Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:46:47 +0200 From: Rick van Hattem <Rick@fawo.nl> To: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org Cc: Paul Schenkeveld <paul@psconsult.nl> Subject: Re: looking for gigabit network appliances Message-ID: <201103281946.47938.Rick@fawo.nl> In-Reply-To: <20110328172947.GA45413@psconsult.nl> References: <20110327131643.GA36085@psconsult.nl> <AANLkTikmD1XsLhRSxeXGiuZ1hj9tLQ9kZtj6jcOn16U2@mail.gmail.com> <20110328172947.GA45413@psconsult.nl>
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On Monday 28 March 2011 19:29:47 Paul Schenkeveld wrote: > On Sun, Mar 27, 2011 at 10:04:11AM -0400, Maxim Khitrov wrote: > > On Sun, Mar 27, 2011 at 9:16 AM, Paul Schenkeveld <freebsd@psconsult.nl> wrote: > > > Hi, > > > > > > I've been happily using many Soekris network appliances for almost 10 > > > years now but Soekris is not in a big hurry to come with a gigabit > > > platform :( > > > > > > So I am looking for for a decent network appliance platform to start > > > replacing Soekris boxes. Â On my wish list are: > > > > > > Â - Can run FreeBSD >= 8.2 (i386 or amd64). > > > Â - Models with 4 to 8 (or more) network interfaces, at least 4 gigabit > > > Â Â but all gigabit is better. Â Preferrably Intel em or igb chips. > > > Â - Preferrably a choice of low power CPUs (Intel Atom D510/D525?) and > > > Â Â more powerful CPUs (Core 2/Xeon) > > > Â - Bootable from flash or (SATA 2,5") SSD > > > Â - 1U rackmount models available but preferrably also small passively > > > Â Â cooled desktop boxes. > > > Â - Serial console preferrable over VGA console. > > > Â - IPMI would be a plus but not absolutely required. > > > Â - Distribution channel in Europe. > > > > > > Any ideas? > > > > > > Thanks in advance, > > > > > > Paul Schenkeveld > > > > I spent the past few months looking for the same thing in US. > > Unfortunately, I haven't found any existing devices that meet those > > criteria. The Soekris net6501 [1] should be out some time this year, > > as you may already know, but there has been very little information > > about the time frame. > > > > In the end, I decided to build my own system, which would meet most of > > your requirements. The components are listed below: > > > > Motherboard: Supermicro X7SPA-HF-D525 (Atom D525) > > Memory: Crucial CT2KIT25664BC1067 (2x2GB DDR3 1066) > > Network Card: Intel E1G44HT (4-port gigabit) > > SSD: OCZ Vertex 2 OCZSSD2-2VTXE60G > > Enclosure: Thermaltake Element Q VL52021N2U > > > > The final price for all components was ~$680. > > I've been looking at Supermicro too, that would solve the problem when > no more that 6 interfaces are needed. However I have a number of boxes > with 7 (net4801+lan1741) or 8 (net5501+lan1741) interfaces in production > and those are the first ones that need replacement. Anyway, thanks for > sharing your experience! Perhaps a device like that in combination with a managed switch can be an option? Assuming that you don't expect to fill all gbit ports simultaneously ofcourse. Just trunk a few connections with LACP and use 802.11Q to give every switch connection a separate interface on the box and you've got a system that easily supports 24 gigabit ports. You can use a Procurve 1810G-8 which is only ~$80 in addition to just about any machine with one (or a couple) of gigabit ports. Rick van Hattemhelp
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