HPUX Secondary DNS

[Juan de Los Palotes]

Hi Guys

I have on my /etc/resolv.conf this information

domain myserver.com
nameserver 10.1.1.120
nameserver 10.1.1.121

And on my /etc/nsswitch.conf, I have this

hosts: files dns

I have defined on dns 10.1.1.121 a name that isn't on 10.1.1.120, but when I try to do this on my server:

nslookup 10.1.1.150

TRY FILES
TRY DNS
10.1.1.150
Not Found

But when I try this

nslookup 10.1.1.150 10.1.1.121

Server: dns2.myserver.com
Address: 10.1.1.121

Name: server-4.myserver.com
Address: 10.1.1.150


How can I tell to HPUX that continue searching on the second DNS define on /etc/resolv.conf????

[Patrick Wallek · Accepted solution]

You are misunderstanding the function of the server in the resolv.conf file.

The 2nd server in the resolv.conf file will only be accessed if the query to the first server times out.

From the resolv.conf man page:

"The algorithm used is: Try a name server; if the query times out, try the next and continue until all name servers have been tried, then repeat trying all the name servers until a maximum number of retries have been made."

So, if you query DNS, and the query times out, then the 2nd nameserver will be queried. BUT, if you query DNS and the DNS server has no record of the host you are looking for, then that is the result you will get.

Your DNS SERVERS need to be configured such that if one doesn't know about something it will then forward the query to the other. This is done via the "forwarders" directive in the named.conf file on your DNS server.

[Juan de Los Palotes]

Thank You Patrick

For clarify me.