Enterprises Cut Costs With Open-source Routers

[Peaches]

Enterprises cut costs with open-source routers

Early adopters gain flexibility and big savings

By John Edwards

June 8, 2009 12:01 AM ET

Computerworld - Open-source is everywhere -- operating systems, application software, development tools. So why not routers, too?

"It's a question that Sam Noble, senior network system administrator for New Mexico Supreme Court's Judicial Information Division, pondered while looking for a way to connect courthouses statewide to a new centralized case management system. Noble sought a DSL router that would be affordable and customizable, but found that the ISP-supplied modem lacked remote monitoring of local link status. This was vital, in his opinion, so the division could monitor the status of the DSL connection at each of several layers lower than just the 'Can I pass traffic?' test that one is limited to using the ISP's modems, Noble explains.

Another alternative, adding ADSL cards to the legacy Cisco Systems' 2600 Series frame-relay routers used at some courthouses, provided the necessary visibility, but the elderly devices lacked enough power to support firewall performance. A third alternative, Juniper Networks' NetScreen SSG20 firewall/router with an ADSL option, "lacked many of the features we wanted, like full-featured command lines and unlimited tunnel interfaces," Noble says"

Computerworld for full article - http://www.computerworld.com/action/articl...ticleId=9133851

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[ibionika]

With all the ubicom, atheros and marvell stuff out there its hard to find a router compatible with open source firmware. Are there any sites that keep up with current open source compatible routers?