This article applies to:

• WebMarshal 6.5 and above

Question:

• How do I configure the timeout for DNS Blocklist lookups from WebMarshal URLCensor? 

Procedure:

In version 6.5 and above, you can set the timeout for URLCensor lookups.

The default timeout is 3.5 seconds (3500 milliseconds)

To alter this value:

1. Edit the URLCensor configuration XML file, found in the WebMarshal Array Manager installation at \ArrayManager\Policy\FilteringLists\UrlCensor\config.xml
   
   The first line of this file appears as follows by default:
   
   <dnsbl dnsTimeout="3500">
2. Edit the file and change the value as desired (in milliseconds). Do not add another copy of this element. For more information about editing XML documents, see Knowledge Base article Q12705.
3. Save the file.
4. To apply the change, restart the WebMarshal Node Controller service (use the WebMarshal Server tool or Windows Services snap-in).
   • Committing configuration, or any method of updating URL filter lists, does not apply URLCensor updates. You must restart the Controller.

Notes:

URLCensor lookups are processed in real time. Delays in lookups can noticeably affect user browsing experience.

• You may prefer to set the timeout lower than the default. If the lookups time out then this criterion will not block the user browsing.
• LevelBlue does not recommend setting the timeout higher than the default.
• You could enhance the lookup time by hosting local copies of some DNSBL information, if permitted by the list owners.
• You may also prefer to rely on the TRACEnet service (instead of URLCensor) for zero-day updated listings of spam-related URLs.