DNS order in /etc/resolv.conf . How does that work

[Christian Krackowizer]

At 19:37 27.04.2000, you wrote:

> >If the Server  A or the named on Server A dies will the queries be left
> >hanging or immediately the Server B should pick up and answer the queries. I
> >thought that in the event this happened Server B will pick up
> >instantaneously. But apparently that did not happen . Is there a setting
> >somewhere which one has to set so that it picks up the second listed server
> >immediately if Server A does not respond. Could somebody throw some light on
> >this so that I  can understand the proper use of the  DNS order.
>
>The only way that you know that A is down is due to a timeout waiting for a
>response.  The resolver will send a query to A, wait a few seconds, and
>then query B, wait a few seconds, and then query C.  If this times out it
>will repeat the process with a longer timeout for each server.
>
>Also, it doesn't remember from one lookup to the next that A was down, so
>there will be a delay before asking B for *every* name you look up.  So
>make sure that A is a reliable machine.

Hmm, I don't think that this was is what the poster was asking. I read it 
more like the old problem 'failover of clients': When an already running 
program, which always start with NS A, 'loses' NS A, it normally does not 
automatically select NS B but waits for a timeout (if programmed!) or hangs 
infinitely!


with best regards

Christian Krackowizer

schuler technodat GmbH
Jakob-Haringer-Strasse 6
A-5020 Salzburg
Phone: +43(0)662/2282-0
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e-Mail: ckrackowiz at std.schuler-ag.com