Setting up a web server

Question

Hi,
I have four or five domains registered and now I’m paying for web hosting (not much, but…). For many months now, I’m reconsidering to set up my own web server (I have DSL connection 24/7 so…).
One idea was to go with MS 2003 SERVER on some older PC I have, but since I’m not some expert (more or less dummy) for this things… gone down the toilet .
Then I bought an iMac (the best investment in past few years regarding computers) and on apple.com site I saw OS X SERVER software and more I was reading this more seemed that this is something for me, for my idea to set up a server.
Now I bought on eBay used G4 Mac Mini and I will install a OS X SERVER (please, don’t tell me that I’m trying to put a BMW engine into SMART… I know that and I hope that will somehow work… if not, there is still eBay to sell everything and there is still a toilet for my idea:-( ). However, the pages I own are not some crucial things for state security, but still I need PHP5 and MySQL (as far as I know OSX have this, right?).
My questions are:
To set up web server I need a DNS (like: nameserver.mydomain.com) otherwise nothing, right?
Do I have to register somewhere my own DNS like domains and to pay annually for this (any suggestion where)?
Hosting my other web sites (with other domains) on OSX will not be a problem. I suppose that OSX can do this?
If I have nameserver.mydomain1.com, will be a problem to set up an email server/account for mydomain2.com or I have to set up a DNS also for this second domain (will be on same server)?
I’m sorry, if my questions are stupid (on the other hand, someone said that there are no stupid questions, the answers can be stupid), but I’m really not familiar with this things.
Many thanks in advance and excuse me for my English,
M

Answer 1

Faganel, did you ever find a "Leopard Server as a Web-Server - Setup for Dummies" kind of guide or article?
If so, I'd really like answers and tips, to the same kind of questions you have.
I don't think this is the best forum, to ask for newbie-style advice. The people here are hard-working system-admins, who does web-server setups for a living, and they really don't have time, to answer questions like ours.
I've done dozens of Windows 2000 web-server setups at work, and the funny thing is, I could probably have helped you, had you gone with the Windows 2003 Server
However I'm trying to get some Xserves into our server room at work, and am evaluating Leopard Server here at home, and would like to do the same thing as you - Setup a Leo web-server with dyn-dns or something like that.
But because my knowledge is Windows, and because I've always worked with our own DNS and IP's, I'm having trouble getting my Leopard web-server here at home, to serve to the internet.
I can get it to serve perfectly to my own sub-net, but when I try to access it from the outside, I get nothing. I've setup my DSL-router to point web-traffic to the Leopard web-servers IP, but still get nothing.
However, I've just started, and I'm sure I'll get it to work, but some pointers would be really cool - obviously it can be done, just need to get my head around the fact, that I'm home and dealing with DSL and DSL-routers, and not the Ciscos and SonicWalls I'm used to at work
I must say though, that Leopard Server is an amazing product, and I'm positive well need to start buying Xserves from now on at work. The time saved setting them up and administering them, is HUGE when compared to the Win2000 boxes I have to fight every day at work
I also think Apple could make a very cool home-server, if they wanted too - I have no idea if it would sell, but Leo Server is almost so easy to setup now, that most people could get the hang of it ...
Anyways, if you or someone else has a guide, to getting it to serve webpages behind a DSL-router with a static IP, I'd be more than grateful - I'm sure this would impress my boss enough, that I'd get a handsome budget to explore Leopard Server some more - I't just awesome from a SysAdmins point of view.