My ISP normally takes care of DNS for me.
Now I am running my own server. I used dnsmadeeasy web site for a few sites but would like to run my own dns server.
I'm looking for pointers on where I can dig into what all is needed to set up my own DNS server, what software is used by you all etc.

Setting up a DNS server shouldn't be that difficult. I think this website might be of some assistance.

http://tldp.org/LDP/lame/LAME/linux-...me-server.html

When I set up my first DNS server, I had bought a book.

Well, as your profile says RHEL/Fedora, go here: http://www.linuxtopia.org/online_boo...5_ch-bind.html

I'm actually setting this up on CentOS, but RH info should marry up just fine with that. Thank you both!!!!!!!

Just in case I have to go to the book ...what book did you buy jerel4565, and would you recommend it or is it easy to get er done without the book?

Well the book I have is somewhat out of date (DNS and Bind, from 2000!) but I think these days being able to google around is just as sufficient. If you feel you may need a book, go to amazon and type in what you are looking for. I have bought plenty of good books off of amazon based on the reader feedback but I don't think you can go wrong either way.

Good luck.

The O'Reilly books are generally very good and thorough.

O'Reilly DNS and BIND (2006)

Pricing, New and used..

deliberate???

It depends on what you want the book to do. If your understanding of general networking is solid, it is much easier, but if your understanding of general networking is, well, a bit shaky, you'll want (need) something that covers some of that too (which DNS and Bind does).OTOH, there is a DNS cookbook (also O'Reilly, and one of the same authors), which just covers recipes for a number of scenarios, and that is probably better/easier for networking experts, and those who just want to get stuff done, but may be slightly dangerous for those who know nothing of networking.

Bind is probably easily the most commonly used software for publically-accesible DNS servers (and that seems to be what you are talking about, although you don't state that explicitly). There are options and Bind is a bit of a Swiss army knife
(think: trying to eat a steak with a Swiss army knife) and has had a bit of a history of having had to be hurriedly patched to deal with potential 'sploits, but may well be the right choice for this application.

Just bear in mind that if you go with Bind, your security expert (I think I know who that will be...although you could argue that its really your distro who is doing the grunt work) must keep on top the situation; there isn't a 'well, I'll put off thinking about it 'till next month, I'm busy now' option.