build: bump version to 0.7.10

Updating anyhow v1.0.66 -> v1.0.67
Updating async-trait v0.1.59 -> v0.1.60
Updating cxx v1.0.83 -> v1.0.84
Updating cxx-build v1.0.83 -> v1.0.84
Updating cxxbridge-flags v1.0.83 -> v1.0.84
Updating cxxbridge-macro v1.0.83 -> v1.0.84
Updating itoa v1.0.4 -> v1.0.5
Updating link-cplusplus v1.0.7 -> v1.0.8
Updating proc-macro2 v1.0.47 -> v1.0.48
Updating quote v1.0.21 -> v1.0.22
Updating rustversion v1.0.9 -> v1.0.11
Updating ryu v1.0.11 -> v1.0.12
Updating scratch v1.0.2 -> v1.0.3
Updating serde v1.0.150 -> v1.0.151
Updating serde_derive v1.0.150 -> v1.0.151
Updating serde_json v1.0.89 -> v1.0.90
Updating syn v1.0.105 -> v1.0.106
Updating thiserror v1.0.37 -> v1.0.38
Updating thiserror-impl v1.0.37 -> v1.0.38
Updating unicode-ident v1.0.5 -> v1.0.6

Cargo.lock

@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "anyhow"
-version = "1.0.66"
+version = "1.0.67"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "216261ddc8289130e551ddcd5ce8a064710c0d064a4d2895c67151c92b5443f6"
+checksum = "7724808837b77f4b4de9d283820f9d98bcf496d5692934b857a2399d31ff22e6"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "async-stream"
@@ -81,9 +81,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "async-trait"
-version = "0.1.59"
+version = "0.1.60"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "31e6e93155431f3931513b243d371981bb2770112b370c82745a1d19d2f99364"
+checksum = "677d1d8ab452a3936018a687b20e6f7cf5363d713b732b8884001317b0e48aa3"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
@@ -382,9 +382,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "cxx"
-version = "1.0.83"
+version = "1.0.84"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "bdf07d07d6531bfcdbe9b8b739b104610c6508dcc4d63b410585faf338241daf"
+checksum = "27874566aca772cb515af4c6e997b5fe2119820bca447689145e39bb734d19a0"
 dependencies = [
  "cc",
  "cxxbridge-flags",
@@ -394,9 +394,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "cxx-build"
-version = "1.0.83"
+version = "1.0.84"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "d2eb5b96ecdc99f72657332953d4d9c50135af1bac34277801cc3937906ebd39"
+checksum = "e7bb951f2523a49533003656a72121306b225ec16a49a09dc6b0ba0d6f3ec3c0"
 dependencies = [
  "cc",
  "codespan-reporting",
@@ -409,15 +409,15 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "cxxbridge-flags"
-version = "1.0.83"
+version = "1.0.84"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "ac040a39517fd1674e0f32177648334b0f4074625b5588a64519804ba0553b12"
+checksum = "be778b6327031c1c7b61dd2e48124eee5361e6aa76b8de93692f011b08870ab4"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "cxxbridge-macro"
-version = "1.0.83"
+version = "1.0.84"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "1362b0ddcfc4eb0a1f57b68bd77dd99f0e826958a96abd0ae9bd092e114ffed6"
+checksum = "7b8a2b87662fe5a0a0b38507756ab66aff32638876a0866e5a5fc82ceb07ee49"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
@@ -901,9 +901,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "itoa"
-version = "1.0.4"
+version = "1.0.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "4217ad341ebadf8d8e724e264f13e593e0648f5b3e94b3896a5df283be015ecc"
+checksum = "fad582f4b9e86b6caa621cabeb0963332d92eea04729ab12892c2533951e6440"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "js-sys"
@@ -950,9 +950,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "link-cplusplus"
-version = "1.0.7"
+version = "1.0.8"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "9272ab7b96c9046fbc5bc56c06c117cb639fe2d509df0c421cad82d2915cf369"
+checksum = "ecd207c9c713c34f95a097a5b029ac2ce6010530c7b49d7fea24d977dede04f5"
 dependencies = [
  "cc",
 ]
@@ -1096,7 +1096,7 @@ checksum = "38bf9645c8b145698bb0b18a4637dcacbc421ea49bef2317e4fd8065a387cf21"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "nostr-rs-relay"
-version = "0.7.7"
+version = "0.7.10"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "bitcoin_hashes",
@@ -1414,9 +1414,9 @@ checksum = "5b40af805b3121feab8a3c29f04d8ad262fa8e0561883e7653e024ae4479e6de"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "proc-macro2"
-version = "1.0.47"
+version = "1.0.48"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "5ea3d908b0e36316caf9e9e2c4625cdde190a7e6f440d794667ed17a1855e725"
