A new DNS puzzle

[Nathan Meyers]

OK, now that I've done my share of blathering about Bill Horne's DNS
problems, I've got my own mystery to present.

A heterogeneous network, getting DNS and DHCP services from a Win2K server
(hey, I didn't set up this network), includes some Linux boxen at fixed
IP addresses. The addresses of those Linux hosts are among those served
up by the Win2K-based DNS.

Some Win2K clients on the network are able to reach the Linux hosts
perfectly well for hours, a day, whatever... then they suddenly can't
reach those hosts by name - DNS lookup fails. Performing a "ping -a
<ip-addr-of-the-vanished-host>" from the Win2K client fixes the problem
(the "-a" causes a reverse DNS lookup to be performed).

Anyone recognize this problem?


Nathan Meyers
nmeyers at javalinux.net