Avoid all this by using someone like GoDaddy.com or Register.com
I'll agree to a point, but this isn't for my companies main web site, it's
for a test domain, and it's a hassle to keep calling the ISP to make changes,
so I'm going to take control of it myself.
I NEVER indicated "ISP" but said specifically the Registrar.
And without going into detail I meant those Registrars which
provide a web interface where you can make the changes yourself.
Most (many) ISPs do not provide such services and you are
much more likely to switch ISPs than to need to switch
Registrars.
Put it at the Registrar. Not your Server nor the ISP.
It's odd that MS wouldn't have something on the site. I can find plenty of
guides and articals for setting up internal DNS, but nothing on specifically
on public DNS.
It's not really an MS specific issue -- nor does it really affect
the domains etc.
Only the largest (in terms of Internet presence) companies
should even attempt their own DNS for external zones.
E.g., Microsoft (themselves), Amazon, LandsEnd and such.