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I am paying for a dedicated server (2.66GHz Duo, 2GB RAM) from GoDaddy.com; it is running Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition, and I have a static IP address.

The server is being used to host a web application. I have a domain name that I need to point at it, what do I need to do?

I thought I would need to add the DNS server role to this machine, but don't really know. I know the purpose of DNS and the basics, but I am definitely a novice at networking issues, I spend more of my time developing web applications than dealing with issues like these.

If you can point me in the right direction, that's all I really need. Do I really need to setup the server as a DNS server as well or is there something else I need to do? Will running DNS on this box adversely affect the web app?

Thanks!

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I would recommend setting an account up at EveryDNS. It will be much easier, and much more secure, than running your own - especially if this is a 'one off' domain you need to set up.

Also, GoDaddy gives you the choice to use their own DNS servers for hosting DNS. I don't use them (nor trust them) but that would be an option too, if it is registered via GoDaddy.

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  • Okay, I thought it was a bit much to be dealing with it myself - thanks for the link to EveryDNS - that should be perfect, the web app I am hosting is going to have a very short lifespan, it is for an niche-industry conference that lasts 4 days, and will be used for a month or so afterwards, but that's it. Thanks!
    – Jason Bunting
    Sep 23, 2009 at 1:03
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You do not need to (and IMHO should not) set up your server as a DNS server. If you're hosting a web site or sites, email, ftp, etc. you simply need to create the appropriate DNS resource records in your DNS zone using the tools available via your registrar (or the entity that hosts your DNS records, I'm assuming it's also GoDaddy). Log in to your account, find the DNS management tool and create whatever records you need.

For instance, create an A record for your server (server.yourdomain.com) that points to your static ip address, then create CNAME records for each "service" and point them at the A record. For instance, create a CNAME record named www that points to the A record (server.yourdomain.com). If you host multiple unique web sites on the same static ip address, add CNAME records for those and then set up host headers on your web sites.

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  • Thank you also for the information - I figured I shouldn't be running my own DNS server, seemed a bit risky to me. I really do appreciate your response!
    – Jason Bunting
    Sep 23, 2009 at 1:04
  • More than happy to help.
    – joeqwerty
    Sep 23, 2009 at 1:11

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