In the IRI log output, there is the occasional message:
***** NETWORK ALERT ***** Got connected from unknown neighbor tcp://(SOME IP:PORT) - closing connection
Why is this notable?
Exactly what is the nature of requests that generate that warning?
The network topology IOTA is designed around is a mesh network. In order to emulate that topology over the classical internet, full nodes are configured to reject any requests from neighbors that weren't mutually tethered with it.
It is possible that this has come from a neighbor with a changing IP address, an old neighbor that is still trying to connect, or a node simply prodding for traffic.
This message logs the event that it has received a packet from an unknown neighbor, and is rejecting that traffic.
