Expect NOERROR/NODATA, get SERVFAIL

[Andris Kalnozols]

It seems that BIND 8.3.3-REL does not want to cache a NOERROR/NODATA
response; SERVFAIL is returned instead.  Here's the scenario:

  Zone `uia.net' has the following data:
  $ORIGIN uia.net.
  test.freebsd            4H IN CNAME     freebsd
  rodopi.freebsd          4H IN CNAME     freebsd

  The interior label `freebsd' has no RRs associated with the node
  and so a QTYPE=ANY query should return NODATA.  The authoritative
  server running 8.3.3 indeed does:

  dig freebsd.uia.net any @NS2.uia.net

  ; <<>> DiG 8.3 <<>> freebsd.uia.net any @NS2.uia.net
  ; (1 server found)
  ;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch
  ;; got answer:
  ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 4
  ;; flags: qr aa rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 1, ADDITIONAL: 0
  ;; QUERY SECTION:
  ;;      freebsd.uia.net, type = ANY, class = IN

  ;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
  uia.net.                1D IN SOA       ns1.uia.net. dns.uia.net. (
                                          2002080504      ; serial
                                          1D              ; refresh
                                          1H              ; retry
                                          1W              ; expiry
                                          1D )            ; minimum


Making a recursive query to a third-party name server (crl.dec.com)
running BIND 8.2.3-REL also gives the same response although repeated
queries always have the AA bit set.  Does the default option setting of
`auth-nxdomain yes;' for BIND 8 also apply to NODATA responses as well?

However, the same query directed to my local name server running
8.3.3-REL returns SERVFAIL:

  dig freebsd.uia.net any

  ; <<>> DiG 8.3 <<>> freebsd.uia.net any
  ;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch
  ;; got answer:
  ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: SERVFAIL, id: 2
  ;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0
  ;; QUERY SECTION:
  ;;      freebsd.uia.net, type = ANY, class = IN

Is this a bug or a feature?

Andris