Load balancing router with HA and T1 interface

[IOerror]

I'm setting up a warehouse near Dayton, OH which will require a high level of network availability as there will be no local IT staff. To that end I've decided that a router that supports load balancing of 2 WAN connections, HA, and a T1 interface would be ideal. To clarify the load balancing requirement, the location will have redundant internet access plus a point to point T1 to the main office to facilitate low latency connectivity between a warehouse management system and ERP back-end. Total user count at the warehouse is 5 and 20 at the main office. Neither location has tremendous bandwidth requirements.

I have little practical experience in this area, but I have come up with 2 solutions thus far.

(2) Juniper SRX210
Vyatta Core 6.2 w/ Sangoma T1 interface adapters

The Juniper solution is likely a safer route given access to vendor support, however, this option becomes rather spendy as I'd like to use the same configuration at the main office which will require 4 units. The Vyatta option, although probably less proven and a bit more risky, could run on a pair of Sun x4100 systems at each location which I can purchase for around $200 each plus the cost of the Sangoma cards.

Are there any other / better low cost solutions I should be considering?

 

[schnell]

Juniper srx are great appliances and are a great value for the money. I would say that or a cisco asa would be your best bet. Either would also allow some utm functions which would be ideal in an office with no it staff.

The other solution sounds like a good idea but you are on the hook for the hardware support. Plus appliances in my opinion are more reliable than pc hardware based solutions.