Quick question: Can pfSense be booted & ran off of a USB memory stick?

[octoberasian]

I just found this on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Koutech-Header-Pin-Dual-Type-A-Adapter/dp/B003UIM142/

I was thinking that adding an 8GB USB memory stick to it would be cheaper than a $60 SSD that's 64GB.

I saw the Gigabyte Z87N Wifi board in the other forum and I was thinking it'd make for a nice pfSense router-- has dual gigabit ethernet and a 802.11ac Intel Centrino WiFi on-board.

Board: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128615

 

[octoberasian]

Nevermind, found my answer on another website.

I'm also contemplating this: http://www.amazon.com/Compatible-Converter-Laptop-Parts-Store/dp/B00A3RJN4E/

... paired with something like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820313221

I'd like to avoid spending $60 on a 64GB SSD when I won't be using all that free space if I do decide to build this.

 

[haunter]

I believe they still recommend not using a SSD for pfsense

but I haven't looked in a while


edit: looks like anymore its not rec'd because of cost vs usb sticks and CF cards.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Woah that's a cool device! Too bad it's not 90 degrees though, would make it work for 1U cases. I guess you could probably modify it though. Would be great for VM servers too.

For pfsense I would still have a spindle drive for logs and stuff though otherwise it will kill flash memory. I'm not sure if there are ways to change where logs get written, I imagine there should be a way.

 

[AMD_RULES]

I believe they still recommend not using a SSD for pfsense

but I haven't looked in a while


edit: looks like anymore its not rec'd because of cost vs usb sticks and CF cards.

I believe the issue was related to constant read/writes that SSD are limited to but I could be wrong.

 

[bmh.01]

Use the nanobsd image and you'll have no issues. I killed a crucial ssd within two months with the standard image installed. Replacement was fine with the nanobsd image but I switched to using CF cards in the end anyway.

 

[diizzy]

You'd want a board with Intel NICs, use an AP for WIFI.
//Danne

 

[Lames.]

I have a 30gig SSD for over a year and still no problems..

 

[octoberasian]

You'd want a board with Intel NICs, use an AP for WIFI.
//Danne

Yeah, I'm hoping this would work: Intel and Atheros gigabit ethernet, and supposedly the 802.11 bgn Centrino is compatible with pfSense.

 

[MrGuvernment]

Correct, SSD's in firewalls with alot of logging enabled = no no, they get killed in months, literally...

if you limit the logging, you should be fine.

 

[timreichhart]

yes it can I am currently doing it with 8GB flash drive on an thin client. I had my pfsense running on flash drive for about 3 months now and what you want to do is follow this right here: https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Install_pfSense_nanobsd_2.0_to_thumb_drive

 

[obrith]

If you use good SSDs you can run a full installation with heavy logging just fine. I've had Intel 320 SSDs in a very large HA setup (~200mbps flowing through it during business hours protecting several networks including a public /24) that have been alive for a couple years no issue.

That said the first few crappy SSDs I tried to run in production burned up in a hurry.

 

[FLECOM]

I have a 4gb industrial SSD I got off ebay for like $30 in my pfSense box with no issue

 

[diizzy]

Use md for logging...
//Danne

 

[Biznatch]

I had PFSense running on a CF card for about a year before it finally quit. The box would boot, but would the DHCP service would stop within minutes and had issues with the webgui. Everything I found on the forums pointed at a worn out disk was the cause. So it may be working now, but it will just die eventually, typically at the worst times.