DOMAIN NAME SYSTEM (DNS) - HANDLING YOUR DNS RECORDS

DNS Basics
Common Types of DNS Requests
Handling Your DNS Records

In order to handle your DNS records, you need to have a DNS server which would "handle" (i.e. store information about) all hosts within your domain.

Theoretically, you can install your own DNS server, but this requires you to have a very reliable Internet connection (or two different Internet connections for primary and secondary DNS servers - for redundancy) and, typically, a dedicated computer. If this option interests you, check out one of these DNS software packages: BIND (Berkeley Internet Name Domain), the most commonly used name-daemon; DJBDNS (Dan J Bernstein's DNS implementation); MaraDNS; NSD (Name Server Daemon); PowerDNS

However, for the vast majority of users the option of running their own DNS server is both expensive and complex. These users can simply utilize somebody else's DNS server to store their records. In most cases, this role is played by your web hosting provider or your ISP, or your domain registrar. Another alternative is to use a commercial DNS service provider.

Typically, these organizations will provide you with a web-based interface allowing you to set up the correct values of DNS records associated with your domain.