unable to locate server after upgrade to BIND 8.2.3 for NT

[Stanley Liu]

After upgrade from BIND 4.9.7 for NT to BIND 8.2.3 for NT, I have noticed that I
have lots of "unable to locate the server" errors from Netscape if the domain
name of the URL is not in BIND's cache.  When I tried the URL again, the domain
will be resolved and the web page displayed.  I have checked that if I use BIND
4.9.7 for NT (I have both versions and the BIND 4.9.7 box is a slave to the
internal domain we are hosting on the BIND 8.2.3 box), I have no such problem.

We forward all queries first to our parent company's DNS via our private
network.  The BIND 8.2.3 box has a "forward first;" and "forwarders {
161.93.207.98; };" in the options statement - 161.93.207.98 being our parent
company's internal DNS which will response with status "SERVFAIL" (from dig) for
any domains that it is not authoritative on.  The 4.9.7 box has similar
configurations ("forwarders 161.93.207.98" in named.boot).  Our parent's DNS
seems to work properly.

I am suspecting the problem that I have has something to do with the "forward
first" configuration.  I am suspecting that BIND times out before it gets an
answer from other DNS other than our parent company's DNS.  Could this happen?
How do I find out what is causing the problem?  Is there a parameter that I can
set to lengthen the timeout period?  Or am I way off track here?

At the end of the mail, I have listed:
1.  named.conf for the BIND 8.2.3 box in question
2.  "dig in any cnn.com. @161.93.207.98" to note the result of a query that
161.93.207.98 is not authoritative on
3.  "dig in www.tmca.com.au. @161.93.207.98" to note the result of a query that
161.93.207.98 is authoritative on

Your input would be appreciated.

--

Stanley Liu
stanley.liu at tmca.com.au

############## start of NAMED.CONF ####################
options
{
 directory "c:\winnt\system32\dns\etc";
 notify yes;
 forward first;
 forwarders {161.93.207.98; };
 check-names master ignore;
 allow-transfer {localnets; 161.93.207.98; 10.9.100/24; };
};

logging
{
 channel special_log {
 file "c:\winnt\system32\dns\etc\special.log" versions unlimited size 20m;
 severity debug;
 print-time yes;
};
{
 channel query_log {
 file "c:\winnt\system32\dns\etc\query.log" versions unlimited size 20m;
 severity debug;
 print-time yes;
};
 channel null {
        null;
};
 category default { special_log; };
 category lame-servers { null; };
 category cname { null; };
 category queries { query_log; };
};

zone "."   IN {type hint; file "db.cache.txt"; };
zone "tmca.com.au"  IN  {type master; file "db.tmca.com.au.txt"; forwarders { };
notify yes; also-notify { }; };
zone "0.0.127.IN-ADDR.ARPA"  IN {type master; file "db.127.0.0.txt"; forwarders
{ }; notify no; };

############## end of NAMED.CONF ##############

############## start of dig (1) ##############
; <<>> DiG 8.3 <<>> in a www.isc.org. @161.93.207.98
; (1 server found)
;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch
;; got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: SERVFAIL, id: 6
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0
;; QUERY SECTION:
;; www.isc.org, type = A, class = IN

;; Total query time: 0 msec
;; FROM: IGSM038625 to SERVER: 161.93.207.98
;; WHEN: Wed Mar 07 13:38:33 2001
;; MSG SIZE  sent: 29  rcvd: 29
############## end of dig (1) ##############

############## start of dig (2) ##############
; <<>> DiG 8.3 <<>> in a www.tmca.com.au. @161.93.207.98
; (1 server found)
;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch
;; got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 6
;; flags: qr aa rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 1, ADDITIONAL: 1
;; QUERY SECTION:
;; www.tmca.com.au, type = A, class = IN

;; ANSWER SECTION:
www.tmca.com.au. 1D IN A  150.45.153.100

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
tmca.com.au.  1D IN NS tmca12079.tmca.com.au.

;; ADDITIONAL SECTION:
tmca12079.tmca.com.au. 1D IN A  150.45.153.95

;; Total query time: 1000 msec
;; FROM: IGSM038625 to SERVER: 161.93.207.98
;; WHEN: Wed Mar 07 14:03:34 2001
;; MSG SIZE  sent: 33  rcvd: 100
############## end of dig (2) ##############