[chef] Chef behavior question

[Justin Franks < >]

Let's say...

Chef reads file /etc/somefile which contains a list of IP addresses
(The list of IP addresses in /etc/somefile will change on occasion)
Chef builds a config of MyService and uses the IP addresses in /etc/somefile in the config it builds
The file /etc/somefile changes. It now contains a new list of IP addresses
A local script catches the change and updates the config of MyService to reflect the new IP addresses
Moments later Chef runs again as normally scheduled.
What happens?
Does Chef read the file /etc/somefile, notice the new IP addresses and update the config thus "undoing" what the local script did?
Or will Chef say, "Hey, something changed the config for MyService. I better put it back to its original state by reverting the changes in the config file."

*************************
Justin Franks
Lead Operations Engineer
SaaS, Cloud, Data Centers & Infrastructure
Lithium Technologies, Inc
225 Bush St., 15th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104
tel: +1 415 757 3100 x3219