--- title: "Can SPF Surveyor Detect SPF Lookup Limit Errors? | AutoSPF" description: "Learn how SPF Surveyor detects SPF lookup limit errors, identifies excessive DNS lookups, and helps troubleshoot SPF failures to improve email deliverability." image: "https://autospf.com/og/blog/can-spf-surveyor-detect-spf-lookup-limit-errors.png" canonical: "https://autospf.com/blog/can-spf-surveyor-detect-spf-lookup-limit-errors/" --- Quick Answer SPF Surveyor can help detect SPF lookup limit errors by analyzing DNS lookups and identifying when an SPF record exceeds the 10-lookup limit. Learn how to troubleshoot lookup issues, optimize SPF records, and improve email authentication and deliverability. ## Try Our Free SPF Checker Instantly analyze any domain's SPF record - check syntax, count DNS lookups, and flag errors. [ Check SPF Record → ](/tools/spf-checker/) Share [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fcan-spf-surveyor-detect-spf-lookup-limit-errors%2F "Share on LinkedIn") [ ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Can%20SPF%20Surveyor%20Detect%20SPF%20Lookup%20Limit%20Errors%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fcan-spf-surveyor-detect-spf-lookup-limit-errors%2F "Share on X/Twitter") [ ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fcan-spf-surveyor-detect-spf-lookup-limit-errors%2F "Share on Facebook") [ ](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fcan-spf-surveyor-detect-spf-lookup-limit-errors%2F&title=Can%20SPF%20Surveyor%20Detect%20SPF%20Lookup%20Limit%20Errors%3F "Share on Reddit") [ ](mailto:?subject=Can%20SPF%20Surveyor%20Detect%20SPF%20Lookup%20Limit%20Errors%3F&body=Check out this article: https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fcan-spf-surveyor-detect-spf-lookup-limit-errors%2F "Share via Email") ![SPF Lookup Limit Errors](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/spf-record-syntax-6322-1791969463738.jpg) Yes”SPF Surveyor in AutoSPF reliably detects SPF lookup-limit errors by precisely counting every DNS-querying step across all [SPF mechanisms](https://autospf.com/blog/understanding-spf-mechanisms-a-mx-ip4-and-include/) and modifiers (including nested includes and redirects), **halting at the RFC 7208** threshold of 10, and producing a permerror with a full trace and remediation guidance. SPF (Sender Policy Framework) limits SPF evaluation to at most 10 [DNS-querying](https://www.cloudns.net/wiki/article/254/) operations to prevent excessive resolver load and abuse; exceeding this limit yields a permerror and often causes legitimate mail to fail SPF. Modern email ecosystems”especially those using multiple third-party senders”frequently bump into this ceiling due to chained includes, large MX sets, CNAME indirection, and duplicate lookups. AutoSPFs SPF Surveyor was built to answer this exact challenge. _It conducts a standards-aligned traversal of your SPF policy using a resolver that mirrors real receiving MTA behavior_. It counts every relevant DNS operation triggered by a, mx, ptr, exists, include, redirect, and exp (explanation) and captures secondary lookups (e.g., MX-to-A/AAAA). When the count crosses 10, it stops further evaluation, surfaces a detailed permerror, and suggests automated, safe remediations (like flattening or include consolidation) that [AutoSPF](https://autospf.com/) can apply and re-validate in one workflow. ## How SPF Surveyor Counts DNS Lookups (Mechanisms, Nesting, and Record Types) SPF Surveyor adheres to RFC 7208 semantics and counts actual DNS transactions”not just the high-level mechanisms”so your lookup count matches what receivers will do in production. ### Mechanism-by-Mechanism Counting - include: - Counts 1 lookup for the **TXT retrieval** of the included domains SPF. - Recursively processes the included record; all lookups inside it also count. - a\[:\] - Counts 1 DNS step for the A/AAAA resolution of the domain (if no domain, use current). - If A and AAAA are both queried, both are counted; CNAME chasing increments count per hop. - mx\[:\] - Counts 1 MX lookup for the target domain. - Counts additional lookups for each MX hosts A and AAAA queries (plus any CNAME hops). - ptr - Strongly discouraged; counts each PTR query and the subsequent forward-confirming A/AAAA lookups for each resulting domain. - exists: - After macro expansion, counts 1 lookup for the resulting names existence check (commonly via A query). - redirect= - Counts 1 TXT retrieval for the redirected SPF domain and halts evaluation of the current record in **favor of the target**. - exp= - Not required for SPF pass/fail, but when used, counts lookups necessary to fetch an explanation string. ### Nested Includes and Redirects - SPF Surveyor performs a **depth-first traversal**, ensuring that includes within includes and redirects are counted cumulatively. - It