Re: Buying recommendation for silent router/fileserver

On Thu, 2012-10-11 at 17:05:46 +0200, Rainer Duffner wrote:
> Am Thu, 11 Oct 2012 16:54:53 +0200
> schrieb Ulrich Spörlein <uqs_at_FreeBSD.org>:
> 
> > Hey guys,
> > 
> > I need to replace an aging Pentium IV system that has been serving as
> > my router, access point, file- and mediaserver for quite some time
> > now. The replacement should have:
> > 
> > - amd64 CPU (for ZFS, obviously)
> > - 2x GigE (igress, egress interfaces)
> > - some form of wlan interface (I currently use an Atheros based PCI
> > card)
> > - eSATA for attaching a backup disk where I stream ZFS snapshots to
> > - serial port is always nice, for when I mess up an upgrade
> > - fan-less if possible
> > 
> > So far, this here seems to fit the bill perfectly
> > http://www.fit-pc.com/web/fit-pc/intensepc/
> > but pricing seems to defy any reality.
> > 
> > It does not state directly which chipsets are used for Wifi and
> > Ethernet, the block diagram claims Ethernet chips to be Intel 82579
> > and RTL8111D, but I don't trust that fully.
> > 
> > For Wifi I can always fall back to sticking in a supported USB stick,
> > although that's kinda hacky.
> > 
> > So how well is networking going to be supported by FreeBSD? Should I
> > just bite the bullet and find out?
> 
> 
> 
> What about the 
> 
> HP ProLiant N40L
> ?
> 
> It's not fanless, of course - but it's IMO more suited for a
> server-type system than anything else in that price-range.
> 
> I don't have one (I have no need for anything beyond what an
> AlIX-system can do) - but if I would need a home-server, I'd buy a N40L
> (it can boot from USB and you can thus boot FreeNAS from it)

Interesting one, with only one GigE port though, both PCIe slots would
need to be populated to get a second Ethernet and a Wifi port ...

Hmmm
Uli