Symptom

HTTP Client is complaining that IP address with all 1s set in the host part according to classful addressing [such as 192.168.128.255] is not a valid address, however this is incorrect, since it is being used with shorter mask such as /22 which makes this address perfectly legal. In other words HTTP Client is checking validity of IP address and one of the criteria is that IP address is classified into major network class [Class A/B/C/...] with corresponding mask [/8 or /16 or /24] and if all host bits are set to 1 [as if it was major classful broadcast address] it reports invalid address. However this assumption is invalid since we have classless inter domain routing [CIDR] that uses variable length subnet masking for a few decades now. The impact on HTTP Client is not massive, however since HTTP Client is used in Smart Licensing solution, this needs to be fixed. Sample scenario is when Smart Software Manager Satellite is assigned IP address such as 192.168.128.255/22 which is perfectly valid IP address given the mask [though 192.168.128.255/24 would indeed be invalid] 12:21:14.601: http_client_request: 12:21:14.601: httpc_setup_request: 12:21:14.601: httpc_setup_request:Source interface = 197.238.113.173 12:21:14.601: http_client_process_request: 12:21:14.601: http_client_process_request: host_name = 192.168.128.255 12:21:14.601: http_client_process_request: transaction url = 192.168.128.255/Transportgateway/services/DeviceRequestHandler 12:21:14.601: http_client_process_request: call home http client 12:21:14.601: HTTPC: Invalid IP address in Hostname = 192.168.128.255 12:21:14.601: http_transaction_free: 12:21:14.601: http_transaction_free: freed httpc_transaction_t with id 0 12:21:14.601: CALL-HOME-TRACE: call_home_httpc_post() sid 2, tid 0, mime_type SOAPAction: "urn:ddce" 12:21:14.601: CALL-HOME-TRACE: HTTP req data free 12:21:14.601: CALL-HOME-ERROR: call_home_httpc_post: HTTP send failed(Bad parameters)

Conditions

any IOS-XE device with any IOS-XE version using HTTP Client directly or indirectly [such as Smart Licensing] in HTTP Client debugs [debug ip http client all] we will see message such as 12:21:14.601: HTTPC: Invalid IP address in Hostname = 192.168.128.255

Workaround

none until IP address validation checks are changed in code you have to change IP address of the endpoint [server or smart software manager satellite] to one that is not classified as glassful major network with all host bits set to 1 [such as 192.168.128.255 with default assumed mask of /24]

Further Problem Description