DNS setup

Hi,

I am very new to DNS.
I have currently a situation that I was assigned to and would like your advise.
I would like to setup a primary & secondary DNS servers with my other server (mail, web) at a data centre.

Forgive me if I ask silly questions...
Questions to ask
1) Can I setup a DNS server together in the same machine as my web server? Or is it better to have it on its own? What is the common practice?
2) If I setup a DNS server on my machine in a designation rack, will it affect other systems that are found in the data centre?
3) During configuration of dns for a domain, is it correct to say if I configure the A, CName, MX, SOA, NS record, properly, a proper DNS record is created and be used immediately?
4) How do I create the linkage between a primary & secondary DNS server?
5) Most importantly (sorry I really do not know), if people use my DNS server, for example, usage as DNS servers for mail server to route mail out, will it able to access to other DNS info on other regular sites on the Internet other than other registered on my DNS server?

Are there any other concerns?
Please help, I can't find these answers in any regular books or sources.

Thank a million.
Jeffrey

1) Can I setup a DNS server together in the same machine as my web server? Or is it better to have it on its own? What is the common practice?

--- Yes you can set up your primary on the same box as web server. The secondary should be at a remote location. That's the purpose of a secondary (redundency). However you could set slave up on another machine if you wish.

2) If I setup a DNS server on my machine in a designation rack, will it affect other systems that are found in the data centre?

---- No

3) During configuration of dns for a domain, is it correct to say if I configure the A, CName, MX, SOA, NS record, properly, a proper DNS record is created and be used immediately?

---- Yes as long as the nameservers for the domain name have been changed and already propagated.

4) How do I create the linkage between a primary & secondary DNS server?

--- You edit your named.conf file and a a section for slave in addition to master.

5) Most importantly (sorry I really do not know), if people use my DNS server, for example, usage as DNS servers for mail server to route mail out, will it able to access to other DNS info on other regular sites on the Internet other than other registered on my DNS server?

--- Yes once you set up your dns server the entire internet can query your machine for an address.

Are there any options if you have only one box?