1x pfsense VM + 1x Win7 x64 VM <> J3355 CPU?

Spectrum48k

Just wondering if a J3355 would handle the job ? Spec here:
https://ark.intel.com/products/95597/Intel-Celeron-Processor-J3355-2M-Cache-up-to-2_5-GHz

pfSense requirement is for Firewall and OpenVPN 50-100Mbps

System Spec:
ASRock J3355M board
2x4GB DDR3L 1866
1x Intel Pro 1000 dual Gigabit ( for pfSense)
1x Intel Pro 1000 single Gigabit (for WIn7 + Esxi)
1x USB 3.0 32GB stick for pfSense
1x USB 3.0 32GB stick for ESXi v6.5
1x Intel SSD 80GB for WIn7
1x RAID 1 card with 2x1TB hdd

Hypevisor is VMWare ESXi 6.50a

Additionally, I need to check if its possible to do a nightly shutdown of the system. I can schedule this on the Win7 VM. Not sure about pfSense or ESXi ?

I held on for the new SG-3100, but now it's details are released, it appears Netgate are pricing themselves out of the home market at $349

Gertjan

You could install from USB just fine. But running from it …. don't.

Spectrum48k

@Gertjan:

You could install from USB just fine. But running from it …. don't.

Thanks Gertjan

Do you mean don't run pfSense or ESXi from USB (or both) ?

belt9

Yeah running OS from USB will kill it quick without offsetting writes with RAM Disks or disabling logs, etc.

Spectrum48k

so I'm limited on connectivity

can I utilise the internal USB 3.1 controller and run the OS from Compact Flash?

Are we talking both pfSense AND VMWare hypervisor?

belt9

I'm not familiar with VMware installation. Some OS are designed to boot from USB (FreeNAS), those OS load the OS from USB to RAM at boot and do little to no writing to disk after that. If VMware operates like that then boot from USB is fine.

pfSense does not operate like that, at least not without RAM Disks and some adjusting of logging.

belt9

You can do.a nightly shutdown of pfSense with Cron.

reboot -p now

I would.imagine you could do.something similar with VMware but couldn't say for sure.

Spectrum48k

So will pfSense work ok with Compact Flash?

If so, any particular variety?

Why the big no-no with usb 3.0?

Waqar.UK

@Spectrum48k:

So will pfSense work ok with Compact Flash?

If so, any particular variety?

Why the big no-no with usb 3.0?

There are so many articles on running pfsense on an SSD (or even a HD), why bother using any thing else.

belt9

There are also plenty of articles on why someone might bother using something else. ::)

thuety

I can't recommend running anything on/with USB/SD/removable media for more than 1h.
I've had trouble with pfsense on compact flash… and USB network adapters.

USB etc. just doesn't seem stable enough for long running tasks.

I just wish small SSD/eMMC were cheaper.

thuety

I'm using a ASRock J3455-ITX as my main W10 system.

And pfsense is on a Celeron N2930 (4x1.83GHz).
One core goes to 50% when I download with 250mbit/s (NAT only, no packages installed).

Good idea to use Intel nics… the Realtek ones won't make you happy.