[CentOS] Firewall/Gateway Hardware Question

[S.Tindall]

On Tue, 2013-10-15 at 18:05 -0400, SilverTip257 wrote:

> @Steve:
> Based on your statement, I figure you do not have a crypto accelerator and
> the CPU is handling all the crypto.  Correct?

> @Terre:
> I don't know how VIA C7 CPUs stack up against the Intel Atom CPUs in terms
> of performance, but they're low power consuming x86 processors.  And
> there's the VIA Padlock [0] security/encryption engine.

> AMD Geode CPUs like those in PC Engines ALIX [1] hardware have an
> integrated crypto accelerator [2].  If it wasn't for your web proxy
> requirements, etc an ALIX might fit the bill (with the right embedded OS -
> think Voyage Linux). You're better off with the hardware you're researching
> right now though.
> 
> [0] http://www.via.com.tw/en/initiatives/padlock/hardware.jsp
> [1] http://www.pcengines.ch/alix.htm
> [2] http://www.twam.info/hardware/alix/using-geodes-aes-engine-on-alix3d3

You should look at the single board computers sold by Soekris
Engineering.

 http://soekris.com

Specifically the net6501 series:

 http://soekris.com/products/net6501.html

 Specifications:

  •  600 Mhz to 1.6 Ghz Intel Atom E6xx single chip processor
     with EG20T companion chip 
  •  512 to 2048 Mbyte DDR2-SDRAM, soldered on board 
  •  2x SATA 3 Gbit interfaces with +5V and +12V power header
  •  4x Intel 82574L Gigabit Ethernet ports, Auto-MDIX RJ-45,
     protected to 700W/40A Surge 
  •  2x Serial ports, DB9 and 10 pins internal header
  •  USB 2.0 interface, 2x internal, 1x external port, bootable 
  •  1 Full Mini-PCI Express shared with mSATA socket.
  •  1 USB only Mini-PCI Express shared with mSATA socket
  •  2x PCI Express Slots, right angle 
  •  16 bit general purpose I/O, 24 pins header, connected to FPGA

...in either a tiny or a rackable box.

The number of lan slots can be increased above 4 by using expansion
cards.

Steve