> From: Greg Brown [mailto:gregbrown at mindspring dot com] 
> 1. If one were to use the generic PC image how many ethernet ports can 
> m0n0 address?  This particular client has a need for a 32 port 
> firewall.  Can m0n0 handle this given enough processor power and RAM?  

Can't answer any others for you, but this one should be possible.  However
you'll have problems getting 32 NICs in a machine.   The only way to do that
would be use a server-class board with twin PCI busses like some of those
Compaq proliants or hp netserver.

I have a proliant 6500 with 8 pci slots (six hot swap and two not) so quad
port ethernet NICs in each slot will provide 32 NICs.  However unless you've
got a lot of CPU you won't get 100 Mbit between ports all the time.

Can your LUG member provide a scenario where 32 physical ports is necessary,
and I'm quite sure the list will be able to recommend a better layout.
Maybe VLANs or amalgamating physical areas, or maybe a 32/48 port switch is
all that's really needed.


- Another idea for lots of low bandwidth ethernet ports... USB/ethernet
adapters.  USB supports 127 devices on a USB bus, but they share the
available bandwidth, and you will require a stacking tree of USB hubs to get
enough sockets.

- Does FreeBSD support IP aliasing like linux?  That would provide the
equivalent of more ethernet ports, at the loss of some security.