From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Aug 22 13:07:40 2007 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 311DB16A469 for ; Wed, 22 Aug 2007 13:07:40 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from sonicy@otenet.gr) Received: from aiolos.otenet.gr (aiolos.otenet.gr [195.170.0.93]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 946B813C491 for ; Wed, 22 Aug 2007 13:07:39 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from sonicy@otenet.gr) Received: from atlantis.dyndns.org (athedsl-302539.home.otenet.gr [85.73.229.105]) by aiolos.otenet.gr (8.13.8/8.13.8/Debian-3) with ESMTP id l7MD7ZKQ021981; Wed, 22 Aug 2007 16:07:37 +0300 Message-ID: <46CC3517.9050404@otenet.gr> Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2007 16:07:35 +0300 From: Manolis Kiagias User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.5 (X11/20070719) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: "Bahman M." References: <6d62f69a0708210302h57c45e63nb08999b2ad03b831@mail.gmail.com> <20070821101607.GA3819@owl.midgard.homeip.net> <6d62f69a0708210350r75c1a0ach395e9f481df07f2b@mail.gmail.com> <6d62f69a0708220537rc5ee1an6ae8b50d3abd1b3b@mail.gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <6d62f69a0708220537rc5ee1an6ae8b50d3abd1b3b@mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Minimal gateway hardware configuration X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2007 13:07:40 -0000 Bahman M. wrote: > One other question -a bit silly: > If I use that configuration as the gateway, can it be left on and > working 24x7? I mean, regarding the _hardware_, how often does it need > to be powered off: once a day, once a week, ... to prevent hardware > failures such as HDD crash? > > Bahman > > > You will be pleasantly surprised to find out that with adequate cooling and a good quality power supply, most standard PCs can go on for ages without a single problem, no shutdowns, no reboots. A UPS is also recommended but definitely not required if the machine will not have mission critical data (as I understand, yours will not have any data at all...). In fact, from my experience, the 24/7 machines may be more reliable than others since they will not go the endless power up / down cycles that actually stresses components, both electronic and mechanical (like disks). Hard disks mostly wear out from constant head movement and not just by simply spinning idly. Low load machines, where IO bound processes are few, will have no problems with disk reliability. Just test the components (ie memtest, disk surface etc. esp. if old), install, turn on and "forget". FreeBSD will happily do the rest... forever that is :)