Internal roots and cache hints

[James Hall-Kenney]

Hi all,

A coupla questions regarding root server structures.

When a name server reads its local cache hints file does it just try the
entries from top to bottom until it finds a root server that responds?

Once it does this, it queries the responding root server for a list of all
root servers and then stores these in cache.  How does it then determine
which one to talk to?  Does it poll them to see who responds the quickest?
Is any preference given to the original server that responded?

The reason for asking is that we have a hub/spoke network and would like to
try and encourage caching only servers to talk to the slave at the nearest
hub site.

Tell me if I missed the page of DNS & BIND 3rd Ed. that covers this.

Cheers

James