Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 10:31:44 +0000 (GMT) From: Jim Dixon <jdd@vbc.net> To: Ulf Zimmermann <ulf@Lamb.net> Cc: Dror Matalon <dror@dnai.com>, isp@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Router Purchase - the bottom line Message-ID: <Pine.BSI.3.91.961115102015.19498D-100000@avon-gw.uk1.vbc.net> In-Reply-To: <961115010828.ZM14684@Gatekeeper.Lamb.net>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
On Fri, 15 Nov 1996, Ulf Zimmermann wrote: > > Am I the only paranoid person on this list or are there other people > > that would not feel comfortable running FreeBsd as a router unless > > they were mirroring the disk. FreeBsd are great servers, but if > > anything fails it's the disk. I'd rather not have this extra > > risk on my routers. > > No, you are not. I am totaly paranoid regarding moving parts, like harddisks > primary. Ok, a Cisco has also a fan, but in a 2501 it doesn't matter so much if > it doesn't work, if the machine room is correctly designed. And a 7xxx tells > me, if the temperature gets to high. That are just convient things. We have many UNIX based routers. Our experience is * Frequent problems with applications (for example name servers) running on routers; these sometimes cause the router to lock up. Solution: don't run applications on routers. * Frequent problems with LAN interfaces locking up. Crude solution: a cron job that checks the interfaces every few minutes and toggles them if they aren't working. Better solution: driver mods; we are working on this. * CPU fan failures. About 10-15% have failed in a year. * Occasional motherboard problems. * Zero hard disk failures in the field That is, the real problem is in the software. The hardware is far more reliable. CPU fans are the least reliable bit of hardware. Hard drives are very reliable indeed, just like their MTBF figures suggest. -- Jim Dixon VBCnet GB Ltd http://www.vbc.net tel +44 117 929 1316 fax +44 117 927 2015
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?Pine.BSI.3.91.961115102015.19498D-100000>