Right now I have a W2k12 server at home that I run as a domain controller. This has the extra benefit of registering every "subordinate" computers name in it's DNS so that I don't have to go around remembering IP's all the time. (And it let's me easily run dhcp also on my servers).

I need to rework my home network for several odd reasons, and in this new scenario there is no place for a big honking W2k12 server box. I have a RasPI, and I have other smallish linux boxen I can use. (In a worst case scenario I'll use my NUC, but then I'll be forced to use my home cinema's UPnP-client for media... The HORROR!!)

Is it possible to set up a DNS-server-"appliance" that somehow autoregisters it's own hostname..

Scenario:

• Router (N66u) on 172.20.20.1. Runs DHCP on 172.20.20.100-200 range.
• Server [verdant] of a *nix flavor on 172.20.20.2
• Laptop [speedy] of W8 flavor on DHCP assigned
• Laptop [canary] of W8 flavor on DHCP assigned
• Desktop [lianyu] of Ubunto flavor on DHCP assigned

What I would like is that all of the above servers (except possibly the router) would be available on verdant.starling.lan and canary.starling.lan and so on. This is how it works right now (except the Ubuntu box... I haven't cracked that one yet) because Windows just does this for you.. I would also be able to do this without any manual labor on the server. When I tell my box it's name is smoak it should "immediately" be available as smoak.starling.lan without any extra configuration on my part.

How can I do this in a Linux (Ubuntu) environment?

(Bonus comment upvote for naming the naming scheme :P )