+checksum = "e9d89e5dba24725ae5678020bf8f1357a9aa7ff10736b551adbcd3f8d17d766f"
 dependencies = [
  "unicode-ident",
 ]
@@ -1472,9 +1472,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "quote"
-version = "1.0.21"
+version = "1.0.22"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "bbe448f377a7d6961e30f5955f9b8d106c3f5e449d493ee1b125c1d43c2b5179"
+checksum = "556d0f47a940e895261e77dc200d5eadfc6ef644c179c6f5edfc105e3a2292c8"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
 ]
@@ -1736,15 +1736,15 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "rustversion"
-version = "1.0.9"
+version = "1.0.11"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "97477e48b4cf8603ad5f7aaf897467cf42ab4218a38ef76fb14c2d6773a6d6a8"
+checksum = "5583e89e108996506031660fe09baa5011b9dd0341b89029313006d1fb508d70"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ryu"
-version = "1.0.11"
+version = "1.0.12"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "4501abdff3ae82a1c1b477a17252eb69cee9e66eb915c1abaa4f44d873df9f09"
+checksum = "7b4b9743ed687d4b4bcedf9ff5eaa7398495ae14e61cba0a295704edbc7decde"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "schannel"
@@ -1773,9 +1773,9 @@ checksum = "d29ab0c6d3fc0ee92fe66e2d99f700eab17a8d57d1c1d3b748380fb20baa78cd"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "scratch"
-version = "1.0.2"
+version = "1.0.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "9c8132065adcfd6e02db789d9285a0deb2f3fcb04002865ab67d5fb103533898"
+checksum = "ddccb15bcce173023b3fedd9436f882a0739b8dfb45e4f6b6002bee5929f61b2"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "secp256k1"
@@ -1823,18 +1823,18 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "serde"
-version = "1.0.150"
+version = "1.0.151"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "e326c9ec8042f1b5da33252c8a37e9ffbd2c9bef0155215b6e6c80c790e05f91"
+checksum = "97fed41fc1a24994d044e6db6935e69511a1153b52c15eb42493b26fa87feba0"
 dependencies = [
  "serde_derive",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "serde_derive"
-version = "1.0.150"
+version = "1.0.151"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "42a3df25b0713732468deadad63ab9da1f1fd75a48a15024b50363f128db627e"
+checksum = "255abe9a125a985c05190d687b320c12f9b1f0b99445e608c21ba0782c719ad8"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
@@ -1843,9 +1843,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "serde_json"
-version = "1.0.89"
+version = "1.0.90"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "020ff22c755c2ed3f8cf162dbb41a7268d934702f3ed3631656ea597e08fc3db"
+checksum = "8778cc0b528968fe72abec38b5db5a20a70d148116cd9325d2bc5f5180ca3faf"
 dependencies = [
  "indexmap",
  "itoa",
@@ -1920,9 +1920,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "syn"
-version = "1.0.105"
+version = "1.0.106"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "60b9b43d45702de4c839cb9b51d9f529c5dd26a4aff255b42b1ebc03e88ee908"
+checksum = "09ee3a69cd2c7e06684677e5629b3878b253af05e4714964204279c6bc02cf0b"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
@@ -1960,18 +1960,18 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "thiserror"
-version = "1.0.37"
+version = "1.0.38"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "10deb33631e3c9018b9baf9dcbbc4f737320d2b576bac10f6aefa048fa407e3e"
+checksum = "6a9cd18aa97d5c45c6603caea1da6628790b37f7a34b6ca89522331c5180fed0"
 dependencies = [
  "thiserror-impl",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "thiserror-impl"
-version = "1.0.37"
+version = "1.0.38"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "982d17546b47146b28f7c22e3d08465f6b8903d0ea13c1660d9d84a6e7adcdbb"
+checksum = "1fb327af4685e4d03fa8cbcf1716380da910eeb2bb8be417e7f9fd3fb164f36f"
 dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
@@ -2330,9 +2330,9 @@ checksum = "099b7128301d285f79ddd55b9a83d5e6b9e97c92e0ea0daebee7263e932de992"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "unicode-ident"
-version = "1.0.5"
+version = "1.0.6"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "6ceab39d59e4c9499d4e5a8ee0e2735b891bb7308ac83dfb4e80cad195c9f6f3"
+checksum = "84a22b9f218b40614adcb3f4ff08b703773ad44fa9423e4e0d346d5db86e4ebc"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "unicode-normalization"

