Question about the content of the /etc/resolv.conf

[Cricket Liu]

John wrote:
> Question about the content of the /etc/resolv.conf
> 
> Our /etc/resolv.conf looks like that:
> 
> # more /etc/resolv.conf
> domain amsterdam.nl berlin.de brussel.be vienna.at madrid.es
> helsinki.fi 

The domain directive only takes one argument, the domain name of
the local domain.

> I have ever followed the HP DNS course and they mention to put all the
> domains in the /etc/resolv.conf

Oops.

> Is it necessary to put all the domains (berlin.de brussel.be vienna.at
> madrid.es helsinki.fi) behind the keyword domain?? If yes WHY?? If not
> can I remove them??

If you really want to put all of those domain names in the search list,
you need to use the search directive, not domain:

search amsterdam.nl berlin.de brussel.be vienna.at madrid.es

Then, if someone tries to ping foo, the resolver will look up

foo.amsterdam.nl
foo.berlin.de
foo.brussel.be
foo.vienna.at
foo.madrid.es

cricket

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