[CentOS] Intel Atom systems?

[Angus MacGyver]

On Mon, 2009-05-25 at 16:22 +0200, Peter Hopfgartner wrote:
> I had some of them, too, running for years. The only problem I
> incurred 
> was with a Flash memory that degraded after a while, so I would
> really 
> recommend some of thoses "industrial grade" flash memories. The
> hardware 
> is superb.
> 
> Peter
> 
> nate wrote:
> > Bill Campbell wrote:
> >   
> >> Any comments on CentOS 5 on Intel Atom CPUs?
> >>
> >> I need to build a couple of inexpensive systems that will be used
> >> primarily as gateway/firewall systems with OpenVPN, and need
> >> recommendations in reliable hardware platforms.  These will need
> >> two NICs.
> >>     
> >
> > Go with Soekris, they are built for that purpose. You can even
> > get an SSL accelerator card for them. Mine has a ~500Mhz AMD
> > Geode CPU, 512MB ram, I added a 1GB CF card, it has 4x100Mbit
> > NICs, it has a slot for a PCI device, I put a bracket with
> > another serial port on there to hook to a UPS, has a USB port,
> > and a serial port for console access, draws a tiny amount of
> > power.
> >
> > I don't consider linux a good platform for firewall or VPN
> > devices myself, I use OpenBSD, with pf. I have an OpenVPN
> > from my soekris box at home to my co-located server(runs
> > Debian), have had it hooked up for almost a year now, works
> > great. I don't need the SSL acceleration card as my commit
> > rate at the colo is only 1Mbit, so I don't want to push a lot
> > of traffic.
> >
> > http://www.soekris.com/net5501.htm
> >
> > These things are designed from the ground up to be firewall/VPN
> > appliances(low end mind you, your not gonna be pushing gigabits
> > of traffic through them). The CPU on mine doesn't even have a
> > heat sink.
> >
> > nate


Or even a WRAP/ALIX system  - 
http://pcengines.ch/alix.htm


WRAP's are old, but I've still got one powering my firewall/VPN device,
years later(WAN/LAN and DMZ), and the ALIX is a drop in replacement, and
I have one of those in a NAS.

Granted, you ain't gonna get multi GB throughput, same as soekris, but
by goodness they are stable and reliable, zero moving parts, and as for
ALIX/WRAP series, pretty neglible power requirements.

Also agree with Nate, I'd choose a version of BSD for a firewall/gateway
device over Linux, either FreeBSD or OpenBSD.

Regards
AM