# IP Management Feature Summary

## Feature Overview

The IP Management feature extends the RateLoader HTTP server with comprehensive access control capabilities. It provides both automatic IP discovery and manual management through an intuitive GUI interface.

## Key Features

### 1. Automatic IP Tracking

- Automatically discovers and tracks all IP addresses connecting to the RateLoader server
- Records metadata for each IP including first seen, last seen, request count, and request types
- Default status for new IPs is "Allowed" for seamless operation

### 2. Access Control Modes

- **Global Allowed Mode (Blacklist)**: All IPs can access unless explicitly restricted
- **Global Restricted Mode (Whitelist)**: Only explicitly allowed IPs can access
- Easy toggle between modes through the GUI

### 3. Per-IP Management

- Individual IP status can be toggled between "Allowed" and "Restricted"
- Remove IPs from tracking when no longer needed
- Export IP list to CSV for external analysis

### 4. GUI Interface

- Dedicated "IP Management" tab in the main application
- Sortable table showing IP addresses, status, and metadata
- Action buttons for common operations
- Real-time status indicators

## Technical Architecture

### Core Components

1. **IP Manager Module** (`core/ip_manager.py`): Central logic for IP tracking and access control
2. **HTTP Server Integration**: Request filtering and IP tracking in the request handler
3. **GUI Tab**: User interface for viewing and managing IP access rules
4. **JSON Storage**: Persistent storage for IP data and access rules

### Data Storage

- File: `ip_access.json`
- Structure: JSON with global access mode and per-IP metadata
- Backup: Automatic backup before file writes
- Limits: Configurable maximum IP count with LRU eviction

### Integration Points

- HTTP server checks IP permissions before processing requests
- GUI communicates with IP manager for all operations
- Configuration system manages IP management settings
- Logging system records all IP-related events

## User Experience

### Initial Setup

1. Feature is enabled by default with global "Allowed" mode
2. New IPs are automatically added as they connect
3. No configuration required for basic operation

### Daily Operation

1. Open IP Management tab to view current IP list
2. Use global switch to change access mode if needed
3. Toggle individual IP status as required
4. Monitor IP activity through the metadata display

### Advanced Usage

1. Export IP list for compliance reporting
2. Remove old IPs to keep list manageable
3. Use whitelist mode for high-security environments
4. Monitor denied requests through logs

## Security Considerations

### Access Control Logic

```
if global_access == "restricted":
    # Whitelist mode: only explicitly allowed IPs can access
    return ip_status == "allowed"
else:  # global_access == "allowed"
    # Blacklist mode: all IPs can access unless explicitly restricted
    return ip_status != "restricted"
```

### Security Features

- IP address validation using Python's ipaddress module
- Thread-safe operations with proper locking
- File backup to prevent data loss
- Comprehensive logging of access attempts

### Performance Considerations

- Efficient in-memory lookups for IP permissions
- Batch file operations to reduce I/O overhead
- Configurable IP limits to prevent memory issues
- LRU eviction for old IP entries

## Configuration Options

### Settings.ini Additions

```ini
[IPManagement]
ip_file = ip_access.json
auto_add_new_ips = 1
log_denied_requests = 1
max_tracked_ips = 1000
```

### Default Behavior

- Automatic IP discovery enabled
- Denied requests logged
- Maximum 1000 tracked IPs
- Global access mode: "Allowed"

## Implementation Status

### Completed Design Work

- ✅ Data structure and storage mechanism designed
- ✅ Architecture documentation created
- ✅ ADR (Architecture Decision Record) created
- ✅ Implementation plan with detailed code examples
- ✅ GUI mockups and user flow designed
- ✅ Security and performance considerations documented

### Next Steps for Implementation

1. Create IP Manager module (`core/ip_manager.py`)
2. Add IP management settings to configuration system
3. Modify HTTP server to integrate IP filtering
4. Create IP Management tab in GUI
5. Test IP filtering functionality
6. Verify seamless integration with existing features

## Benefits

### Security Improvements

- Control over which IPs can access the RateLoader service
- Audit trail of all connection attempts
- Ability to quickly block suspicious IPs
- Support for both whitelist and blacklist modes

### Operational Benefits

- Visibility into who is accessing the service
- Automatic discovery reduces manual configuration
- Persistent tracking survives application restarts
- Export capability for compliance and analysis

### User Experience

- Intuitive GUI interface for easy management
- Real-time status updates
- No disruption to existing functionality
- Backward compatible with current workflows

## Documentation References

- [Design Document](ip_management_design.md): Detailed technical design
- [Architecture Diagrams](ip_management_architecture.md): Visual system architecture
- [Implementation Plan](ip_management_implementation_plan.md): Detailed code examples
- [ADR](../memory-bank/ip_management_adr.md): Architecture decision record
- [System Patterns](../memory-bank/systemPatterns.md): Updated architecture documentation
- [Technical Context](../memory-bank/techContext.md): Updated technical documentation
