Re: the GOV top-level domain

[Sean Donelan <SEAN () SDG DRA COM>]

> A has not been the authoritative source for .GOV for a while.
> Check G.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.  

Check WHOIS, it lists a.root-servers.net as a name server.

Registrant:
Government (US Federal) top-level domain (GOV-DOM)
   General Services Administration
   Center for Electronic Messaging Technologies
   1800 F Street, NW
   Washington, DC 20405

   Domain Name: GOV

   Administrative Contact, Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
      Borgoyne, Gary  (GB260)  gary.borgoyne () FED GOV
      202-501-6824 202-501-1337

   Record last updated on 02-Oct-97.
   Record created on 01-Jan-85.
   Database last updated on 21-Sep-98 04:08:47 EDT.

   Domain servers in listed order:

   A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET           198.41.0.4
   H.ROOT-SERVERS.NET           128.63.2.53
   B.ROOT-SERVERS.NET           128.9.0.107
   C.ROOT-SERVERS.NET           192.33.4.12
   D.ROOT-SERVERS.NET           128.8.10.90
   E.ROOT-SERVERS.NET           192.203.230.10
   I.ROOT-SERVERS.NET           192.36.148.17
   F.ROOT-SERVERS.NET           192.5.5.241
   G.ROOT-SERVERS.NET           192.112.36.4

   whois: whois.nic.gov
   web:   www.nic.gov
   email: registrar () nic gov


To see this host record with registered users, repeat the command with
a star ('*') before the name; or, use '%' to show JUST the registered users.

The InterNIC Registration Services database contains ONLY
non-military and non-US Government Domains and contacts.
Other associated whois servers:
   American Registry for Internet Numbers - whois.arin.net
   European IP Address Allocations        - whois.ripe.net
   Asia Pacific IP Address Allocations    - whois.apnic.net
   US Military                            - whois.nic.mil
   US Government                          - whois.nic.gov

Besides even if it wasn't also server the domain, the root-servers
should still return the NS records of the servers that are
servering top-level domains.

See for example the DIG for the SG top level domain.

# dig @198.41.0.4 sg. ns
; <<>> DiG 2.2 <<>> @198.41.0.4 sg. ns 
; (1 server found)
;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch
;; got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 10
;; flags: qr rd; Ques: 1, Ans: 5, Auth: 0, Addit: 5
;; QUESTIONS:
;;      sg, type = NS, class = IN

;; ANSWERS:
sg.     172800  NS      DNSSEC1.SINGNET.COM.sg.
sg.     172800  NS      AUTH02.NS.UU.NET.
sg.     172800  NS      NS.RIPE.NET.
sg.     172800  NS      DS.NIC.NET.sg.
sg.     172800  NS      NS1.PACIFIC.NET.sg.

;; ADDITIONAL RECORDS:
DNSSEC1.SINGNET.COM.sg. 172800  A       165.21.83.11
AUTH02.NS.UU.NET.       172800  A       198.6.1.82
NS.RIPE.NET.    172800  A       193.0.0.193
DS.NIC.NET.sg.  172800  A       202.42.194.205
NS1.PACIFIC.NET.sg.     172800  A       192.169.33.3

;; Total query time: 253 msec
;; FROM: drgate.dra.com to SERVER: 198.41.0.4
;; WHEN: Mon Sep 21 18:58:24 1998
;; MSG SIZE  sent: 20  rcvd: 237

-- 
Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO
  Affiliation given for identification not representation