Cargo.toml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "nostr-rs-relay"
-version = "0.7.7"
+version = "0.7.10"
 edition = "2021"
 authors = ["Greg Heartsfield <scsibug@imap.cc>"]
 description = "A relay implementation for the Nostr protocol"

config.toml

@@ -62,14 +62,25 @@ reject_future_seconds = 1800
 
 [limits]
 # Limit events created per second, averaged over one minute.  Must be
-# an integer.  If not set (or set to 0), defaults to unlimited.
-#messages_per_sec = 0
+# an integer.  If not set (or set to 0), defaults to unlimited.  Note:
+# this is for the server as a whole, not per-connection.
+# messages_per_sec = 0
 
 # Limit client subscriptions created per second, averaged over one
 # minute.  Must be an integer.  If not set (or set to 0), defaults to
 # unlimited.
 #subscriptions_per_min = 0
 
+# UNIMPLEMENTED...
+# Limit how many concurrent database connections a client can have.
+# This prevents a single client from starting too many expensive
+# database queries.  Must be an integer.  If not set (or set to 0),
+# defaults to unlimited (subject to subscription limits).
+#db_conns_per_client = 0
+
+# Limit blocking threads used for database connections.  Defaults to 16.
+#max_blocking_threads = 16
+
 # Limit the maximum size of an EVENT message.  Defaults to 128 KB.
 # Set to 0 for unlimited.
 #max_event_bytes = 131072

src/config.rs

@@ -53,7 +53,9 @@ pub struct Retention {
 pub struct Limits {
     pub messages_per_sec: Option<u32>, // Artificially slow down event writing to limit disk consumption (averaged over 1 minute)
     pub subscriptions_per_min: Option<u32>, // Artificially slow down request (db query) creation to prevent abuse (averaged over 1 minute)
-    pub max_event_bytes: Option<usize>,     // Maximum size of an EVENT message
+    pub db_conns_per_client: Option<u32>, // How many concurrent database queries (not subscriptions) may a client have?
+    pub max_blocking_threads: usize,
+    pub max_event_bytes: Option<usize>, // Maximum size of an EVENT message
     pub max_ws_message_bytes: Option<usize>,
     pub max_ws_frame_bytes: Option<usize>,
     pub broadcast_buffer: usize, // events to buffer for subscribers (prevents slow readers from consuming memory)
@@ -216,6 +218,8 @@ impl Default for Settings {
             limits: Limits {
                 messages_per_sec: None,
                 subscriptions_per_min: None,
+                db_conns_per_client: None,
+                max_blocking_threads: 16,
                 max_event_bytes: Some(2 << 17),      // 128K
                 max_ws_message_bytes: Some(2 << 17), // 128K
                 max_ws_frame_bytes: Some(2 << 17),   // 128K

src/conn.rs

@@ -46,6 +46,11 @@ impl ClientConn {
         &self.subscriptions
     }
 
+    /// Check if the given subscription already exists
+    pub fn has_subscription(&self, sub: &Subscription) -> bool {
+        self.subscriptions.values().any(|x| x == sub)
+    }
+
     /// Get a short prefix of the client's unique identifier, suitable
     /// for logging.
     #[must_use]

src/db.rs

@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ pub struct SubmittedEvent {
 
