nslookup not adding domainname

[Bob Van Cleef]

Just upgraded two systems to the VA Linux version of RedHat 6.2.
	bind-8.2.2_P5-9.i386.rpm
	bind-devel-8.2.2_P5-9.i386.rpm
	bind-utils-8.2.2_P5-9.i386.rpm

They both exhibit the same symptoms: nslookup fails to resolv.

Debug shows:

> nslookup -debug thea
------------ snip ------------ (full text below)
Server:  rama.microunity.com
Address:  192.86.9.33

;; res_nmkquery(QUERY, thea.arwin, IN, A)
------------ snip --------  ^^^^^
                             \\\\\ name of the host requesting lookup

If I manually add the domain name to the request it works.

> nslookup thea.microunity.com
------------ snip ------------
Server:  rama.microunity.com
Address:  192.86.9.33

;; res_nmkquery(QUERY, thea.microunity.com, IN, A)
------------ snip ------------

I've checked all the usual suspects:

/etc/resolv.conf has the entry "domain microunity.com"
/etc/sysconfig/network has     "DOMAINNAME=microunity.com"
/etc/nsswitch.conf has         "hosts:      files dns"
     however, changing its ordering has no impact on any symptoms	  


Changing /etc/hosts
	from:	192.86.9.81	arwin arwin.microunity.com
	to:	192.86.9.81	arwin.microunity.com

got the "dnsdomainname" command to return the correct value.  Other,
non-upgrades systems return nothing, but nslookup works correctly without
that value being set on those systems - bind-8.2-6. (I'm of the opinion
that relying on the order of name aliases in the host file is a rather
poor method for setting a system value.)

These systems functioned normally prior to the "upgrade".

Bob
-- 
><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>
Bob Van Cleef, Member of Technical Staff         (408) 734-8100
MicroUnity Systems Engineering, Inc.         FAX (408) 734-8136
475 Potrero Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086   vancleef at microunity.com

Full text of the DEBUG output:

vancleef [609] > nslookup thea
Server:  rama.microunity.com
Address:  192.86.9.33

*** rama.microunity.com can't find thea: Server failed
arwin:/a/linux/Distributions/RedHat6.0-RPMS
vancleef [610] > nslookup -debugthea
;; res_nmkquery(QUERY, 33.9.86.192.in-addr.arpa, IN, PTR)
------------
Got answer:
    HEADER:
	opcode = QUERY, id = 2558, rcode = NOERROR
	header flags:  response, auth. answer, want recursion, recursion
avail.
	questions = 1,  answers = 1,  authority records = 1,  additional =
1

    QUESTIONS:
	33.9.86.192.in-addr.arpa, type = PTR, class = IN
    ANSWERS:
    ->  33.9.86.192.in-addr.arpa
	name = rama.microunity.com
	ttl = 43200 (12H)
    AUTHORITY RECORDS:
    ->  9.86.192.in-addr.arpa
	nameserver = thea.microunity.com
	ttl = 43200 (12H)
    ADDITIONAL RECORDS:
    ->  thea.microunity.com
	internet address = 192.86.7.24
	ttl = 43200 (12H)

------------
Default Server:  rama.microunity.com
Address:  192.86.9.33

vancleef [611] > nslookup -debug thea
;; res_nmkquery(QUERY, 33.9.86.192.in-addr.arpa, IN, PTR)
------------
Got answer:
    HEADER:
	opcode = QUERY, id = 21897, rcode = NOERROR
	header flags:  response, auth. answer, want recursion, recursion avail.
	questions = 1,  answers = 1,  authority records = 1,  additional = 1

    QUESTIONS:
	33.9.86.192.in-addr.arpa, type = PTR, class = IN
    ANSWERS:
    ->  33.9.86.192.in-addr.arpa
	name = rama.microunity.com
	ttl = 43200 (12H)
    AUTHORITY RECORDS:
    ->  9.86.192.in-addr.arpa
	nameserver = thea.microunity.com
	ttl = 43200 (12H)
    ADDITIONAL RECORDS:
    ->  thea.microunity.com
	internet address = 192.86.7.24
	ttl = 43200 (12H)

------------
Server:  rama.microunity.com
Address:  192.86.9.33

;; res_nmkquery(QUERY, thea.arwin, IN, A)
------------
Got answer:
    HEADER:
	opcode = QUERY, id = 21898, rcode = SERVFAIL
	header flags:  response, want recursion, recursion avail.
	questions = 1,  answers = 0,  authority records = 0,  additional = 0

    QUESTIONS:
	thea.arwin, type = A, class = IN

------------
;; res_nmkquery(QUERY, thea, IN, A)
------------
Got answer:
    HEADER:
	opcode = QUERY, id = 21899, rcode = SERVFAIL
	header flags:  response, want recursion, recursion avail.
	questions = 1,  answers = 0,  authority records = 0,  additional = 0

    QUESTIONS:
	thea, type = A, class = IN

------------
*** rama.microunity.com can't find thea: Server failed