Normally a reseller would be assigned name servers to use by the host, eg nsX.host.com. Or with private label name servers, the reseller can use nsX.reseller.com.

Is it possible for the reseller to subscribe on his own to a third-party or outsourced DNS service and point nsX.reseller.com to the IPs provided by the service?

If yes:

Do hosts normally allow this?

What info does the reseller have to provide the host?

What does the host have to do on their server to allow this?

What does the reseller have to do in WHM to allow this?

Are there any advantages to doing this? Perhaps making moving hosts easier??

Are there any disadvantages to doing this?

Yes! It is possible.

You manage the outsourced DNS and point the A records to the IP used to host the domains.

This solution is very usefull if you change to another host.

I am using this solution.

Regards.

If you're using cPanel when someone creates say a subdomain or adds an add-on domain it won't work straight away as you need to make the changes on the DNS server.

Edit: You can use wildcard DNS if you wish to avoid this. You will still have problems with add-on domains, though.

-GSV

Elix,

Not problems, I don't think that's the right word - but slowdown in site-going-live time as you would then have to add the domain to the managed DNS provider as well as add it into cPanel or other control panel (some may not allow you to unless it confirms that it's on the local nameservers, depending on how it's configged.)

So the reseller would have to request the host to do some configuration in the control panel if this method is used.

I was hoping that the reseller could manage it totally on his own without having the host to do anything.

Yes this is something very commonly done with dyndns.org or such services.

But I would still always recommend running the DNS that the host gives you.

Any specific reasons for recommending running the host's DNS?