/etc/hosts file

For arcane security reasons, I'm not permitted to start a name server on a particular box. Therefore I'm trying to use /etc/hosts.

Given that /etc/nsswitch.conf contains a line as follows:
hosts: files dns

Adding the following to the /etc/hosts file:
192.168.1.123          box1.private.xyz              box1
allows 
ping box1 
or 
ping box1.private.xyz
to function as expected resolving to the 192.168.1.123 address.

Keying in:
host box1
or
host box1.private.xyz
fails on nxdomain. Why? Anyone know how to get 'host' to use /etc/hosts? I thought all utilities using library functions follow the nsswitch.conf specification for resolution.

Also, I'm unable to put any kind of reverse address resolution into the /etc/hosts file that works.

Anyone know of a way to modify /etc/hosts to allow something like ping to reverse resolve as in:
ping 192.168.1.123 
and have it display the hostname next to the ip address?


Bill Gradwohl
[email protected]
(817) 224-9400 x211
www.ycc.com