[root@ns etc]# ps -ef | grep named
named 25171 1 0 Feb05 ? 00:02:32 /usr/sbin/named -u named
root 8958 8028 0 11:08 pts/0 00:00:00 man named
root 8961 8958 0 11:08 pts/0 00:00:00 sh -c (cd /usr/share/man && (echo ".ll 14.1i"; echo ".nr LL 14.1i"; echo ".pl 1100i"; /usr/bin/gunzip -c '/usr/share/man/man8/named.8.gz'; echo ".\\\""; echo ".pl \n(nlu+10") | /usr/bin/gtbl | /usr/bin/nroff -c --legacy ISO-8859-1 -mandoc 2>/dev/null | /usr/bin/less -is)
root 8962 8961 0 11:08 pts/0 00:00:00 sh -c (cd /usr/share/man && (echo ".ll 14.1i"; echo ".nr LL 14.1i"; echo ".pl 1100i"; /usr/bin/gunzip -c '/usr/share/man/man8/named.8.gz'; echo ".\\\""; echo ".pl \n(nlu+10") | /usr/bin/gtbl | /usr/bin/nroff -c --legacy ISO-8859-1 -mandoc 2>/dev/null | /usr/bin/less -is)
root 10602 8028 0 12:57 pts/0 00:00:00 grep named
[root@ns etc]# netstat -tanpl | grep 53
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:22 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 2453/sshd
[root@ns etc]# lsof | grep named
bash: lsof: command not found
[root@ns etc]#

About permissions change rndc.conf perms, so it's owned by group named and be group readable:

this is doen & tried to restart the named but same response

[root@ns etc]# /etc/init.d/named restart
Stopping named: ...........................................[ OK ]o response, killing with -TERM
Starting named: named: already running [FAILED]
[root@ns etc]#

Thanks

Why don't you use the RH way to restart named?

[root@ns etc]# service named restart
bash: service: command not found
[root@ns etc]# service named restart
bash: service: command not found
[root@ns etc]# cd /etc/init.d/
[root@ns init.d]# service named restart
bash: service: command not found
[root@ns init.d]#

Thanks

It seems that you don't have services installed.
As a last try, because I'm out of ideas, check the rndc key name if it's the same (rndckey) in /etc/rndc.key as in the 2 conf files. Maye you can keep a backup of it and use rndc-confgen to create a new one.

What I don't get is the fact that according to the logs, named starts (along with rndc) and stops right after, but "ps -ef" says it's still running, netstat confirms it's running and listening on port 53, but somehow rndc is not listening and there is nothing in the logs or at the debug output.

Tried the rndc.key. But no luck.
Do you think is this a RNDC problem or DNS server problem?
Thanks

This could be a common rndc problem, if you don't have rndc configured, or used the wrong rndc key in named.conf and rndc.conf.
In your case I really don't get it. According to logs named starts and shuts down after a while without any reason. Running ps sometimes shows named running (but not rndc) and sometimes does not. And all of this without any error message...

Could you give any suggetions on this?
Or any other place I can get some help on this?
Thanks

I've already told you to upgrade bind. Even if it will not resolve your problem it's a good practice for security reasons.
Doing a little search I've found that there are bugs (like this or this) in redhat bind package concerning starting/stopping bind.

I do Appreciate the time taken to listen for my problem. I will consider the aspets you said on this problem.
If youy find out any clue please let me know

Thank you very much
Regards
Milindra

Hi, I had the same problem and this was my solution:

1. Check /etc/resolv.conf file. It was wrong. The good content is:

search xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.com
nameserver 127.0.0.1

2. Stop bind service:
# /etc/init.d/bind9 stop

3. Start bind service:
# /etc/init.d/bind9 start

And now It works OK.