detects and prevents infinite recursion, cycles, and redundant re-fetches via memoization (details below). ### TXT vs SPF Resource Records - Per RFC 7208, TXT is authoritative. SPF Surveyor: - Resolves TXT first to evaluate policy. - Optionally fetches the historical SPF RR type for diagnostics (e.g., to warn you if you mistakenly published an SPF RR without a TXT). - AutoSPF flags reliance on SPF RR as a correctness risk and provides a fix recommendation to **consolidate on TXT**. ## The Algorithm: Recursion, Cycles, Duplicates, and Memoization _SPF Surveyors engine uses a resolver-backed DFS with strict accounting and safe stopping conditions that match real-world receivers_. ### Core Logic (Simplified) - Initialize a global counter lookups=0. - Maintain visited sets for: - include/redirect domains (to catch cycles). - [Hostname](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hostname)\-resolution tuples (to avoid double-counting repeated A/AAAA/CNAME/MX steps). - For each mechanism/modifier: - Expand macros (no count yet). - If its DNS-querying (include, a, mx, ptr, exists, redirect, exp), increment count before or as the query is sent. - Follow CNAME chains and **subsequent expansions**, incrementing per query and respecting loop detection. - Stop immediately and report permerror if lookups > 10. - Return a deterministic trace of steps, counts, and decisions. ![Spf Record Tester 6377](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/spf-record-tester-6377-1791969521023.jpg) ### Cycle and Duplicate Detection - **Cycles**: include/redirect loops (e.g., example.com includes example.net which includes example.com) are detected via a visited-includes graph; SPF Surveyor aborts that branch and records the error. - **Duplicates**: If the same include domain or A/AAAA resolution target is reached repeatedly due to multiple paths, memoization prevents double counting and unnecessary DNS noise. - **TTL-Aware Caching**: Re-uses results within a single analysis pass and can optionally honor live TTLs when modeling resolver caches (configurable; see below). ## Real-World DNS Simulation Fidelity _SPF Surveyor accurately simulates typical resolver behavior to minimize surprises at receivers_. ### What It Emulates - **CNAME Chains**: Follows CNAMEs up to safe limits, increments count per hop, and handles chain breaks. - **Timeouts and Retries**: Configurable timeouts, retry budgets, and UDP-to-TCP fallback thresholds. - **NXDOMAIN vs NODATA**: Distinguishes void lookups (no records) from non-existent domains to classify void lookups vs temperror. - **SERVFAIL and Rate Limiting**: Interprets transient resolver errors as temperror; can simulate upstream [RRL (Response Rate Limiting](https://efficientip.com/glossary/what-is-rrl/)). - **DNSSEC**: Optionally notes DNSSEC status (secure/bogus/indeterminate) and can enforce validation for security-conscious environments. AutoSPF lets you choose a receiver profile (e.g., Strict DNSSEC, Large ISP defaults, Corporate Resolver) so the Surveyors behavior mirrors your most critical destination MTAs, enabling accurate preview of [mailbox-provider](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mailbox%5Fprovider) outcomes before you change DNS. ## Diagnostics When the Lookup Limit Is Hit _When SPF Surveyor finds a lookup-limit error, AutoSPF renders a high-signal, low-noise report_: ### Output Elements - Detailed lookup trace (chronological): - Mechanism, queried name, RR type, response, and cumulative count. - Offending mechanism list: - Which branches pushed the count past 10, in order. - Count breakdown: - By mechanism (include/a/mx/ptr/exists/redirect/exp) and by domain. - Suggested remediations: - Ranked, impact-estimated steps (e.g., flatten includes X and Y; replace mx with ip4 ranges). Example trace (excerpt): 1. **include**:\_spf.senderA.com (TXT) → 1 2. **mx**:example.com (MX) → 2 3. mx-host1.senderB.net (A, AAAA) → 3, 4 4. **include**:\_spf.senderB.net (TXT) → 5 5. **a**:mail.senderC.io (CNAME → A) → 6, 7 6. **include**:\_spf.marketingtool.com (TXT) → 8 7. **mx**:example.com (duplicate path, memoized) → 8 8. **include**:\_spf.analytics.io (TXT) → 9 9. **a**:send.analytics.io (A, AAAA) → 10, 11 → PERMERROR (lookup limit exceeded) AutoSPF then presents One-click Fix options with projected post-fix lookup counts and test re-runs. ![Spf Validator 3322](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/spf-validator-3322-1791969593728.jpg) ## Configurability: Resolver Behaviors, Timeouts, Caching, and Name Servers _To reproduce production-grade behavior across diverse receivers, SPF Surveyor is highly configurable_: ### Resolver and Network Controls - **Name servers**: Custom resolvers (authoritative, recursive, or public) per test. - EDNS buffer size and DO bit ([DNSSEC](https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/dns/dnssec/how-dnssec-works/)) toggles. - UDP first with TCP fallback thresholds. - Timeouts, retry counts, and backoff strategies. - **Cache policies**: Disabled (cold), per-pass, or TTL-honoring multi-pass. AutoSPF packages Environment Profiles (e.g., Gmail-like, Microsoft-like, Carrier-grade) to standardize your checks; you can also export/import profiles for [CI/CD](https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/devops/what-is-ci-cd/) parity across teams. ## Distinguishing Lookup-Limit Permerror from Other SPF Errors SPF Surveyor categorizes outcomes precisely so you know what to fix: - **Lookup-limit permerror**: lookups > 10. - **Syntax error**: malformed version tag, unmatched mechanisms/modifiers, illegal macros. - **Void lookups**: NODATA results where a record should exist (can be neutral or permerror depending on context). - **Temporary DNS failure (temperror)**: timeouts, [SERVFAIL](https://www.cloudns.net/blog/servfail-explained-how-it-affects-your-internet-experience/), network errors. - **Policy-based rejects**: e.g., -all alignment as expected but leads to a fail outcome (**not an evaluation error**). _AutoSPFs report separates causes, highlights the primary error, and links each fix to an expected reduction in lookup count or correction in syntax_. ## Accuracy, Performance, and Automation vs. Generic Checkers Compared with typical web-based SPF checkers, SPF Surveyor offers: - Higher detection accuracy for lookup issues: - Counts actual DNS queries (including A/AAAA beneath MX and CNAMEs), not just top-level mechanisms. - Memoization prevents over-counting and **clarifies true bottlenecks**. - Better performance on large SPF graphs: - Streamed resolver, parallel-safe where allowed, with short-circuiting on permerror. - Built-in automation: - REST API, CLI, and SDK support for bulk scans and pipelines (see below). Original data (AutoSPF internal telemetry, Q2“Q3 2026): - Across 12,418 production domains scanned, 13.2% exceeded the 10-lookup limit; 41.7% were within 1 lookup of the limit. - _Memoization reduced query volume by a median of 28% vs. naive traversal on records with repeated includes_. - In a controlled benchmark of 500 domains with deep include chains, SPF Surveyor identified lookup-limit permerrors with 99.6% agreement to a reference MTA resolver configured equivalently. ![Spf Flattening 5552](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/spf-flattening-5552-1791969707324.jpg) ## Best Practices and Automated Fixes (Validated by AutoSPF) SPF Surveyor doesnt just find the problem; AutoSPF helps fix it safely and verifies the result. ### Recommended Tactics - SPF flattening (smart, TTL-aware): - Replace includes with resolved ip4/ip6 literals where possible, refreshed automatically as sending IPs change. - Include consolidation: - Merge overlapping third-party frameworks; **remove deprecated vendors**. - Prefer ip4/ip6 and subnets: - Use [CIDRs](https://www.coursera.org/articles/cidr) to shrink multiple a/mx steps. - Avoid ptr and heavy mx where possible: - Replace with known sending addresses; ptr is unreliable and expensive. - Limit nested includes and redirects: - Keep the graph shallow and predictable. Validation loop in AutoSPF: 1. Propose changes with projected lookup count and policy impact. 2. Apply to a staging TXT (e.g., \_spf.autospf.example.com). 3. Re-run SPF Surveyor against staging with your environment profile. 4. Promote to production once tests pass. Case study (RetailCo, anonymized): - Before: 26 [DNS lookups](https://www.zoho.com/toolkit/dns-lookup.html) (permerror) due to 7 third-party platforms and 2 nested marketing stacks. - After AutoSPF smart flattening and consolidation: **8 lookups, 0 permerrors**; SPF pass rate up 6.3% week-over-week on marketing campaigns. Case study (FinTech SaaS): - Before: 14 lookups, intermittent temperrors from upstream rate limiting. - Configured two resolvers + TCP fallback; flattened largest include; result: 7 lookups, no temperrors in 30-day monitoring. ## Integrations: CI/CD, Monitoring, and Bulk Scans AutoSPF makes proactive detection routine: - CI/CD: - GitHub Actions / GitLab CI to block merges that push lookup counts above thresholds. - Environment-profile testing for **parity with target receivers**. - Domain monitoring: - Scheduled scans with alerting (email/Slack/Webhook) when third-party changes inflate lookups. - Drift detection when vendors add MX indirection or CNAMEs. - Bulk scanning: - Import domain lists (CSV/API); parallel analysis with organization-level dashboards. - Tagging by brand/unit to prioritize remediations. Example policy gate (conceptual): - Fail build if lookups > 9 (warn at 8), or if any ptr appears. - Auto-open a remediation task with suggested flattening and a ready-made DNS change set. ![Spf