Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 01:40:27 -0400 From: "Steve Friedrich" <SteveFriedrich@Hot-Shot.com> To: "freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG" <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>, "Joe Raine" <questav@questronix.com.au> Subject: Re: Firewall? Message-ID: <199809290540.BAA03477@laker.net>
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On Tue, 29 Sep 1998 14:13:22 +1000, Joe Raine wrote: >Hi, >My company intends to become its own internet provider and I realise that >we have a lot of learning to do! I have had a look at MS NT4 Server with MS >Backoffice, but it costs a bomb and basically crippled an otherwise OK >Pentium 120MHz machine (Boy, did it slow down!!). FreeBSD will run quite nicely on a 120MHz system. > >I have been getting the FreeBSD newsletters for a while and have to admit >that they go straight over my head on the whole, but some info sticks, so >there's hope for me yet :) > >It looks like FreeBSD is fast and efficient. My questions... > >1. Is the learning curve horrendous for someone who is only versed in DOS >and Windows? The short answer is YES. But you don't have to learn everything to get started. And the payoff is well worth the effort. The basic problem, and I'm really not trying to insult you, is that you haven't learned anything about real computer operating systems yet. DOS and Winblows are just barely better than CPM. They are attempting to grow up to be real operating systems, but they'll never make it. > >2. Will there be any compatibility problems integrating a FreeBSD machine >into a Win'95 peer-to-peer network? You'll have to use Samba in the ports collection to use it as an SMB server/client. But you can also connect via TCP/IP. I use FreeBSD at home as my Internet gateway. My Winblows machines connect thru it to the Internet, as does OS/2, and other FreeBSD boxes. >3. Does FreeBSD have a firewall built-in or is that available as a >similarly-priced add-on? Yes. The firewall costs the same as FreeBSD. It's freaking free, dude. >4. We want to offer on-line transaction facilities eventually. Is FreeBSD >up to the task, especially in regard to security issues? FreeBSD can be more secure than any Winblows platform to date. >5. I would prefer to purchase the CD-ROM version of FreeBSD, is a printed >manual also available? I recommend you get the book, "The Complete FreeBSD" from Walnut Creek CDROM. See http://www.cdrom.com/ or get there via http://www.freebsd.org/ And my recommended reading list for all new system admins... You need to read about the hierarchical UNIX filesystems and "mount points". These concepts should be covered in UNIX introductory books, such as "Understanding UNIX" "A Conceptual Guide" published by Que (my copy is dated 1983). If you are *really* new to UNIX and computers in general, i.e., your introduction to computers was by IBM/Microsoft/Intel, then you should read an introductory book aimed at users, such as the one mentioned. Another book aimed at users that I found really good are written by a guy named Sobell. I think his first name is Mark. I'll look these books up on http://www.amazon.com/ and put the info at the bottom of the page... If you are going to be the system administrator for a FreeBSD system, then you also need a book describing system admin. There are a plethora of system admin books on the market, but for FreeBSD, the one most applicable, IMHO, is "Unix System Administration Handbook" by Evi Nemeth, Garth Snyder, and Scott Seebass and published by Prentice Hall. My first edition was published in 1989, but they printed a second edition in 1995. In addition to the following books, check the following documents for further suggestions: http://www.ora.com/ O'Reilly publishes some great work http://www.freebsd.org/handbook/bibliography.html FreeBSD suggestions I found the following info on http://www.amazon.com/ Understanding UNIX : a conceptual guide James R. Groff Availability: This title is out of print. Although it is no longer available from the publisher, we'll query our network of used bookstores for you and send an update within one to two weeks. ASIN: 0880220643 A Practical Guide to the Unix System Mark G. Sobell Our Price: $37.95 Availability: This title usually ships within 24 hours. Paperback - 800 pages 3rd edition (October 1994) Addison-Wesley Pub Co; ISBN: 0805375651 Unix System Administration Handbook Evi Nemeth, Garth Snyder, Scott Seebass, Trent R. Hein Our Price: $63.33 Availability: This title usually ships within 24 hours. Paperback - 779 pages 2nd Bk&Cd edition (October 1995) Prentice Hall Press; ISBN: 0131510517 and of course: The Complete Freebsd Greg Lehey Our Price: $69.95 Paperback Book and 4 CD Roms edition (May 1998) Walnut Creek; ISBN: 1571762272 Unix systems measure "uptime" in years, Winblows measures it in minutes. To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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