no IPv6 interfaces found

[Jim Reid]

>>>>> "Marten" == Marten Lehmann <lehmann at cnm.de> writes:

    >> But even at start-time the name server will still issue a
    >> SIOCIFCONF ioctl() and get info about all the network
    >> interfaces on the host.

    Marten> What's the use for that? 

BIND doesn't bind to INADDR_ANY for its listener ports, unlike just
about every other network daemos. It has listener sockets for each
network interface. This is to make sure that replies get sent out the
interface they were received on. If you don't appreciate why that's
important, consult the list archives. It's been explained many times
before.

So in order for the name server to have discrete listener sockets for
each network interface, it has to probe the OS for a list of network
interfaces with a SIOCIFCONF ioctl().

    Marten> Apache just yell's "can't bind to address x.x.x.x" and
    Marten> quits if I'm entering a nont available interface in the
    Marten> config file. Virtually any other server behaives the
    Marten> same. That's what I expect BIND to do.

BIND is not Apache. Get over it. 

    >> Because a host's network interfaces are not necessarily
    >> static. They sometimes get enabled or disabled.

    Marten> In that case, you can restart BIND or give him a kill
    Marten> -HUP. 

A clueful DNS administrator never does either of these things. And
besides, they might not be around when somebody restores power to an
802.11 base station or reboots some router.

    Marten> Why has BIND to check on it's own?

For the reasons already explained. You seem to be ignoring the fact
that name servers can *make* queries as well as receive them.

    >> Sometimes they go away or get created: for instance when a
    >> dial-up or Wi-Fi link comes on-line.  Mobile hosts often change
    >> their IP address.

    Marten> We're talking about nameservers, not resolvers! 

You might be thinking about stub resolvers. I'm not. 

    Marten> What frequently mobile device is using it's own nameserver?

My laptop! It runs a name server and changes its interface address(es)
depending on what network it's connected to.