SERVFAIL - dig and host

[bsfinkel at anl.gov]

Here are two queries:

     desktop% dig igpp.ucla.edu

     ; <<>> DiG 8.3 <<>> igpp.ucla.edu 
     ;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch
     ;; got answer:
     ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: SERVFAIL, id: 4
     ;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0
     ;; QUERY SECTION:
     ;;      igpp.ucla.edu, type = A, class = IN

     ;; Total query time: 66 msec
     ;; FROM: desktop.cis.anl.gov to SERVER: default -- 146.139.254.5
     ;; WHEN: Fri Oct 24 14:02:39 2008
     ;; MSG SIZE  sent: 31  rcvd: 31

     desktop% host igpp.ucla.edu
     Host igpp.ucla.edu not found: 3(NXDOMAIN)
     desktop%

When I do a "dig" and the result is SERVFAIL is there a way to determine
exactly what is causing the SERVFAIL?  I looked in the query.c source,
and I see that there are a number of cases that result in SERVFAIL.

Note that the "host" command returns NXDOMAIN.  I have not looked at
the source for "host".  Is that command converting SERVFAIL to
NXDOMAIN, or can the "host" command produce a SERVFAIL response?
Thanks.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Barry S. Finkel
Computing and Information Systems Division
Argonne National Laboratory          Phone:    +1 (630) 252-7277
9700 South Cass Avenue               Facsimile:+1 (630) 252-4601
Building 222, Room D209              Internet: BSFinkel at anl.gov
Argonne, IL   60439-4828             IBMMAIL:  I1004994