Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 14:03:10 -0700 From: Nick Jennings <nkj@namodn.com> To: Derrick Ryalls <ryallsd@datasphereweb.com> Cc: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Linux vs. FreeBSD Message-ID: <20021023140310.G30156@namodn.com> In-Reply-To: <006101c27ad1$2b410470$0200a8c0@bartxp>; from ryallsd@datasphereweb.com on Wed, Oct 23, 2002 at 01:17:10PM -0700 References: <006101c27ad1$2b410470$0200a8c0@bartxp>
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Hi Derrick, On Wed, Oct 23, 2002 at 01:17:10PM -0700, Derrick Ryalls wrote: > I don't want to start a Linux/FreeBSD flamewar, but I do need some info > > I have an associate who will be making major changes to their network > and want my help/advice. He intends to have a something like this: > > ----Web server (Public IP) > inet ----- router( Public IP) --- / > \____DMZ (Private IPs) > > > The DMZ will house his mail, misc. servers and workstations. > > They might use some CISCO equipment for the router but it would limit > them to 10mbs, and he would rather have 100mps. > > His first thought besides CISCO was Linux, as some of his clients use > Linux and it is a good idea to use what your clients use. I have almost > zero experience with Linux, but I am a FreeBSD fan, so naturally, I > recommended it to him. I tried to give him some of the > benefits/hinderances to using either, but I am not well enough versed in > Linux to give good data. > > I was hoping someone on this list might have real data/reasons to use > one or the other. Valid concerns are: security, compatibility, > stability, flexibility, support, etc. > > Some concerns I have with Linux are the variety of distros available for > Linux, even if clients are using it, which ones are they using, etc. > Also, I am naturally biased to FreeBSD because I have used it for quite > a while. Well, first of all, on a router, it doesn't really matter what the clients are using, they should never "see" the router anyway. So really I would just think about what a router does, and wich one (Linux or BSD) would best suit the task. Linux and BSD both have excellent routing capabilities, no doubt. I think the main thing to consider here is the firewall, since as I understand it, that's the point where Linux and BSD begin to differ. I am not too familiar with FreeBSD ipfw capabilities, (Or firewall's in general), but I suggest that what's you take a look at to determin what will be best for the job. Does your client need a statefull firwall? I know Linux can do this with the 2.4 kernel, can FreeBSD? (I would assume so)... Also, another concer for a router is security updates. The BSD's have very good security update proceedurs, (Maybe you should use OpenBSD?), some Linux distro's are *very* good about this as well, especially Debian. Just some things to consider. - Nick Jennings - nkj@namodn.com To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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