[Sussex] LINUX takes on Xserve

[Atro Tossavainen]

On Wed Oct 30 18:24:06 2002, Tony Dart wrote:

> Must admit I can't see any reason why anyone would buy an Apple X
> server over a Linux box, unless in a specialist field. Anymore than
> anyone earning their living in the graphics world using Linux rather
> than a Mac - horses for courses.

You mean "over an x86 Linux box", presumably, since Linux runs on just
about everything...

I wanted a computer for handling all external SSH traffic to our
Institute.  We used to allow SSH traffic to individual workstations,
Suns, SGIs, Alphas.  The encryption and compression tasks involved
are mostly CPU intensive, of course.

I was figuring my options were Intel-based rack servers for ¤~1500,
Sun/Fujitsu SPARC-based servers for ¤~3000, or the Xserve for ¤~3000.
SPARC based solutions aren't known for blazing CPU performance, so
it's either x86, or an Xserve for double the price.  Hmm...

This is supposed to be a machine for improving security (concentrating
all ssh connections in one box), first and foremost.  I figured using
an x86 for the purpose would have been a daft move since whenever a
software fault is found and made public, the exploits usually arrive
for x86 first, other platforms later if at all, the reason for which
is probably simply the overwhelming popularity of x86 based computers.

The reason I picked "anything else but x86" despite the price
difference was that I expect to gain an extra couple of days from
the discovery and publication of software faults to patch things
up.  It had nothing to do with our specialist field.

-- 
Atro Tossavainen (Mr.)               / The Institute of Biotechnology at
Systems Analyst, Techno-Amish &     / the University of Helsinki, Finland,
+358-9-19158939  UNIX Dinosaur     / employs me, but my opinions are my own.
< URL : http : / / www . iki . fi / atro . tossavainen / >

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