DSL Free Lunch?!!: Effortless, Dirt Cheap, VPN, Firewall, NAT?!!

["Jerry Keene" <0791jrk scseng com>]

Learned List:

I'm a proponent of Linux boxes for integrating my company's new 
and existing national offices via the DSL options that are 
increasingly available throughout the country.  I'm a proponent not 
because Linux is sexy, but because I've soberly and objectively (I 
think) set up a dozen or so linux servers (Redhat 4.x, 5.x, 6.x) for 
my company over the last three years in various Frame-relay, 
ISDN, dialup and DSL environments with very solid results.  

Linux Platforms have proven incredibly flexible, meeting about every 
need that can be thought of and some that I couldn't think of at the 
time.  Furthermore, the Linux platforms have had very close to zero 
admin and zero crash time once set up.  Cost for Linux setups is 
basicly that of a modestly speced pentium and initial configuration 
work by someone with adequate Linux expertise.

Now, I'm hearing more and more about 

	"Plug and play broadband (DSL) routers out on the 			
	market...providing VPN, Firewall, DHCP, NAT, etc.; most for 	
	under $300...WebRamp, Linksys, WatchGuard, and Xsense 	
	are all available."

If plug and play $300 or under alternatives to Linux Routing, 
Proxying, Firewalling, etc are really in apples to apples comparison 
with a Linux box for the same functions, then I'd be an idiot to 
argue with my company's Linux skeptics?  And my arguments 
would certainly not be sober and objective even if I were an idiot?

Is there such a thing as a broadband free lunch?  My common 
sense argues against it.


Jerry R. Keene
Senior Systems Analyst
SCS ENGINEERS
Partners With EPA Through The Landfill Methane Outreach Program

Phone: 703.471.6150
Fax: 703.471.6676
http://www.scsengineers.com