"/etc/resolv.conf" revisited

[Bhangui_S]

Hello
	Many including Barry had answered some of my queries about the
functioning of the order of the name server in "/etc/resolv.conf" but it
looks like I still have some confusion.

I am on Solaris Box whose e"/etc/resolv.conf" looks like


domain 		xyz.com

nameserver	IP address of M/C A (Primary Internal DNS server, A solaris
Box, Bind 4.9.4)

nameserver	IP address of M/C B (Secondary Internal DNS Server, NT box)

nameserver       IP address of M/C C  (Our DNS outiside the firewall with
very few internal entries, Bind 8.2.2P5)

With the above configuration I am able to resolve all the internal names to
an IP addr as defined in the Internal DNS.

Now the questions I have are.

1. With the above configuration if something happens to bind on M/C A . M/C
B should pick up and should answer to the queries with a lag of whatever
time bind will spend querying the m/c A and I think that is 5 seconds. Is
that correct? 

Now if the order in "/etc/resolv.conf is changed to the following

domain 		xyz.com

nameserver 	M/C C	(External DNS outside the firewall)

nameserver	M/C  B   (Secondary Internal DNS Server)

Following discussions pertaining to the configuration above.

Now if I try to resolve a Internal name (the name is not defined on M/C C) I
believe as long as the named is alive on M/C C I should get a response as
unknown host. Now if the named for some reason is not up and running or is
dead on M/C C than it will wait for a response from M/C C and after that 5
seconds interval query M/C B and I should be able to resolve that name as
the M/C B knows about the internal name" Is this correct 


So can I state this that as long as BIND is running on M/C C and it responds
to a query it will never roll over to M/C B even though it cannot resolve a
Internal name. It will go and query M/C B only if M/C C is down or BIND on
M/C C does not respond to the DNS queries.

Would appreciate if  someone can let me know if this correct. You can
respond here or send me e-mail directly at bhangui_s at bls.gov

Thanks
Sandeep