Date: Fri, 15 Oct 1999 18:04:07 +0100 From: Adam Nealis <adamn@csl.com> To: wwoods@cybcon.com Cc: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Need help in reccomending FreeBSD.... Message-ID: <38075E87.A5620358@csl.com> References: <19991015162534.1817.cpmta@c008.sfo.cp.net>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
Sorry to maybe harp on about non-free FreeBSD stuff, but I would imagine your NT colleagues, who've no doubt got used to "bending over for Bill" might not understand the argument that if it's free it can be good. Also, for comparitive reasons, the trade publications will have lots of information in pretty, colourful columns. FreeBSD is often used as the basis for commercial firewall products. Here are two that spring to mind. Watchguard Firebox II, et.al.: http://www.watchguard.com/ Very pretty box. Bright red, small, slim. Three sets of "Das Blinkenlights", one for each NIC, are arranged in a triangle on the front make for lots of flashing lights. GNAT Box (more interesting) http://www.globaltech.co.uk/frames.htm Software costs UKP1K. Unlike Firewall-1 (UKP 5-6K), it doesn't require NT or Solaris as well, and unlike FW-1 it will guarantee unlimited IP adddresses. You use a fromnt-end programme to define a policy, then it writes a floppy for you! You go to a PC, boot the floppy and you have a firewall. This is annoying because for some time I was considering building a HDD-less firewall, that booted from a write-protected floppy. NT-based solutions tend to do worse in comparative reviews of commercial products. And whgat about the average of one or two MS security bulletins I get per month that are NT server related? What about the reboots if you so much as move your mouse pointer? I'm sure you'll be hearing from others on this one! Cheers, Adam. wwoods@cybcon.com wrote: > > At 2:30PM (West Coast Time) I am going to a meeting at > work with the Head of Computer Security, 2 NT Admins and two people > in charge of the project I am working on. I am wanting to propose, > that instead of useing a > Microsoft Firewall solution, we use a FreeBSD box as a firewall solution. > This is not for mission critical info, so I feel I have a good chance of > getting this. I also have lined up the 2nd in charge of our *nix dept to > help me set up and maintian (I can do it, but it always looks better to > have a "higher up" to validate you) the firewalls. > > What I would like from the list, is some REAL WORLD valid reason why > FreeBSD should be used over a MS firewall solution. > > We are a MS shop, no doubt about that, so this will be an uphill battle, but I believe that with the right info, I can get FreeBSD as the firewall. Aside from the fact that FreeBSD will cost less to set up, will allow us to use that old P100 we have put on the shelf > and will cost less to maintain.....can you people supply me with some more valid reasons to go with FreeBSD over MS? > > And, yes, I know ftp.cdrom.com and yahoo.com all use FreeBSD, as well as MS Hotmail service, but I am looking for some corporate types out there who had to convince their bosses that FreeBSD was a better choice to help me on this. > > Thanks, > > Bill > > William > *************************************************************************** > > It's time for E*TRADE (SM) > Get your free @etrademail.com address at http://www.etrade.com > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?38075E87.A5620358>