[BC] Internet Routers

[Chris Gebhardt]

Broadcast List USER wrote:
> Um, but, do you pay for electricity?
> 
> A 500 Watt computer is using half a kW per hour, just to filter  
> Internet traffic.
> 
> It might be better to spend $200 on a router which uses Linux and can  
> be programmed to do that filtering.
> 
> Even a laptop is better than an "old PC."
> 
> Power consumption will be MUCH less, and a laptop has its own included  
> UPS.

Absolutely a valid point.   Our business involves running hundreds and 
hundreds of "critical systems" in our datacenter for our own use and 
customers.  So in my world I can tend to lose sight of the cost of 1 
computer running.

However, I can say that we DO look at power consumption as one of our 
primary cost centers.  We also really encourage prospective customers to 
consider their electricity costs when they are considering moving 
equipment out of their office space.  So your cost comment does not 
escape my notice!

When we are using these low-end PCs to replace equipment typically of 
the ASA5505 class or better, often 5510, we consider power consumption 
to be one of the deciding factors on what to use.  By low-end PC, I'm 
talking about something from the old stack of Dell PowerEdge 350's in 
the back.  Pentium-III (which was relatively low consumption, especially 
compared to modern multi-core), low end drive or in some cases 
solid-state conversion, a couple of fans.  We try for < 1amp @ 110VAC 
for these systems.  So the system runs at an adjusted cost of under 
$20/month (we factor in the utility cost, battery and diesel expenses 
and maintenance).

For the grade of system that it's replacing, that would take about 5 
years of electricity consumption to equal the purchase price of the 
comparable appliance.

Chris Gebhardt
VIRTBIZ Internet Services
chris at virtbiz.com | (972) 485-4125