PFSense on a HP Microserver

lalex86

Ok i know it is not a optimal configuration for pfSense but:

it is for a small company where an internet stop for two days isn't a problem
it can get it with 1x250HDD, 2TB RAM, 2 NIC (1 integrated+1one added) for 225 € (euro) that is the price of the smallest appliance i can get from applianceshop.eu
maybe now or in the future i'll virtualize the installation and have extra value.

Every case i'd like to know:

if there are hardware incompatibility installing pfSense without virtualization
if you have different suggestions for cheaper solution with same espansion possibilities.

Thanks
Alessandro

stephenw10

@lalex86:

2TB RAM

I think I can conclusively say that no matter what situation you have your pfSense box in you don't need that much ram! :D

But seriously, which specific expansion possibilities are you referring to?

Steve

lalex86

Sorry i mean 2GB ;D.
In essence how can i get this CPU, RAM and HD for 225 €?
With this configuration i can add Squid Proxing, VPN for clients or site2site, antivirus or other without problems.

matguy

I think what we're getting at is:

There are reported issues with getting this hardware to run pfSense, ones that may have been resolved, but no certain reports.

This hardware isn't exactly suited for pfSense, mostly from a cost standpoint, which, while you can get a good deal on it, it doesn't change that the hardware is more suited to other uses.

This hardware, from a performance and reliability standpoint with pfSense, isn't much better than a desktop, which you can get them for similar or less cost; ones that are confirmed to work well and don't have some of the limitations that this hardware does have (low profile PCI-Express, mainly.)

It doesn't seem that you're worried about power usage, so just about any desktop would work for you.

Certainly, you can do what you want, but not much of any of us are saying it's a preferred solution. If it works out well for you, though, I'm sure we'd like to hear about it, we kind of like to be proven wrong in situations like this (I think most of us here are more in it for the knowledge sharing than ego.)

stephenw10

Something that nobody seems to be mentioning here is that the CPU in these is nothing special. It's not very fast. Fine for a file server but it's not going to push much vpn traffic for example.
Even the cheapest current desktop machine will be far more powerful.

Steve

matguy

@stephenw10:

Something that nobody seems to be mentioning here is that the CPU in these is nothing special. It's not very fast. Fine for a file server but it's not going to push much vpn traffic for example.
Even the cheapest current desktop machine will be far more powerful.

Steve

Even the cheapest desktop machine from the last 5 years should be far more powerful.

johnpoz

"but it's not going to push much vpn traffic for example."

Agreed I wouldn't use it as for lots of concurrent vpn users - but for me that is no more than 1 ;) And it handles that just fine. It sure has more umph then the old P3 800mhz I use to run it on.. hehehe

lalex86

Ok i agree with you about some limitations. Can you suggest, for a similiar cost, a different (more pfsense suitable) solution? A small form factor desktop for esample or other. From the point of view of power usage the microserver seems to have lower demand to a desktop. I considered different solution like various recommended appliance ATOM-based with HDD but they cost 400-500+ euro…they don't have a good price-performance ratio compared to microserver?

I'd appreciate models or links to different solutions.

Thanks again Alessandro

stephenw10

There doesn't appear to be much by way of of the shelf systems in this power/price range. Are you willing to build it yourself?
If so consider using a low end Sandybridge such as in this build: http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,44269.0.html

If you don't mind having a less well known brand you can get such a system complete for very little. You would have to add a NIC to this for example: http://www.ebuyer.com/395304-zoostorm-desktop-pc-7873-1070

Steve

lalex86

FYI

Bought and configured:

MICROSERVER G7 AMD N40L 2GB 1X250GB LFF SATA NODVD
HP NC112T PCI EXPRESS GIGABIT SERVER ADAPTER
pfSENSE 2.0.1

all hardware components are recognized without problems and it runs smoothly.