DNS must be hosed: sendmail gives "host name lookup failure"

[Mark.Andrews at nominum.com]

> 
> I'm cross-posting this to comp.mail.sendmail and comp.protocols.dns.bind
> in hopes that I'll find someone with expertise in both.  Please forgive
> any breach of nettiquette...
> 
> When we run `sendmail -v user at hq1.epixtech.com` from anywhere in our
> domain (epixtech.com) we get the error:
> user at hq1.epixtech.com... Deferred: Name server: hq1.epixtech.com.: host
> name lookup failure
> 
> I can  `nslookup hq1` successfully and also `nslookup hq1.epixtech.com`
> successfully.  

	But have you tried to lookup the MX records?
	
	I've Bcc mst at US.DYNIX.COM so that remedial action can be taken.

	Neither of the servers for epixtech.com are giving out authortive
	answers.  Both return SERVFAIL when the MX record is being looked
	up.  This is usually due to a syntax error in the zone file.

	On top of this the nameservers registered with the com zone do not
	match the nameservers listed in the zone.  This will also cause
	operational problems.

	Mark

> 
> The resolv.conf file on the mail exchanger is pointing to our secondary
> DNS.  If we point it to an external DNS non-domain related (i.e., an
> ISP) DNS it works (but i'm not sure for how long since whatever we
> screwed up will be propogated...)
> 
> We've checked all the zone files and all /appears/ proper.
> 
> We're running BIND 8.2.2 and SENDMAIL 8.9.3.  We are currrently using
> our DNS box as our mail exchanger. 
> 
> I would appreciate any suggestions as to where I might look!
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> David Brownell
> 
> P.S.  email would probably be pointless, since sendmail isn't working
> properly!
> 
> 
--
Mark Andrews, Nominum Inc.
1 Seymour St., Dundas Valley, NSW 2117, Australia
PHONE: +61 2 9871 4742                 INTERNET: Mark.Andrews at nominum.com