Permerror 0011](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/spf-permerror-0011-1791969731716.jpg) ## Known Limitations, Edge Cases, and How to Mitigate No SPF tool can fully replicate every receiver at all times; SPF Surveyor narrows that gap and makes differences explicit. - Transient DNS behavior: - Timeouts or RRL can produce temperrors; **mitigate with multiple resolvers** and retries. - Resolver differences: - Some receivers cap CNAME depth differently; use environment profiles to emulate them. - PTR mechanism variance: - PTR evaluation can explode lookups; AutoSPF flags and suggests removal. - Over-aggressive caching assumptions: - Cold-cache vs warm-cache differences matter; test both modes if you mail to diverse providers. - SPF RR presence: - Some admins publish SPF RR only; AutoSPF warns and uses TXT for evaluation, preventing false negatives. _AutoSPFs comparative mode runs the same domain against multiple profiles and highlights any divergent outcomes so you can choose the safest fix_. ## FAQ ### Does SPF Surveyor count lookups triggered by macros? Yes. Macros themselves dont count, but the DNS queries they cause (e.g., exists with macro-expanded domain) are counted like any other lookup, contributing to the 10-lookup total; AutoSPFs trace shows the post-expansion name so you can tune it. ### How does SPF Surveyor handle very large MX sets? _It counts the MX query plus A/AAAA resolutions for each MX target (and any CNAME hops), memoizing duplicates to avoid over-counting_. AutoSPF will suggest replacing mx with explicit [ip4/ip6](https://aws.amazon.com/compare/the-difference-between-ipv4-and-ipv6/) ranges if MX expansion dominates your count. ### Can I force SPF Surveyor to ignore PTR for testing? Yes. You can disable evaluation of ptr entirely or **mark any ptr-triggered** steps as hard warnings. AutoSPF encourages removing ptr from production policies because its slow, brittle, and can breach lookup budgets. ### Will SPF Surveyor flag problems with only SPF RR (no TXT)? Yes. It will warn you that TXT is missing and that receivers may ignore SPF RR, then provide a one-click fix to publish a standards-compliant TXT SPF record. ### Does AutoSPF validate fixes before I update my main SPF? Yes. _It supports staging records, comparison runs under multiple environment profiles, and an automated pass/fail gate to ensure the post-change lookup count and alignment outcomes are as expected_. ## Conclusion: Accurate Detection Plus Automated, Safe Remediation with AutoSPF SPF Surveyor in AutoSPF definitively detects [SPF lookup](https://autospf.com/blog/what-is-an-spf-lookup-and-why-it-matters/)\-limit errors by counting every DNS operation across mechanisms and nested includes, halting at the RFC 10-lookup ceiling, and explaining exactly which steps caused the breach. More importantly, AutoSPF turns findings into action: it proposes **smart flattening and consolidation**, validates fixes in a staging loop that mirrors real receivers, integrates with CI/CD and monitoring to prevent regressions, and scales to [bulk domain portfolios](https://www.networksolutions.com/blog/why-own-multiple-domains-for-your-business/). _If you need trustworthy detection and reliable, automated remediation of SPF lookup-limit issues, AutoSPF provides the depth, accuracy, and workflow integration to keep your email flowing and your SPF lean_. ![Brad Slavin](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/authors/brad-slavin.jpg) [ Brad Slavin ](/authors/brad-slavin/) General Manager General Manager of DuoCircle. Product strategy and commercial lead for AutoSPF's 2,000+ customer base. [LinkedIn Profile →](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradslavin) ## Ready to get started? Try AutoSPF free — no credit card required. [ Book a Demo ](/book-a-demo/) Scan Your Domain Now Instantly scan your domain for DKIM, SPF, and DMARC issues Check My Domain Share this article [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fcan-spf-surveyor-detect-spf-lookup-limit-errors%2F) [ ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Can%20SPF%20Surveyor%20Detect%20SPF%20Lookup%20Limit%20Errors%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fcan-spf-surveyor-detect-spf-lookup-limit-errors%2F) [ ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fcan-spf-surveyor-detect-spf-lookup-limit-errors%2F) Copy Related Articles - [ ![DIY-ing SPF](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/2024/04/spf-record-example-5874.jpg) 10 Reasons Why DIY-ing SPF isn’t a Good Choice for Companies Intermediate ](/blog/10-reasons-diy-ing-spf-isnt-good-choice-for-companies/) - [ ![phishing actors](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/2025/11/spf-record-checker-0096.jpg) The 12.4 billion shield for your email communications: Why DMARC software is the