Troubleshooting Aggregate Errors in Node.js

TL;DR

• Encountered aggregate errors in a Node.js application.
• Aggregate errors typically occur due to unresolved hostnames.
• Implemented checks for AWS and DNS provider systems.
• Identified the DNS provider as a potential issue.

Today I tackled a production issue where our server was unable to resolve hostnames to IP addresses. The signs pointed to an aggregate error, commonly arising from repeated failure attempts typically related to timeouts. This often indicates a network endpoint issue, possibly involving an incremental backoff or linear backoff timeout.

To resolve this, I first checked AWS’s system status to ensure their routing was operational. With AWS systems confirmed to be up and running, I turned my attention to our DNS provider, Bluehost, which could be the source of the unresolved hostnames. This methodical approach helped narrow down the problem.