MX Question with Bind 8.2.2

[Mathias Körber]

> I'm rather new to working with BIND. I want to set up two MX records. =
I
> have one set up for cvdds.com, but I want to set one up for
> mail2.cvdds.com to point to a different machine. Is this possible, if =
so
> how. I didn't see where it could but done, but I didn't see where it
> could.=20

Sure, if you define an MX record for mail2.cvdds.com it will be more =
specific
and be used for all users @mail2.cvdds.com.

>        Also, I've noticed another curiousity, it seems that some other
> DNS servers (not mine) only spiratically resolve my domain, but if I
> switch to another outside DNS server, it resolves fine. Sometimes they
> will switch the dns1 and web server's IPs, etc. I think something is
> wrong with my record, but not sure what. Its below. Any help would be
> appreciated.=3D20
>=20
> @       IN      SOA     cvdds.com. rmichel.cvdds.com. (
>                                       2000091806 ; Serial
>                                       14400      ; Refresh
>                                       14400      ; Retry

Your refresh and Retry time are identical. Is this intentional?
Usually the retry time is different from the refresh time
(either shorter or longer depending on circumstances).

>                                       3600000    ; Expire
>                                       86400 )    ; Minimum
>                 NS      ns
>                 MX      10 mail
> ;
>                 A       207.16.190.29
> ns              A       207.16.190.29
> mail            A       207.16.190.29
> dns1            A       216.29.176.11
> web             A       216.29.176.1
> www             CNAME   ns
>=20

  mail2		MX 10 different-machine

Note that the above configuration will send all mail for
	user at cvdds.com				to mail.cvdds.com
	user at mail2.cvdds.com			to different-machine.cvdds.com
and
	user@<any other host>.cvdds.com 	to that host, as there is no MX record
							that resolves for that.

If you want mails for all hosts (except mail2, which has a more specific =
MX record
in this example) to go to mail.cvdds.com, add a wildcard MX record:

*	MX 10 mail


As to your sporadic DNS service: You only seem to have one NS record
(also in the delegation from the .COM zone! How did you do that?)
If that nameserver fails, or happens to be somehow unreachable from
some parts of the 'net, someone may be experiencing patchy DNS service, =
or totally
fail to resolve it, which might make mail fail and worse.
You really need at least two nameservers, which do not share the same =
network
connection, power supply etc.  Usually your ISP will offer to run =
secondary
DNS for your zone, or you could find someone else (look at =
www.dns.net/dnsrd
for a link to a secondary nameservice exchange.

Hope this helps
regards

Mathias