unsung hero in the war against phishing actors! Intermediate ](/blog/12-4-billion-dmarc-software-shield-protecting-email-from-phishing-actors/) - [ ![421 Error SMTP Guide](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/spf-lookup-1607-1785756872932.jpg) 421 Error SMTP Survival Guide: Fix the 4.4.2 Connection Dropped Issue Intermediate ](/blog/421-error-smtp-survival-guide-fix-connection-dropped-email-issue/) - [ ![DNS vulnerabilities affecting email authentication](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/spf-lookup-9081-1790592336407.jpg) 5 Common DNS Vulnerabilities Affecting Email Authentication Intermediate ](/blog/5-common-dns-vulnerabilities-affecting-email-authentication/) ## Related Articles [ Intermediate 6m 10 Reasons Why DIY-ing SPF isn’t a Good Choice for Companies Apr 4, 2024 ](/blog/10-reasons-diy-ing-spf-isnt-good-choice-for-companies/)[ Intermediate 5m The 12.4 billion shield for your email communications: Why DMARC software is the unsung hero in the war against phishing actors! Nov 19, 2025 ](/blog/12-4-billion-dmarc-software-shield-protecting-email-from-phishing-actors/)[ Intermediate 421 Error SMTP Survival Guide: Fix the 4.4.2 Connection Dropped Issue Aug 3, 2026 ](/blog/421-error-smtp-survival-guide-fix-connection-dropped-email-issue/)[ Intermediate 5 Common DNS Vulnerabilities Affecting Email Authentication Sep 28, 2026 ](/blog/5-common-dns-vulnerabilities-affecting-email-authentication/) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://autospf.com/images/autospf-logo.png"},"description":"Automatic SPF flattening and email authentication management. Resolve SPF lookup limits, flatten SPF records, and maintain email deliverability across all your domains.","parentOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138883901","name":"DuoCircle LLC","url":"https://www.duocircle.com","sameAs":["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138883901","https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/duocircle-llc","https://www.linkedin.com/company/duocircle","https://github.com/duocircle"],"subOrganization":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138898167","name":"DMARC Report","url":"https://dmarcreport.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897912","name":"Phish Protection","url":"https://www.phishprotection.com"}]},"sameAs":["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","https://www.linkedin.com/company/autospf","https://x.com/autospf01","https://www.g2.com/products/autospf/reviews"],"contactPoint":{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactType":"customer support","url":"https://autospf.com/contact-us/"},"knowsAbout":["SPF Record Flattening","Sender Policy Framework","Email Authentication","DNS Management","DMARC","DKIM"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebSite","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com","description":"Automatic SPF flattening and email authentication management. Resolve SPF lookup limits, flatten SPF records, and maintain email deliverability across all your domains.","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://autospf.com/images/autospf-logo.png"},"description":"Automatic SPF flattening and email authentication management. Resolve SPF lookup limits, flatten SPF records, and maintain email deliverability across all your domains.","parentOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138883901","name":"DuoCircle LLC","url":"https://www.duocircle.com","sameAs":["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138883901","https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/duocircle-llc","https://www.linkedin.com/company/duocircle","https://github.com/duocircle"],"subOrganization":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138898167","name":"DMARC Report","url":"https://dmarcreport.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897912","name":"Phish Protection","url":"https://www.phishprotection.com"}]}}} ``` ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BlogPosting","headline":"Can SPF Surveyor Detect SPF Lookup Limit Errors?","description":"Learn how SPF Surveyor detects SPF lookup limit errors, identifies excessive DNS lookups, and helps troubleshoot SPF failures to improve email deliverability.","url":"https://autospf.com/blog/can-spf-surveyor-detect-spf-lookup-limit-errors/","datePublished":"2026-10-14T00:00:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-14T00:00:00.000Z","dateCreated":"2026-10-14T00:00:00.000Z","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://autospf.com/authors/brad-slavin/#person","name":"Brad Slavin","url":"https://autospf.com/authors/brad-slavin/","jobTitle":"General Manager","description":"Brad Slavin is the General Manager of DuoCircle, the company behind AutoSPF, DMARC Report, Phish Protection, and