Okay, I think I have found the forum to ask this question -

I am planning on adding web hosting to my companies list of services.

Yes, I already know how much time and effort it will take. But, I have MAJOR setup questions

Okay, I plan on running Linux 7.2 with Ensim WEBpliance 3.11.

After I buy the server, buy webpliance.. WHAT is next?


I really don't know much about this whole DNS nameserver thing, which is why I need to know. Lets says I have 2 servers for an example..

I want any domain I make to be hosted on server 1 to have the nameservers ns1a.mydomain.com and ns1b.mydomain.com and anyone on server to be have nameservers ns2a.mydomain.com and ns2b.mydomain.com - How do I make all that work? Do I buy 2 static IP addresses? If yes, where do I buy them? - Then (help me out ensim users) what do I need for my server name, and domain name, and ip address, and default gateway? I don't know any of this stuff... I really *really* want to offer hosting and I just can't find the answers I need.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

anyone? :confused: :(

2 servers... 2 sets of nameservers.

SERVER ONE
ns1a.domain
ns1b.domain

SERVER TWO
ns2a.domain
ns2b.domain

that is 4 IP addresses, and you get the IP's from the datacentre your box is located in.

If you are planning to setup all this stuff yourself but dont know anything about DNS then i would think about spending a lot of time learning first, or your customers will be seriously let down :)

personally i think you should stick with ns1 and ns2 always.

So for 2 servers use:

ns1.server1.domain.com
ns2.server1.domain.com

then
ns1.server2.domain.com
ns2.server2.domain.com

Dont know why it just looks simpler and easier to remember.

Hi,
You might want to look into becoming a reseller for another company. If you don't know about DNS, I doubt you will have an easy time running a web server.

I also think that a reseller solution might be your best bet as maybe you could learn a little more about how DNS and other aspects of running a hosting company are setup before you actually take the big plunge.. I would have to disagree with DNS being the first thind and suggest that securing your server should be first priority as when you first get your server alot of times they have vulnerabilitys that have not yet been patched.

Yeah, I agree with OKIHost, get yourself a reseller provider and live off of that until you begin to pick up on your business, and THEN consider getting a server--if you have the staff to manage it and handle support requests.

Otherwise, you could be putting yourself in an oddball situation.

I have the staff to handle it, and I don't plan on opening up web hosting to the list of services until late or mid summer next year. Which is why I'm asking questions now. I plan on learning and I plan on doing it right.

I personally don't want to be a reseller. It just means I'm always living off of someone else and I'll always be charging more. I'm just going to learn :P

This one can be a good start to understand setting up DNS: http://www.ensim.com/support/wpls/documents/lwp_ls_dns_host_config_guide.pdf

See, I read that and it did give me a good understanding, however, it didn't tell me how to get those nameservers, register them... whatever..

and exactly how DO I do that? I found out how to get the static IPs, now how do I associate the IPs with ns1.mydomain.com and ns2.mydomain.com?

Do I do this with a registrar? If so, where do you guys go?

Originally posted by Lirath
See, I read that and it did give me a good understanding, however, it didn't tell me how to get those nameservers, register them... whatever..

and exactly how DO I do that? I found out how to get the static IPs, now how do I associate the IPs with ns1.mydomain.com and ns2.mydomain.com?

Do I do this with a registrar? If so, where do you guys go?

It should be an option with your registrar

Just point them in your DNS Bind Manager (They should be already by default)

Simple login to your webpplicance goto the DNS manager and fill in those 2 records in the domain with 2 ips

Also ask the company that supplied your ips to do a reverse dns lookup for each ip to the nsx.xxxx.com