Running own mail server

[Steffen Kluge]

> I'm pretty sure I can get the sendmail part sorted, but DNS has me  
> confused. At the domain name site, I can put in two name server  
> fields.

Ed, no offense intended, but if the DNS side of things is confusing  
then sendmail is not for you. Switch to postfix right now and here,  
and concentrate on the DNS issues. Don't get me wrong, I've been a  
sendmail afficionado for two decades, but since I've moved most of my  
sendmail boxes over to postfix, well you know...

> Originally I thought I could just run DNS here on my Linux box. But  
> apparently from what I understand of the reading I'm doing I'd need  
> two servers to do this.

You could run just one DNS server for your domain, but this is  
considered very bad practice, and a lot of parent domain hostmasters  
won't let you do this. You have to have at least one secondary  
server, otherwise your whole domain disappears if your DNS server  
goes down for a lengthy period of time. First of all you have to  
establish whether your domain's registrar permits redelegation of  
your domain to your (or somebody's) DNS server(s).

> Other readings I'm doing are telling me to use my ISP's DNS servers  
> and have them set up the records for me.

If they will do that for free (or little money) that may be a valid  
option. You might lose the quick turn-around time for changing DNS  
records, compared to running your own DNS servers.

Cheers
Steffen.