/etc/host multiple entries 2

[vodkadrinker]

I have a question on how the host file works with multiple ip's for one alias.

Personally I think DNS will fix my problem but I have been ask to check this way as well and I currently don't have access to an AIX server so your help will be greatly appriciated.

If the hosts file has for example:

/etc/hosts
10.1.1.1 hostname.com
10.1.1.2 hostname.com
10.1.1.3 hostname.com

If I then ping'ed or tried to connect to hostname.com and the first two ip's were not available would it pick up the 3rd ip.

I don't think it will but I'd just like to check.

Many thanks,
VD

 

[unixfreak]

It definitely won't cycle through them based on availability.

If you do that in DNS it will round robin serving the addresses but I doubt the resolver will do that. In fact, from experience I'm pretty sure it won't but I'll have to test it to be 100%.

 

[vodkadrinker]

Thanks, that was my thinking but you know when someone puts another point of view in I always like to check.

VD

 

[khalidaaa]

As a third opinion, No it won't!

Only the first occurence of the IP address will be resolved and if it is down then that's it!

Regards,
Khalid

 

[vodkadrinker]

Thanks, that's was my first thought but you know when someone throws doubt in there, just like to check.

Peter