.cindex crl caching
+.cindex ciphers caching
+.cindex "CA bundle" caching
+.cindex "certificate authorities" caching
+.cindex tls_certificate caching
+.cindex tls_privatekey caching
+.cindex tls_crl caching
+.cindex tls_require_ciphers caching
+.cindex tls_verify_certificate caching
+.cindex caching certificate
+.cindex caching privatekey
+.cindex caching crl
+.cindex caching ciphers
+.cindex caching "certificate authorities
+If any of the transport configuration options &%tls_certificate%&, &%tls_privatekey%&
+and &%tls_crl%& have values with no
+expandable elements,
+then the associated information is loaded per smtp transport
+at daemon startup, at the start of a queue run, or on a
+command-line specified message delivery.
+It is made available
+to child processes forked for handling making SMTP connections.
+
+This caching is currently only supported under Linux.
+
+If caching is not possible, the load
+of the associated information is done at the startup of the TLS connection.
+
+The cache is invalidated in the daemon
+and reloaded after any changes to the directories
+containing files specified by these options.
+
+The information specified by the main option &%tls_verify_certificates%&
+is similarly cached so long as it specifies files explicitly
+or (under GnuTLS) is the string &"system,cache"&.
+The latter case is not automatically invaludated;
+it is the operator's responsibility to arrange for a daemon restart
+any time the system certificate authority bundle is updated.
+A HUP signal is sufficient for this.
+The value &"system"& results in no caching under GnuTLS.
+
+The macro _HAVE_TLS_CA_CACHE will be defined if the suffix for "system"
+is acceptable in configurations for the Exim executavble.
+
+Caching of the system Certificate Authorities bundle can
+save siginificant time and processing on every TLS connection
+initiated by Exim.
+.wen
+
+
+
+
 .section "Use of TLS Server Name Indication" "SECTtlssni"
 .cindex "TLS" "Server Name Indication"
 .cindex "TLS" SNI
diff --git a/doc/doc-txt/NewStuff b/doc/doc-txt/NewStuff
index abbcf4c6c..acbbc15fd 100644
--- a/doc/doc-txt/NewStuff
+++ b/doc/doc-txt/NewStuff
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ Version 4.95
 
 10. A command-line option to have a daemon not create a notifier socket.
 
+11. Faster TLS startup.  When various configuration options contain no
+    expandable elements, the information can be preloaded and cached rather
+    than the provious behaviour of always loading at startup time for every
+    connection.  This helps particularly for the CA bundle.
 
 Version 4.94
 ------------