 /// Database file
 pub const DB_FILE: &str = "nostr.db";
+/// How many persisted events before optimization is triggered
+pub const EVENT_COUNT_OPTIMIZE_TRIGGER: usize = 500;
 
 /// Build a database connection pool.
 /// # Panics
@@ -76,6 +78,7 @@ pub fn build_pool(
         .test_on_check_out(true) // no noticeable performance hit
         .min_idle(Some(min_size))
         .max_size(max_size)
+        .max_lifetime(Some(Duration::from_secs(60)))
         .build(manager)
         .unwrap();
     info!(
@@ -85,6 +88,12 @@ pub fn build_pool(
     pool
 }
 
+/// Perform normal maintenance
+pub fn optimize_db(conn: &mut PooledConnection) -> Result<()> {
+    conn.execute_batch("PRAGMA optimize;")?;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 /// Spawn a database writer that persists events to the SQLite store.
 pub async fn db_writer(
     settings: Settings,
@@ -124,6 +133,8 @@ pub async fn db_writer(
         let rps_setting = settings.limits.messages_per_sec;
         let mut most_recent_rate_limit = Instant::now();
         let mut lim_opt = None;
+        // Keep rough track of events so we can run optimize eventually.
+        let mut optimize_counter: usize = 0;
         let clock = governor::clock::QuantaClock::default();
         if let Some(rps) = rps_setting {
             if rps > 0 {
@@ -256,6 +267,13 @@ pub async fn db_writer(
                         notice_tx.try_send(Notice::error(event.id, msg)).ok();
                     }
                 }
+                // Use this as a trigger to do optimization
+                optimize_counter += 1;
+                if optimize_counter > EVENT_COUNT_OPTIMIZE_TRIGGER {
+                    info!("running database optimizer");
+                    optimize_counter = 0;
+                    optimize_db(&mut pool.get()?).ok();
+                }
             }
 
             // use rate limit, if defined, and if an event was actually written.
@@ -618,50 +636,60 @@ pub async fn db_query(
     query_tx: tokio::sync::mpsc::Sender<QueryResult>,
     mut abandon_query_rx: tokio::sync::oneshot::Receiver<()>,
 ) {
+    let start = Instant::now();
     task::spawn_blocking(move || {
-        let mut row_count: usize = 0;
+        debug!("moved DB query to thread in {:?}", start.elapsed());
         let start = Instant::now();
+        let mut row_count: usize = 0;
         // generate SQL query
         let (q, p) = query_from_sub(&sub);
-        trace!("SQL generated in {:?}", start.elapsed());
+        debug!("SQL generated in {:?}", start.elapsed());
         // show pool stats
         log_pool_stats(&pool);
         // cutoff for displaying slow queries
         let slow_cutoff = Duration::from_millis(1000);
         let start = Instant::now();
+        let mut slow_first_event;
         if let Ok(conn) = pool.get() {
             // execute the query. Don't cache, since queries vary so much.
             let mut stmt = conn.prepare(&q)?;
             let mut event_rows = stmt.query(rusqlite::params_from_iter(p))?;
             let mut first_result = true;
             while let Some(row) = event_rows.next()? {
+                let first_event_elapsed = start.elapsed();
+                slow_first_event = first_event_elapsed >= slow_cutoff;
                 if first_result {
-                    let first_result_elapsed = start.elapsed();
-                    // logging for slow queries; show sub and SQL
-                    if first_result_elapsed >= slow_cutoff {
-                        info!(
-                            "going to query for: {:?} (cid: {}, sub: {:?})",
-                            sub, client_id, sub.id
-                        );
-                        info!(
-                            "final query string (slow): {} (cid: {}, sub: {:?})",
-                            q, client_id, sub.id
-                        );
-                    } else {
-                        trace!(
-                            "going to query for: {:?} (cid: {}, sub: {:?})",
-                            sub,
-                            client_id,
-                            sub.id
-                        );
-                        trace!("final query string: {}", q);
-                    }
                     debug!(
                         "first result in {:?} (cid: {}, sub: {:?})",
-                        first_result_elapsed, client_id, sub.id
+                        first_event_elapsed, client_id, sub.id
                     );
                     first_result = false;
                 }
+                // logging for slow queries; show sub and SQL
+                //
+                if slow_first_event {
+                    info!(
+                        "query req (slow): {:?} (cid: {}, sub: {:?})",
+                        sub, client_id, sub.id
+                    );
+                    info!(
+                        "query string (slow): {} (cid: {}, sub: {:?})",
+                        q, client_id, sub.id
+                    );
+                } else {
+                    trace!(
+                        "query req: {:?} (cid: {}, sub: {:?})",
+                        sub,
+                        client_id,
+                        sub.id
+                    );
+                    trace!(
+                        "query string: {} (cid: {}, sub: {:?})",
+                        q,
+                        client_id,
+                        sub.id
+                    );
+                }
                 // check if this is still active
                 // TODO:  check every N rows
                 if abandon_query_rx.try_recv().is_ok() {

