[OPLINTECH] Bandwidth use

[Chad Neeper]

(I'm following-up this thread on the OPLINTECH list rather than the 
OPLINLIST...)

When I configure IPCOP, I'm simply enabling the transparent HTTP proxy 
and configuring the built-in software (squid), which caches static HTTP 
requests and whatever else it can. The Update Accelerator plug-in simply 
enhances the cache by configuring squid to watch for files of the 
specific types listed by Bob (Microsoft, Linux updates, Symantec, Trend, 
etc.). It works very, very well if you have a large hard drive and a 
decent amount of memory to give to the IPCOP box. (Think 2-4GB RAM and 
80GB HD for moderate Internet traffic...any new-ish computer would 
probably do.) Completely transparent to the end user and easy enough to 
configure. Since it's a local cache, the first Microsoft Update (for 
example) is downloaded at normal Internet speeds. Subsequent downloads 
of the same patch get served to the other workstations as fast as your 
IPCOP hardware and local LAN speeds permit. No additional Internet 
traffic generated beyond the first download.

What's really going to kill us, though, is streaming audio/video. Even 
with traffic shaping, that's going to be tougher and tougher to deal 
with as time marches on. That type of content doesn't always cache well 
without specific intent to do so.

Regarding pfSense:  I don't know anything about pfSense other than the 
name and the distro, but if you have the time and inclination you could 
see if pfSense makes use of squid. There's probably a good chance it 
does. If so, you could possibly modify it to do the same thing the 
Update Accelerator does for IPCOP. Possibly someone has already done the 
work...

Chad

-----------------------
Chad Neeper
Senior Systems Engineer

Level 9 Networks
740-548-8070 (voice)
866-214-6607 (fax)

--   Full LAN/WAN consulting services   --
-- Specialized in libraries and schools --



Eric Maynard wrote:
> Bob/Chad
>
> That actually make a lot of sense.  Almost enough to make me consider 
> moving from pfSense (m0n0wall) to IPcop.
>
> Too bad there isn't something similar for pfSense.
>
>
> Eric Maynard
> Head of Information Technology,
> Holmes County District Public Library
> Millersburg, OH  44654
> Email [emaynard at holmeslib.org <mailto:emaynard at holmeslib.org>]
> Phone [330.674.5972 x.224]
> Fax   [330.674.1938]
>
> "Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently"
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Jul 16, 2009 at 12:40 PM, Bob Neeper <neeperro at oplin.org 
> <mailto:neeperro at oplin.org>> wrote:
>
>     The latest OPLIN Circuit mentions bandwidth use.
>
>     Another way to reduce use was implemented for us by Chad  at Level 9
>     Networks
>     He installed Update Accelerator to our IPcop firewall.earlier this
>     year.
>
>     "Update Accelerator caches files from update sites automatically
>     at the
>     first request.
>     All subsequent downloads of these files from other clients will be
>     processed with LAN speed"
>     "....works rather in a similar way to a File Server"
>
>     It caches updates and service packs for:
>     Adobe
>     Apple
>     Avast
>     Linux (.deb and .rpm)
>     Microsoft
>     Symantec
>     Trend Micro
>     Custom can be added
>
>     It only caches 9G, due to our server, but has helped.
>
>     As of today 141 GB has been handled locally for the 9 GB
>     downloaded from
>     OPLIN
>     ( 94% delivered inside the building instead of through OPLIN )
>
>     I see a significant speed increase when a PC does MS updates.
>
>     --
>     R. W. (Bob) Neeper     Cell: (740)-407-3572
>     Community Library
>     44 Burrer Dr.
>     Sunbury, Oh 43074
>     Tel:  (740)-965-3901
>
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>
>
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