Date: Thu, 1 Aug 1996 11:52:28 -0700 (PDT) From: Ulf Zimmermann <ulf@Lamb.net> To: jgreco@brasil.moneng.mei.com (Joe Greco) Cc: freebsd-isp@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Question about Cisco 2503i price Message-ID: <199608011852.LAA29414@Gatekeeper.Lamb.net> In-Reply-To: <199608011826.NAA26170@brasil.moneng.mei.com> from Joe Greco at "Aug 1, 96 01:26:50 pm"
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Ok, as my excuse :) I used web prices, mostly from neutronet.com(?) > > Ok, one more add from me. I calculated a 486 PC, maybe not the cheapest > > but modern. > > It's the cheapest you can buy new.. :-) > > However some of your prices are perhaps out of line. Seeing as how I > was just doing hardware cost calculations the other day I have some > fresh good numbers.. > > > 486DX4-100 AMD $45 > > DX5/133, that price. ADZ. No fan or heatsink req'd, even. Fine with me. > > > Motherboard with IDE and I/O $100 > > 8 MB Simm $55 > > Yep. > > > ATI PCI VGA $80 > > No way Jose! Cheapie ISA VGA, $28. > I don't like ISA cards, had to much problems with cards poping out of the slot. a cheap PCI might be around $50 or so. the ATI was the cheapest I found in that list I used. > > 3.5" Floppy $30 > > 500 MB HD $150 > > Thereabouts. > > > Case+powersupply $75 (man, these are expensive compared to .de) > > What!? My _nice_ Enlight cases cost $65. I can get tin cans for $35. The last cases I bought in .de (good cases) were around 70-80 DM. at that time $1 = 1.45 - 1.50 DM. > > > keyboard $18 > > You don't need a dedicated keyboard. I do. first reason, all my other systems are the small DIN connectors. Second if I need to unplug it from somewhere else, the keyrepeat rate is lost. I am just a believer in having a keyboard plugged in :) > > > Cogent PCI ethermet $80 > > Kingston PCI Ethernet $55 Ok, missed that one, $59 at neutronet. > > > ETinc 2 port serial $1095 > > There are cheaper options, particularly if you only need a single T1-capable > sync serial. That's an advantage over the Cisco. I wanted to compare simular configurations. So 1 Ethernet and 2 serial The ETinc has the plus of going up to 7 MBps on the prots, Cisco only 2 > > > Complete price = $1728 > > I count $1593. I count $1093 if you just need a sync ISDN-capable port. > > > Cisco 2501 with IP feature set would cost me $1756 > > > > not much of a difference. > > Pricewise? You can argue it either way :-) > > Featurewise? Probably VERY similar, with gated and all.. > > Performancewise? I suspect the FreeBSD box is set to kick some butt. > > Expandability? I know I can get 100baseT on the PC for cheap. Or multi > Ethernets. > > Out of the box usability? I suspect it may be a tossup once you dig through > the Cisco manuals. You probably have to do less _physically_ to the Cisco - > i.e. you don't have to assemble it (although I suspect Dennis provides > pre-built FreeBSD routers). > > Serviceability? I can get PC parts locally. On weekends. At midnight, if > need be. > > Support? FreeBSD has mailing lists. No guaranteed responses. Cisco has > full time engineers that will come out on site if needed. > > Cisco is compact. FreeBSD has source. Cisco has "no" moving parts. > (I'll grant that FreeBSD could be stuffed on a PCMCIA flash card). FreeBSD > can crash. Oh, wait, I've seen a Cisco do that too. Umm > > It looks to me like it's the choice between a van and a pickup. Both are > good for doing the moving. Each has specific advantages and disadvantages. > > I'm not arguing for or against either side, although I happen to think that > FreeBSD has more advantages (at least that I can think of). > > ... Joe > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Joe Greco - Systems Administrator jgreco@ns.sol.net > Solaria Public Access UNIX - Milwaukee, WI 414/546-7968 > Like I said, depending where I would put the system, enviroment, users, etc. I prefer sometimes a black box like a cisco. Also I am going to buy a Cisco because I need to get deeper into IOS,as the places I work use Cisco in larger numbers. But I will also build a FreeBSD box at the same time. One that out performs every Cisco in price/power. Or when can you get a cisco for under $2000 with 4 port Ethernet and 2 serial ports ;-) ULf. P.S.: I hate Agis, typing this message took > 20 minutes :( --------------------------------------------------------------------- Ulf Zimmermann, 1525 Pacific Ave., Alameda, CA-94501, #: 510-865-0204 Lamb Art Internet Services || http://www.Lamb.net/
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