src/schema.rs

@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@ pub const STARTUP_SQL: &str = r##"
 PRAGMA main.synchronous=NORMAL;
 PRAGMA foreign_keys = ON;
 PRAGMA journal_size_limit=32768;
-pragma mmap_size = 536870912; -- 512MB of mmap
+pragma mmap_size = 1073741824; -- 1024MB of mmap
 "##;
 
 /// Latest database version
-pub const DB_VERSION: usize = 9;
+pub const DB_VERSION: usize = 11;
 
 /// Schema definition
 const INIT_SQL: &str = formatcp!(
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ FOREIGN KEY(event_id) REFERENCES event(id) ON UPDATE CASCADE ON DELETE CASCADE
 );
 CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS tag_val_index ON tag(value);
 CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS tag_val_hex_index ON tag(value_hex);
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS tag_composite_index ON tag(event_id,name,value_hex,value);
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS tag_name_eid_index ON tag(name,event_id,value_hex);
 
 -- NIP-05 User Validation
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS user_verification (
@@ -163,6 +165,12 @@ pub fn upgrade_db(conn: &mut PooledConnection) -> Result<()> {
             if curr_version == 8 {
                 curr_version = mig_8_to_9(conn)?;
             }
+            if curr_version == 9 {
+                curr_version = mig_9_to_10(conn)?;
+            }
+            if curr_version == 10 {
+                curr_version = mig_10_to_11(conn)?;
+            }
 
             if curr_version == DB_VERSION {
                 info!(
@@ -419,5 +427,45 @@ PRAGMA user_version = 9;
             panic!("database could not be upgraded");
         }
     }
-    Ok(8)
+    Ok(9)
+}
+
+fn mig_9_to_10(conn: &mut PooledConnection) -> Result<usize> {
+    info!("database schema needs update from 9->10");
+    // Those old indexes were actually helpful...
+    let upgrade_sql = r##"
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS tag_composite_index ON tag(event_id,name,value_hex,value);
+PRAGMA user_version = 10;
+"##;
+    match conn.execute_batch(upgrade_sql) {
+        Ok(()) => {
+            info!("database schema upgraded v9 -> v10");
+        }
+        Err(err) => {
+            error!("update failed: {}", err);
+            panic!("database could not be upgraded");
+        }
+    }
+    Ok(10)
+}
+
+fn mig_10_to_11(conn: &mut PooledConnection) -> Result<usize> {
+    info!("database schema needs update from 10->11");
+    // Those old indexes were actually helpful...
+    let upgrade_sql = r##"
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS tag_name_eid_index ON tag(name,event_id,value_hex);
+reindex;
+pragma optimize;
+PRAGMA user_version = 11;
+"##;
+    match conn.execute_batch(upgrade_sql) {
+        Ok(()) => {
+            info!("database schema upgraded v10 -> v11");
+        }
+        Err(err) => {
+            error!("update failed: {}", err);
+            panic!("database could not be upgraded");
+        }
+    }
+    Ok(11)
 }

