I appreciate the ideas (even the car discussion is interesting ;) but I'm basically looking for something that will cover pretty decent throughput with as low energy usage as possible. Currently I'm on a cable connection at ~8Mbps downstream so it won't take too much to cover that, and based on the options where I live I doubt anything significantly faster will be available for quite a while, so the dual P3 system is overkill. The system is a 1U rackmount unit so its also very limited in terms of options for replacing power supplies, etc, and as Dave mentioned, it would still be at least several times higher energy usage than something like an Alix. Plus, the noise of that rackmount box is driving me crazy! :) Part of the reason I posted here was to see if there were any options that would be more ecologically and economically friendly by finding equipment someone else didn't need any more, since it seems a number of people around here end up in the opposite situation than me...
> Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:28:53 -0700> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: > discussion@pfsense.com> Subject: Re: [pfSense-discussion] Used ALIX or > Soekris?> > On Fri, Jun 27, 2008 at 12:37 PM, Andrew Burnette <[EMAIL > PROTECTED]> wrote:> > I had similar thoughts a while back. doesn't always > work out the way you> > think. (e.g. toyota prius, while a politically and > technologically needed> > car, actually saves no energy over it's lifespan > due to the enormous amount> > of front end manufacturing cost and material > used).> > Trying to compare the total energy lifecycle of an automobile to a> > computer is like trying to compare apples and oranges.> > With computers, the > vast majority of energy goes into the production> (~75%), not post production > consumption (~25%).> > With automobiles, the vast majority of energy goes > into post> production consumption (~75%), not production (~25%).> > So when > buying a computer, you generally want to buy the one with used> the least > amount of energy to produce it, and with an automobile, you> generally want > to buy the one that uses the least amount of energy to> operate it.> > > Especially for a computer, it's important to try to re-use old> equipment as > old computers typically get thrown away or possibly> recycled (partially, > it's not easy to recycle electronics) when people> are "done" with them, but > with a vehicle, this is less important as> your average vehicle will be > resold as long as the repair/operating> costs are less than the value of the > vehicle and only then will the> vehicle be recycled (generally over 90% of a > vehicle by weight is> recycled).> > > took single board athlon desktop. > Underclocked it as low as the FSB would go> > on motherboard, and lowered the > CPU and ram voltages to near minimum. Stuck> > in a laptop hard drive > (3.5-2.5 adapter about $5) and an 80% efficient small> > as heck power supply > with 3 intel nic cards in the PCI slots.> > Good idea - using an old computer > and then reducing it's power> consumption as much as possible - was was the > before/after power draw?> > Still, these Alix boxes draw next to no power - > we measured ours at> 5-7w. The lower power PC we have is around 45w. You > might be able to> get to 30w with a lower power Via CPU and flash or notebook > disk and> an ultra-efficient PicoPSU (even 80Plus PSUs are very inefficient> > below 50w). The Alix box is still a LOT better if it has the> horsepower you > need - especially if you have to buy something new.> > -Dave _________________________________________________________________ The i’m Talkathon starts 6/24/08. For now, give amongst yourselves. http://www.imtalkathon.com?source=TXT_EML_WLH_LearnMore_GiveAmongst
