Private DNS or Jag DNS - Which Way?

[cstaley]

Another newbie with Freedom VPS and Interworx

What is the best practice:
1) Is it better for me to set up my own private DNS or to use Jag's?
2) What are the advantages/disadvantages of both?

Thanks!

[BrianF]

Private DNS on your VPS will only work if you DNS service is running, so if you have problems with your DNS server you site won't resolve. Using Jag's DNS servers would allow your DNS records to be served even if your DNS servers are down.

Private DNS allows you more control since you can change the records using your control panel or SSH.

[homoludens]

A big advantage of running your own nameserver is that you can set TTLs (time to live) really low. This will make DNS changes propagate much faster for many users, although you will still be at the mercy of some of the monolithically slow nameservers out there. You can also make changes and add new zones as and when you want to rather than having to fire off a ticket. New sites generally become available in a few minnutes, rather than a few hours.

The first VPS I had set up here, I carefully read some HOWTOs and got my nameserver correctly configured straight off the bat. The second time round, I managed to get everything horrifically wrong and ended up bugging tech support. I've been faintly wary of the whole thing ever since. So a disadvantage is being at the mercy of your own incompetence. For me, that's a big disadvantage. ;o)

The best solution is probably to have your own primary NS and a secondary NS with jaguarPC (or elsewhere, perhaps your domain registrar); having 2 nameservers on the same machine can mean both might fail due to local issues.

That's my newbie+1 response. I'm sure some more experienced folk can give you better ones.

[Ron]

Won't a lot of registrars allow you to run off of their nameservers?

[Vin DSL]

n/m

[homoludens]

Won't a lot of registrars allow you to run off of their nameservers?

Yes; an excellent example being aletiaNIC. ;o)

Is there any significance to your nick?

Personally, or in general?

[Vin DSL]

n/m

[homoludens]

Neither. It's a philosophy. Ish.

[tank]

I run my own nameservers and in 2 years of doing that, I've never had a problem with the DNS service and nothing else. Ususally it's apache or MySQL that messes up long before DNS. I liek it becuase it makes our services seem more in house when we tell clients to set DNS to our nameservers. I also like it for the control it affords me. I dont have to alert Jag every time I want to add a client.

[cstaley]

All my Domain Names are hosted with GoDaddy.
1) To keep the DNS separate from my VPS, is it possible to establish a private Domain Name Server with GoDaddy (which, I think is free since my domains are hosted with them) and then use that as my private DNS for the websites I host on my JagPC VPS?
2) If so...HOW?

(Please be gentle, I'm new)

Thanks.

[cstaley]

Private DNS on your VPS will only work if you DNS service is running, so if you have problems with your DNS server you site won't resolve. Using Jag's DNS servers would allow your DNS records to be served even if your DNS servers are down.

Private DNS allows you more control since you can change the records using your control panel or SSH.

What do you use: Private DNS or JagPC DNS?

[cstaley]

Vin DSL,

Do you use your own private DNS on your VPS, or do you use JagPC's DNS?

[AlexKall]

Don't think Vin is located on a VPS.

I use private, both has it's advanages. It depends on what you value most. Reliable service or control (can still be reliable though but not in the same extent)