src/server.rs

@@ -245,6 +245,14 @@ pub fn start_server(settings: Settings, shutdown_rx: MpscReceiver<()>) -> Result
     let rt = Builder::new_multi_thread()
         .enable_all()
         .thread_name("tokio-ws")
+        // limit concurrent SQLite blocking threads
+        .max_blocking_threads(settings.limits.max_blocking_threads)
+        .on_thread_start(|| {
+            debug!("started new thread");
+        })
+        .on_thread_stop(|| {
+            debug!("stopping thread");
+        })
         .build()
         .unwrap();
     // start tokio
@@ -456,9 +464,11 @@ async fn nostr_server(
     let cid = conn.get_client_prefix();
     // Create a channel for receiving query results from the database.
     // we will send out the tx handle to any query we generate.
-    let (query_tx, mut query_rx) = mpsc::channel::<db::QueryResult>(256);
+    // this has capacity for some of the larger requests we see, which
+    // should allow the DB thread to release the handle earlier.
+    let (query_tx, mut query_rx) = mpsc::channel::<db::QueryResult>(20000);
     // Create channel for receiving NOTICEs
-    let (notice_tx, mut notice_rx) = mpsc::channel::<Notice>(32);
+    let (notice_tx, mut notice_rx) = mpsc::channel::<Notice>(128);
 
     // last time this client sent data (message, ping, etc.)
     let mut last_message_time = Instant::now();
@@ -476,8 +486,6 @@ async fn nostr_server(
     // when these subscriptions are cancelled, make a message
     // available to the executing query so it knows to stop.
     let mut running_queries: HashMap<String, oneshot::Sender<()>> = HashMap::new();
-    // keep track of the subscriptions we have
-    let mut current_subs: Vec<Subscription> = Vec::new();
     // for stats, keep track of how many events the client published,
     // and how many it received from queries.
     let mut client_published_event_count: usize = 0;
@@ -625,11 +633,10 @@ async fn nostr_server(
                         // * making a channel to cancel to request later
                         // * sending a request for a SQL query
             // Do nothing if the sub already exists.
-            if !current_subs.contains(&s) {
+            if !conn.has_subscription(&s) {
                 if let Some(ref lim) = sub_lim_opt {
-                    lim.until_ready_with_jitter(jitter).await;
+                lim.until_ready_with_jitter(jitter).await;
                 }
-                current_subs.push(s.clone());
                             let (abandon_query_tx, abandon_query_rx) = oneshot::channel::<()>();
                             match conn.subscribe(s.clone()) {
                 Ok(()) => {
@@ -637,27 +644,22 @@ async fn nostr_server(
                                     if let Some(previous_query) = running_queries.insert(s.id.to_owned(), abandon_query_tx) {
                     previous_query.send(()).ok();
                                     }
-                                    // start a database query
+                                    // start a database query.  this spawns a blocking database query on a worker thread.
                                     db::db_query(s, cid.to_owned(), pool.clone(), query_tx.clone(), abandon_query_rx).await;
                 },
                 Err(e) => {
-                                    info!("Subscription error: {}", e);
+                    info!("Subscription error: {} (cid: {}, sub: {:?})", e, cid, s.id);
                                     ws_stream.send(make_notice_message(Notice::message(format!("Subscription error: {}", e)))).await.ok();
                 }
                             }
             } else {
-        info!("client send duplicate subscription, ignoring (cid: {}, sub: {:?})", cid, s.id);
+        info!("client sent duplicate subscription, ignoring (cid: {}, sub: {:?})", cid, s.id);
         }
                     },
                     Ok(NostrMessage::CloseMsg(cc)) => {
                         // closing a request simply removes the subscription.
                         let parsed : Result<Close> = Result::<Close>::from(cc);
             if let Ok(c) = parsed {
-                                // remove from the list of known subs
-                if let Some(pos) = current_subs.iter().position(|s| *s.id == c.id) {
-                current_subs.remove(pos);
-                }
-
                                 // check if a query is currently
                                 // running, and remove it if so.
                                 let stop_tx = running_queries.remove(&c.id);