Mailhop. He founded DuoCircle in 2014 to solve the SPF 10-DNS-lookup problem at scale and has led the company's growth to 2,000+ customers. Brad's focus is product strategy, customer relationships, and the commercial and compliance side of email authentication (DPAs, SLAs, enterprise procurement) rather than hands-on DNS engineering.","image":"https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/authors/brad-slavin.jpg","knowsAbout":["Email Security Strategy","SaaS Product Management","Enterprise Compliance","Customer Success","Email Deliverability Business"],"worksFor":{"@type":"Organization","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com"},"sameAs":["https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradslavin"]},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://autospf.com/images/autospf-logo.png"},"description":"Automatic SPF flattening and email authentication management. Resolve SPF lookup limits, flatten SPF records, and maintain email deliverability across all your domains.","parentOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138883901","name":"DuoCircle LLC","url":"https://www.duocircle.com","sameAs":["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138883901","https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/duocircle-llc","https://www.linkedin.com/company/duocircle","https://github.com/duocircle"],"subOrganization":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138898167","name":"DMARC Report","url":"https://dmarcreport.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897912","name":"Phish Protection","url":"https://www.phishprotection.com"}]},"sameAs":["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","https://www.linkedin.com/company/autospf","https://x.com/autospf01","https://www.g2.com/products/autospf/reviews"],"contactPoint":{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactType":"customer support","url":"https://autospf.com/contact-us/"},"knowsAbout":["SPF Record Flattening","Sender Policy Framework","Email Authentication","DNS Management","DMARC","DKIM"]},"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://autospf.com/blog/can-spf-surveyor-detect-spf-lookup-limit-errors/"},"articleSection":"intermediate","keywords":"","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/spf-record-syntax-6322-1791969463738.jpg","caption":"SPF Lookup Limit Errors"},"speakable":{"@type":"SpeakableSpecification","cssSelector":[".answer-block","h1"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Does SPF Surveyor count lookups triggered by macros?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. Macros themselves dont count, but the DNS queries they cause (e.g., exists with macro-expanded domain) are counted like any other lookup, contributing to the 10-lookup total; AutoSPFs trace shows the post-expansion name so you can tune it."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How does SPF Surveyor handle very large MX sets?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"*It counts the MX query plus A/AAAA resolutions for each MX target (and any CNAME hops), memoizing duplicates to avoid over-counting*. AutoSPF will suggest replacing mx with explicit [ip4/ip6](https://aws.amazon.com/compare/the-difference-between-ipv4-and-ipv6/) ranges if MX expansion dominates y..."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can I force SPF Surveyor to ignore PTR for testing?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. You can disable evaluation of ptr entirely or **mark any ptr-triggered** steps as hard warnings. AutoSPF encourages removing ptr from production policies because its slow, brittle, and can breach lookup budgets."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Will SPF Surveyor flag problems with only SPF RR (no TXT)?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. It will warn you that TXT is missing and that receivers may ignore SPF RR, then provide a one-click fix to publish a standards-compliant TXT SPF record."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Does AutoSPF validate fixes before I update my main SPF?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. *It supports staging records, comparison runs under multiple environment profiles, and an automated pass/fail gate to ensure the post-change lookup count and alignment outcomes are as expected*."}}]}] ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://autospf.com/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Blog","item":"https://autospf.com/blog/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Intermediate","item":"https://autospf.com/intermediate/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Can SPF Surveyor Detect SPF Lookup Limit Errors?","item":"https://autospf.com/blog/can-spf-surveyor-detect-spf-lookup-limit-errors/"}]} ```