Redundancy or secondary DNS - 2 ISPs

[Bob Little]

Hi,

It's apparent to me that I do not understand the myriad of options, 
features and concepts of DNS configuration.  Maybe I don't really have a 
DNS issue here - I don't know.

Background -
I have two seperate DNS servers:
ns1.gddirect.net is on a Road Runner network: 24.199.173.56/255.255.255.248
ns2.gddirect.net is on a DSL network: 216.237.238.82/255.255.255.248

The idea was to have ns1 and the Road Runner be our default gateway, and 
  in the event of a server or ISP failure, ns2 and the DSL connection 
would become the default gateway via some ethernet card re-aliasing.

But what I'm finding is that when the primary server - ns1/Road Runner 
is offline/crashed/shutdown, my domain gddirect.net cannot be reached at 
all - even though ns2 is up and running.

Maybe I'm expecting DNS to do something it isn't designed to do.  I know 
I have some configuration issues, but I don't know what topics in TFM to 
R up on.

Sorry if I haven't provided enough info, it's been a *very* long day.

**********************************************
NS1's zone file:
$TTL 3600
gddirect.net. IN  SOA ns1.gddirect.net.  rlittle (
       2005041105 ; serial
       3600 ; refresh
       3600 ; retry
       604800 ; expire
       3600 ; ttl
       )

@ IN  NS  ns1.gddirect.net.
@ IN  NS  ns2.gddirect.net.

@ IN  MX  10  mx1.gddirect.net.
@ IN  MX  30  mx2.gddirect.net.

@ IN  A 24.199.173.58
@ IN  A 216.237.238.82

mx1.gddirect.net. IN  A 24.199.173.58
mx2.gddirect.net. IN  A 216.237.238.82

ns1 IN  A 24.199.173.58
ns2 IN  A 216.237.238.82

********************************************
NS2's zone file:
$TTL 3600
gddirect.net. IN  SOA ns2.gddirect.net.  rlittle (
       2005041105 ; serial
       3600 ; refresh
       3600 ; retry
       604800 ; expire
       3600 ; ttl
       )

@ IN  NS  ns2.gddirect.net.
@ IN  NS  ns1.gddirect.net.

@ IN  MX  10  mx2.gddirect.net.
@ IN  MX  30  mx1.gddirect.net.

@ IN  A 216.237.238.82
@ IN  A 24.199.173.58

mx2.gddirect.net. IN  A 216.237.238.82
mx1.gddirect.net. IN  A 24.199.173.58

ns2 IN  A 216.237.238.82
ns1 IN  A 24.199.173.58

*******************************************

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Bob Little
Graphik Dimensions, Ltd.
High Point, NC


-- 
Bob Little
Graphik Dimensions, Ltd.
High Point, NC