newbie -DNS server setup

[Matthew Thompson]

> I have just got a new dedicated server and was asked by the hosting
provider
> to set up my own DNS server.

Welcome to the real Internet ;o)

> Here are a couple of questions:
> 1. I know I need two different IP addresses for a primary and secondary
> nameserver. Can I use those IP's for serving web pages as well?

Sure but ideally you want 2 IPs on different machines, better yet on
different networks and better still in different buildings seperated by a
fair geographical distance.

You should be able to ask your hosting company if they will perform
secondary (And possibly tertiary) DNS services for you - most do for a small
number of domains.

> 2. If I have my domain web-host.co.nz resolved by another nameserver, can
I
> then use ns1.web-host.co.nz and ns2.web-host.co.nz for my nameservers?

If your domain is already hosted on a nameserver then my suggestion would be
to leave it there if possible, if secondary services are already setup then
leave them as well. 

If you're only hosting one domain at the moment then you may find it safer
to have your main domain hoster by someone else while you play with another
domain to get yourself sorted out.

This way you'll not do anything that will affect your email or web hosting
while still being able to learn about how the DNS works.

M at t :o)