Hardware recommendations?

CaptainWTF

Im not looking to get extreme speeds, I imagine my APU machine will have more throughput then my current router lol. Definitely more processing power.

kejianshi

I like your APU as a pfsense actually. I just don't like its network chipset. If you stick a dual or quad port Intel NIC in the video PCIe slot, it would be pretty nice actually.

CaptainWTF

Yeah that was going to be the idea, because I can't just plug something in and have nothing come out. Do you have any recommendations for dual gigabit intel nics? I love Intel nics.

Right now I've a EVGA X79 FTW in my current rig, and its got dual gigabit nics onboard but for some reason it acts up and does nooooooot work right sometimes. the speeds are super bottlenecked. and other times works fine. So I bought a Intel card and it works like a dream :)

My plans were going to be a small SSD for the OS and a dual gigabit nic :)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-NC360T-Dual-Port-Gigabit-Server-Adapter-PCIe-Low-Profile-LP-412651-001-HH-/130964213434?pt=US_Internal_Network_Cards&hash=item1e7e134eba

Lookin at something like this maybe

kejianshi

http://www.ebay.com/itm/171056854896?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

I know for sure this one works well and sits nicely in the video slot…

Prepare to spend big bucks though. These are $26 each.

I think its basically the same card.

You could use a single port and VLANs with VLAN switch, but if you don't need to why????

Yeah - I think your plan for the APU is fine.

CaptainWTF

In that case, Ordered the card, Ordered an SSD. And a new CPU fan for that APU machine cause their fans are shitty and the bearings went out lol.

kejianshi

Yeah - I have a small Atom build that did same thing… Solid platform, but the fan is a pain. Totally not needed but loud enough to irritate when goes bad.
I wouldn't necessarily have gone with an SSD though. What SSD did you get? What kind of install are you doing? Embedded or full?

CaptainWTF

Elaborate on install type(I think im gonna be doing a full), And I may not do SSD, I didnt press the okay button yet :P

I could just use a HDD I've laying around too.

kejianshi

Well. A full install from a "live CD" download provides the most options. It also makes the most frequent writes to the HDD. There isn't much in the way of TRIM support going in pfsense to my knowledge. So, frequent writes will kill a cheaper SSD. By cheaper, I mean anything that isn't industrial SSD is a gamble in my opinion for full install with SSD.

So, I have little western digital black 2.5 inch drives in my small ones and a 500GB WD Black in my home pfsense. (Thats way more than is needed. only about 20GB is currently used).

So, think about how you want to go.

stephenw10

@CaptainWTF:

@Stephen, That is a non gigabit model.
What are the models that ARE gigabit?

The X550e has 4 Marvell Gigabit NICs. The details on that ebay auction are wrong.
Hardware details of all the fireboxes are listed on the wiki page: http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/PfSense_on_Watchguard_Firebox

Steve

rjcrowder

@kejianshi:

So, frequent writes will kill a cheaper SSD. By cheaper, I mean anything that isn't industrial SSD is a gamble in my opinion for full install with SSD.

Gotta agree with this… I've killed several cheaper SSD's. The latest is an Intel and it seems fine so far.

kejianshi

SLC SSD is just fairly bullet-proof anyway, which is probably what you have. But most people don't seem to get that if it isn't SLC its just a matter of time.

Dr_Drache

@kejianshi:

So, frequent writes will kill a cheaper SSD. By cheaper, I mean anything that isn't industrial SSD is a gamble in my opinion for full install with SSD.

Gotta agree with this… I've killed several cheaper SSD's. The latest is an Intel and it seems fine so far.

@kejianshi:

SLC SSD is just fairly bullet-proof anyway, which is probably what you have. But most people don't seem to get that if it isn't SLC its just a matter of time.

this isn't as true as fear mongers like to think, if you treat the device like it has a finite write, it will last a long long time.
I have a cache on a old kingston MLC 30gb , still going strong with large amount of writes,
but, things like non-journaled, noatime, nodirtime, (and in newer systems/drives) discard, ALMOST makes the difference between the 2 techs nothing more than dollar signs, now once you go to capped SSD's, then we are in a totally different market.

tester_02

I ran a Kingston(intel) 40gb ssd for 2 years on a physical live install of pfsense (1.2.x versions) with no issues before I switch to virtual. It's now running as a bootup drive on a server. I think people's fear of wearing out SSD's is overrated. If you know you have a high write setup, then that would be the only place I would worry (I do have a HD on such a server). All I can say is stay away from brands that don't have a reputation as well as anything too small (so it has wear space).

kejianshi

I'll agree that if you take all kinds of precautions to reduce writes to a MLC you MIGHT be ok, or you MIGHT be gambling.
SLC doesn't cost a bunch more for no reason at all - Its just better.

My opinion is still up in the air on the newer MLCs with sandforce and "duraclass" garbage disposal.

If I needed my full install install of pfsense to double as my volleyball or soccer ball, I'd use SSD for sure, otherwise as long as my pfsense sits on a table and shock/impact isn't an issue, I'm waiting on TRIM to be well sorted out.

Dr_Drache

@kejianshi:

I'll agree that if you take all kinds of precautions to reduce writes to a MLC you MIGHT be ok, or you MIGHT be gambling.
SLC doesn't cost a bunch more for no reason at all - Its just better.

My opinion is still up in the air on the newer MLCs with sandforce and "duraclass" garbage disposal.

If I needed my full install install of pfsense to double as my volleyball or soccer ball, I'd use SSD for sure, otherwise as long as my pfsense sits on a table and shock/impact isn't an issue, I'm waiting on TRIM to be well sorted out.

trim works fine up-to-date BSD releases, pfsense is just on the backside of that curve, it's coming! soon!

kejianshi

Yeah - I'm sort of expecting it in 2.1 but not too sure. I've seen some of the devs talk it.
It would be a great thing to have. I know its just a matter of time.

rjcrowder

According to this http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,62648.msg338372.html#msg338372 you can enable it in 2.1 Haven't tried it yet because I haven't switched to 2.1 for my "prod" firewall.

CaptainWTF

Anyone know what the status is for pfsense support on these e-350 APU's?

Ecnerwal

@CaptainWTF:

Anyone know what the status is for pfsense support on these e-350 APU's?

Short answer - load up the LiveCD and try it. You stated that you "had this to play with" - so play with it.

Long answer that's still short - there's a compatibility list (it's a Free BSD compatibility list) - check it. The short answer is more direct and takes less time. Things not on the list may work; so back to the short answer.