Dumb questions: scsi and firewall

[verland]

Here's two simple ones:



Why is linux sometimes unable to boot off scsi and requires a disk? This has happened on systems that have before booted off HD with lesser operating systems.

I don't mind normally but I need to recompile my HP LPR's kernel which means figuring out getting the new kernel on a disk. Not hard, but it's the principle of it all...



On a Netfilter firewall: Is it a bad idea to have it handle two seperate internet connections? I know if you are nails with iptables it should not be an issue, but:

-If you are not nails, intruders might bust in on one line and use the other as a jumping-out point

-In the faroff chance the firewall dies, you just lost both net connections



Thanks all!

 

[MrTom]

Your SCSI problem sounds strange. What SCSI controller is it? When you boot after the boot loader has broken, does fsck need to check the disk? If so then your kernel may be halting before the disks have properly sync'd. Have you tried changing the kernel?

Your second question depends entirely on your situation. If you have loads of money and your connection is business critical then you should find out how two firewalls and two routers could help you.
If the firewall would just be managing a small office connection then you just have to decide how much of a pain it would be if you did have a hardware failure.
As a general rule tho you should block all connections to your firewall from the net, and if you are very paranoid don't allow any connections to the firewall - ie. you can only configure it via its keyboard.

 

[verland]

The SCSI thing actually happens during the Debian install. It says something to the key of "Debian was unable to install Lilo" or "Debian will not be able to boot off this disk". The hardware is an HP LPR with an adaptec 78xx onboard controller. The same thing happened to me about three years ago with Redhat on an adaptec 15xx.

Firewall: I agree, thanks for the tips. Actually, shortly after asking that my group decided we'd do two firewalls, and with routers getting so cheap get another one of those as well.

Thanks much!

 

[MrTom]

Your SCSI problem kinda rings a bell now. I seem to remember the debian installer doing something dumb.
After the installer fails to install lilo you can just switch to another console and then you should be able to chroot to your new install and run lilo from there. i think whilst installing, debian mounts your partition(s) to /target.