Queries fail first time round

[Simon Hobson]

I have a longstanding issue with our BIND setup. If a domain has not 
been queried for some time, a query for a host in it often fails the 
first time, but then repeating the request results in a successful 
lookup. The lookup failures happen with a wide range of domains, so 
I'm pretty certain it's going to be something internal.

I have two internal servers :
1 - BIND 9.2.1 on RedHat 6.2
2 - BIND 8.2.2-P7 on SCO OpenServer 5.0.6a

1 is the master for all my internal zones, 2 is the secondary. Both 
are configured to go out to the root servers for everything else.

Nothing is ever logged by either server when a lookup fails. I don't 
know whether to blame my DNS servers or my clients - I have a 
suspicion that it might be my clients (I've personally only noticed 
this effect with Mac clients, but then I avoid windoze as much as I 
can) being too demanding and refusing to wait for an answer. Our 
connection is with Demon Internet at 64k over ISDN (which is up 
almost all the time these days).

Does anyone have any clues how to track this one down ?


-- 

NOTE: This is a throw-away email address which will reach me for as 
long as it stays spam-free, remove date for real address.

Simon Hobson, Technology Specialist
Colony Gift Corporation Limited
Lindal in Furness, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 0LD
Tel 01229 461100, Fax 01229 461101

Registered in England No. 1499611
Regd. Office : 100 New Bridge Street, London, EC4V 6JA.