From owner-freebsd-stable@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Jan 30 11:58:30 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 550B1106566C for ; Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:58:30 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from bms@FreeBSD.org) Received: from out4.smtp.messagingengine.com (out4.smtp.messagingengine.com [66.111.4.28]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 244E28FC1A for ; Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:58:30 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from bms@FreeBSD.org) Received: from compute1.internal (compute1.internal [10.202.2.41]) by out1.messagingengine.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id A6E942648BA; Fri, 30 Jan 2009 06:58:29 -0500 (EST) Received: from heartbeat2.messagingengine.com ([10.202.2.161]) by compute1.internal (MEProxy); Fri, 30 Jan 2009 06:58:29 -0500 X-Sasl-enc: dWuadxj9eOv/89Wizscd+EwUDvComJSDDO+/ZQaxxZs9 1233316709 Received: from empiric.lon.incunabulum.net (82-35-112-254.cable.ubr07.dals.blueyonder.co.uk [82.35.112.254]) by mail.messagingengine.com (Postfix) with ESMTPSA id 2458A2780E; Fri, 30 Jan 2009 06:58:28 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <4982EB63.50703@FreeBSD.org> Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:58:27 +0000 From: "Bruce M. Simpson" User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.19 (X11/20090126) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Chris H References: <20090129015034.7dxisep21w04gksg@webmail.1command.com> <0bca01c98202$a6124350$f236c9f0$@co.uk> <20090129051522.a92df0myf44gsko4@webmail.1command.com> <62b856460901290538x5d857f08ka3b2ffb5a7aa8e7f@mail.gmail.com> <20090129060243.adauuua9eokcsos8@webmail.1command.com> <00fe01c98247$d6872600$83957200$@com> <49822E90.1010306@FreeBSD.org> <20090129181838.l9cr09o0kk400gwc@webmail.1command.com> In-Reply-To: <20090129181838.l9cr09o0kk400gwc@webmail.1command.com> X-Enigmail-Version: 0.95.6 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Replace Cisco IOS/CBOS with freebsd - possible? X-BeenThere: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Production branch of FreeBSD source code List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:58:30 -0000 Chris H wrote: > ... >> >> I know Peter Grehan was looking at getting FreeBSD onto the Cisco 827 >> a while back. > > That's good news. I'll have to see if I can get more info on that. > I just purchased a "lot" of cisco *DSL/routers on ebay, in an effort > to push this project forward (I can experiment on these with less > concern). IMHO pfSense beats the pants off OpenWRT from a user/deployment point of view, and often that is ultimately what counts. Thing is, it's "only" for x86-based PCs. I had the foresight to purchase some relatively quiet 1U boxes, but they're still too noisy to have in a room where people sleep live or socialise -- they belong to the computer nook at the front of the apartment (I have a very odd C-shaped apartment). I believe something that could really make pfSense fly, would be a viable port to mass-market, low-power consumer hardware. Then again, old Ciscos "sort of" fit the bill. Repurposing old vendor hardware is just as subject to engineering process as anything else, in some cases, the varying Bill-of-Materials may make the economic cost too high to do things on a mass scale. If people would be reasonably expected to use such a system, they should not have to understand the mechanisms, in great detail, of how firmware is loaded onto a device. This is one of the main stumbling blocks behind mass uptake -- we can't just say "fire up this tool and click this 1 button" to extend/build new network infrastructure. Given the current economic and ecological situation, though, devising systems which allow people to do this might be something worth investigating, and funding to that effect may be available "out there". cheers BMS