Cisco CE-507/560 Content Engines….Install pFsense?
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Just wondering if anyone here has ever worked with a Cisco Content Engine (ACNS). Since the ACNS software is Linux, and not a proprietary Cisco IOS, and considering the hardware is standard Intel CPU, chipset, etc.. I was thinking there should be a way I could use one of these to install and use as firewall. I do not think it would be a problem for pFsense to identity and support the hardware, but I think the problem is more with how to get the software installed. Anyone ever played around with one of these to see if it is possible? Is so this would be a really cheap hardware platform for projects like pFsense, FreeNAS, m0n0wall even. I know some of the older CE-507s can be found for less than $100.
If you know anything about these please let me know what you think of this.
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I dont see why not. Can you get a list of hardware and compare it to the hardware support page?
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Yup it works.
I just got it working on mine.
Specs for CE-507
-18GB Scsi LVD drive on a Symbios controller
-2x 100mbps intel onboard cards (VLAN capable)
-256mb ram
-P3 600mhz cpuTo install….
You will need the following
-Live CD (Does not work directly on the content engine as the install to harddrive uses a gui installer but still need it for vmware)
-Floppy Drive
-CD-drive (optional)
-vmwareStep1:
Since the cisco content engine supplies only a serial port and the embedded image does not come with the nessecary drivers for the symbios controller. You will need to install vmware and use the live cd to install a working version of pfsense onto vmware. You will need to create a scsi virtual drive. The virtual drive must have a size less than 18Gb. I found making it 5Gb, then partitioning the rest of the space later on the content engine is easier and aids in the imaging process as its faster. Since this will keep the /dev names accurate when we image it to the content engine.Step2:
The content engine needs to be booted up to a working shell prompt with networking support. Hence, find any linux on a floppy disk, and boot that. (Note that it must have netcat on it)If you are having troubles finding it use http://www.lrz-muenchen.de/~bernhard/grub-chain-cd.html to create a grub floppy that can boot the cdrom drive. You can then use a livecd. The livecd however must support serial console. By default the pfsense live cd does not. If your really strapped, you can enter "single user mode" on the pfsense live cd.
Step3:
On the vmware machine you will need to edit a few files. First remove the /var/IS_VMWARE file.
Next, in /boot/defaults/loader.conf, you need to locate the line which says#console="vidconsole"Replace this with
console="comconsole"You then need to edit /etc/ttys and change the console entry to:
console "/usr/libexec/getty Pc" cons25 on secureStep3:
Image the vmware virtual harddrive to the content engine. To do this, make sure network is enabled on both the content engine and the vmware virtual machine.Test connectivity by using ping.
Also note that it is recommended to perform the imageing process whilst not actively using the vmware virtual drive. Hence, bootup the pfsense livecd in vmware and do the image from there.
On content engine do:
nc -l -p 9000 | dd of=/dev/sdareplace /dev/sda with /dev/da0 if you using a BSD based OS as your live floppy/cdrom
on the vmware virtual machine do:
dd if=/dev/da0 | nc x.x.x.x 9000replace x.x.x.x with the ip address of the content engine
After a few hours, this should be complete and you should be able to boot the content engine into pfsense.
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I know this is old, but I'm sure someone else will attempt this or something similar and I hope my experience will help them.
In addition to the specs above, it also has both floppy and IDE headers, but cannot boot from ide cdrom. I have not tried booting from ide hd nor scsi cdrom. It has all sorts of headers on the board that could be PS/2, usb, or even vga, but I was unable to identify them as such.
The instructions above did not help me as I was unable to acquire any linux on a floppy that supported console over serial AND netcat.
What I did was:
1.) yank the scsi hard drive and connect it to another box(preferably with 2 NICs) with it as the only hd available.
2.) Boot up the pfsense-1.2.3 livecd and hit the 'i' option towards the end of booting to jump right into the test-mode installer.
3.) Install as normal using the uniprocessor kernel if asked. reboot
NOTE: DO NOT use the embedded kernel! It supports serial on console, but does not support the scsi controller.
4.) Assign your interfaces however you like. If you have only 1 on this box, assign the lan interface, then type 'exit' for the wan.
5.) set the lan ip from the menu, selecting to NOT run dhcp.
6.) Fire up your favorite browser and go to: http://[lan_ip]/ logging in as admin:pfsense
7.) Click on System, then Advanced and check the first box: "This will enable the first serial port with 9600/8/N/1", click save.
NOTE: If you don't do this, then when pfsense boots up on the ce507, it finds your network interfaces are wrong, and asks you to reconfigure them, you won't be able to as you won't have anything on your console.
8.) If you don't want just anyone to be able to walk up to your box with a console cable and have root then go back to System, Advanced, scroll down to Miscellaneous and check the box for "Console menu" which requires a password on the console.
9.) shutdown, then put the hd back in the ce507 and boot it up with a console cable attached.
10.) enjoyBefore I did it this way, I spent 3 solid days of working all day long on various methods including:
1.) finding or building a linux floppy with console on serial AND netcat.
2.) making a floppy to chain boot an IDE cdrom
3.) making a floppy to chain network boot to install over network
4.) screwing with the embedded kernel to get it to see the scsi controller.
5.) Smashing my head on the desk.Number 5 gave me some relief, but once I realized I had an old dell boat anchor out back with scsi support, my final method above gave the best results.
I hope my documented work spares some poor soul going through what I did.