From owner-freebsd-hardware@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Mar 28 19:59:52 2011 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 62E531065674 for ; Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:59:52 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from korvus@comcast.net) Received: from qmta07.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net (qmta07.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net [76.96.30.64]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 417DF8FC1C for ; Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:59:52 +0000 (UTC) Received: from omta20.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net ([76.96.30.87]) by qmta07.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net with comcast id QhgR1g0051smiN4A7jmhdz; Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:46:41 +0000 Received: from [192.168.2.164] ([206.210.89.202]) by omta20.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net with comcast id Qjm61g00a4Mx3R28gjmWvY; Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:46:38 +0000 Message-ID: <4D90E57D.2060001@comcast.net> Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:46:05 -0400 From: Steve Polyack User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; FreeBSD amd64; en-US; rv:1.9.2.15) Gecko/20110316 Lightning/1.0b2 Thunderbird/3.1.9 MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Paul Schenkeveld References: <20110327131643.GA36085@psconsult.nl> <20110328172947.GA45413@psconsult.nl> In-Reply-To: <20110328172947.GA45413@psconsult.nl> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Cc: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org Subject: Re: looking for gigabit network appliances X-BeenThere: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion of FreeBSD hardware List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:59:52 -0000 On 03/28/11 13:29, 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 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! Axiomtek makes a handful of devices which might interest you. Their NA-820 is a pretty solid platform for serial console, internal VGA headers, 7 Intel em(4) gigabit ethernet interfaces, and SATA support: http://axiomtek.com/products/ViewProduct.asp?view=429 We haven't had any trouble with running FreeBSD on them. I'm not sure about obtaining them in Europe, however.