DNS Setup

Flashster · 26th May 2006

Background:
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I am setting up (or will be soon) a colo w2k3 server mainly for hosting web sites I design for my clients (small businesses). The clients will only have 'write' access to the server by way of the content managment system I integrate with their web site.

I will only have 1-2u of space (i.e. 1 server which I've yet to build), 1 power socket, and a small number of IP addresses. I am familiar with w2k server, but have yet to get my hands on w2k3, hence some of my questions below.

I think it would be useful to be able to a limited number of pop mail accounts with my web offering so I'm considering running a smallish mail server on the server too.

My questions are:
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How do I handle the DNS?
The primary and secondary DNS's would be run by the domain registrar usually right??
Do I need to have a seperate one? In which case would/could I use the built in w2k3 DNS service in the same server?
What about queing of incoming mail if the server goes down - I notice some third party DNS companies offer mail holding for a period of time if the mail server they are forwarding to is off line - is this worth having?

[I am hoping I can run several mail domains on the one IP address, and the web sites will be virtual folders on the 1 IP ( in most cases).]

Any advice/epxerience much appreciated.

Flash

netserve · 26th May 2006

You can run primary mail and DNS on your server and outsource backup mail and secondary dns to a third party which would work well.

Not many small providers seem to take the option of secondary dns and mail on a separate network so you see lots of xx.xx.xx.1 and xx.xx.xx.2 name servers kicking about that are usually hosted on the same box and lots of domains with only 1 mx record.

Your domain registrar may be able to host the dns zones for you and allow you to manage them but most just allow you to set remote name servers and you'll need somewhere that will act as a proper secondary dns service and run a zone transfer or you may need to have the remote name service set as master and enter the zones by hand. (I can't think of any dns providers that will import your zones and run a secondary service)

MDHosting · 22nd June 2006

You can also use a free secondary DNS provider...

http://www.zoneedit.com (they also provide backup MX service)

http://soa.granitecanyon.com/

http://freedns.afraid.org/

http://www.everydns.net/

JamesSykes · 22nd June 2006

Personally i would pay for a dns hosting service from a reputable company.

Most will also offer a secondary MX solution that will allow your mail to be queued up should your main server go down.

Jon-NC · 22nd June 2006

A vps with your provider or even another provider (in another dc for redundancy) with secondary DNS and backup mail would do the trick nicely.