Pfsense build - need suggestions

[rajil.s]

@cyberwarfare is also planning to get a similar board from the States.

As for your home lab server reboot - why? I used to run an ESXi setup at home, I rarely ever had to reboot. And secondly, pfsense is virtualized. But its on its own dedicated machine.

I like to keep the packages on the FreeBSD host updated and like to reboot whenever there is a crucial update. It is few and far between but it does happen. Also i am not a big fan of Type 2 hypervisors, i am more of a BSD jails kind of a guy. Lately i am getting my hands dirty with LXC/LXD on linux but jails on BSD work much better.

 

[cyberwarfare]

IM planning (and mostly getting) the following supermicro setup for my homelab setup. http://www.wiredzone.com/supermicro-servers-compact-embedded-processor-sys-e200-9a-41113201

 

[superczar]

IF - > we have been running it in virtual mode for the past year and half. ESXi 6.5.

Is it risky? Yes, but you need to ensure the risk is mitigated properly. The advantages are that I am no longer bound by the hardware! Additionally, even if the machine goes down, physical or not, the network will still go down.

@superczar is another who has virtualized it, but on Xen or Proxmox (not sure)

I have it virtualized on both Xen (for my residential building services) and proxmox (for my home)
Haven't had any major issues whatsoever with either barring a couple of small niggles here & there
If I had to pick again, I would take proxmox though