Local Proxy to Parent Proxy 3GB Cap Saving?

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slaine

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We're running a proxy server (WinRoute) between our DSL interface and our office LAN for firewall protection and localised e-mail. It was a question of use the proxy because we have it as part of the package - more toys to play with [:D].

I was very surprised to find that our 3GB cap now lasts on average just on 20% longer over the last four months worth of stats! [;)] Ok, it might be that people are using the Net less too, with the novelty wearing off, but the drop was pretty sudden and matched the timeframe when the proxy was enabled.

Next step - Now to find and external proxy to test the parent proxy settings. Just one catch - the parent proxy settings username and password settings require a registry hack in WinRoute. (Just figured it out, hope it actually works). Seems like I'll be speaking to the nocap.co.za guys soon.

This doesn't sound like the greatest idea for home users (who I would guess run off to a larger base of unique sites), and won't save the gamers, but for businesses it might help a bit?

- Comments from people that tried something simialar? Maybe with Squid on a Linux box?
 
Please explain a bit more - do you mean you're getting 20% of file cap volume or 20% of monthly time constraint over a 4 month period, and why do you see this as relevant?

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...our 3GB cap now lasts on average just on 20% longer over the last four months worth of stats!
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Sorry, seems like I didn't explain very well:

It seems like in stead of hitting the cap at the end of week 2, beginning week 3, we hit it about a week later in the month, thus related to the monthly time constraint, monitored over a four month period. Thus it(time to reach cap) now lasts on average just on 20% longer, based on the last four months worth of stats.

Relevance, well, it's a bandwidth saving mechanism related to the 3GB cap. It was either here under '3 Gig cap' or under technical. But I figured as it might be more relavent as a saving mechanism/idea that seems to be working for us - It's a toss up between the two sections for relavence or a cross-post, and I hate cross-posts.
 
OK - now I understand what you were getting at... Relevancy of topic placement and cross-postings was not what I queried, but relevancy of your calculation to the ADSL service you currently have - anyway, now I understand it better.

To take this further, my understanding of WinRoute is that it also has a cache, which would serve up requested pages in the cache without refreshing from the Internet if they are still current. Maybe this is the reason for your extended usage time before hitting the cap? This is pure supposition though, and you would have to monitor what is actually going on...
 
mbs, seems I misunderstood your misunderstanding? [:)]

Yup, but unfortunately I'd have to monitor WinRoute and what users are up to, and frankly, I don't really have the time. Thus I was hopeing for people out there with simialar set-ups to compare.

And yes, you're right on the cache. The cache allows for a very interesting configuration options, among them to retain pages, based on file extenstion or URL content, not actual content, for a specified time. Default is 20 days! A bit harsh I thought, because it does not seem to always check for expiries. You also have to specify exclusions such as *.asp, *.php, etc. (or hit Ctrl-F5 lots [V])

The other nifty feature is that you can configure it to sent e-mail internally (and forward outbound e-mail to a 'smarthost'). So when you send e-mail to somebody else in the office, it doesn't eat into your precious bandwidth either by first running of to the ISP's e-mail server.

You can also totally bypass the cache, and just use NAT, which is fast, but then the bandwidth saving idea leaves out the door at speed plus some...
 
Ah, the clarity of communication and the obfuscation of words! [:)] [:)] Anyway, seems like you've answered your own query through a 'best proposition' analysis (this is very different to Telkom's 'best effort' qualification of their service [}:)] [xx(] ). WinRoute is a good product, no doubt about it, even though I last used it quite some time ago, and it probably has improved even more. The problem is it does cost money - the sector I work in would be better off using the required investment elsewhere.

So... the use of a Linux proxy is the preferred option in this scenario, given its zero TCO, and Squid is undoubtedly a good solution. You may have to opt for a combination of products to provide the same total functionality you're getting out of WinRoute, however. For example, I've never used Squid for internal mail routing, and don't think you can use it for this. However, you can do this with Postfix or sendmail.

Bottom line is - yup, any proxy with an appropriate cache will extend the usage period before you hit the cap, depending on the refresh frequency, scope of URL searches, size of cache, etc. You could extend this to a localised DNS server facility too if you wish, which will obviate the need to do lookups via your ADSL and reduce your 'outside' traffic accordingly. I don't recommend this, however, as there are trade-offs with maintenance hassles in the event of others changing their ISP - to be honest, I've never really understood why people setup their own DNS facility, when they could just as well leave to to the ISP...

GL with your WinRoute experimentation!
 
WinRoute DNS forward lookups with optional caching... [:D]
Never really though of DNS being bandwidth hungry?

Yip, on the Linux front you'd have to go Squid with something else. Squid doesn't do the mail thing.

As for cost of ownership. Yup, WinRoute is about R 950 for a 5 user lisence, and yip, I bought it, so far very happy with the choice too.

But it also took way less time to install than my original Linux attempt that kept on falling over for no apparent reason and when nobody was looking[:(!]. The machine now sits in the corner and does it's stuff.

I have to admit to being 'Linux-challenged', even though I like the Linux concept and have done a few things with it (normally not what I originally intended to do). Let's just call me good with the theory, bad with the execution... [8D]

What would it have costed to set up a Linux box with e-mail, proxy cache, DNS forwarding, packet filter firewall with NAT, DHCP and port forwarding? Seeing as my own attempts failed and I would have had to get somebody do it for me... [xx(]
 
True.. DNS is not bandwidth-hungry: I just used it as an example of the kind of services you could configure, to achieve a reduction and extend your usage time before the cap, however infinitismal this might be...

Concerning cost, it would cost you nothing except your time (after all, you do nothing between the hours of 2AM and 6AM, except sleep, lol) [:D][:D] You would have to firstly commit to the approach adopted by most Open Source types, however - viz. figure it out yourself, RTFM, read all the HOWTOs and FAQs, and experiment to the maximum extent possible, before asking for help on mailing lists or tech forums. Usually, you would've solved the problem before reaching the point of asking for help, as somebody somewhere would've probably already addressed the issue already and posted it for general dissemination - that's the beauty of the Open Source community spirit.

Yup, you could pay somebody to do it for you, but then that would defeat the purpose of committing to the Open Source paradigm, the way I see it. Rates for Linux sysadmins are anything from R300 - R800 per hour in the Johannesburg area - anything below this means you'd end up with PFY's, which you don't want. I suppose at the end of the day the primary consideration is to weigh this cost up against the cost of your own time, coupled to the fact that you would not necessarily have gained any additional knowledge, and would still be reliant on the contractor or PFY. At the same time, your business/organisational imperatives must also be borne in mind. All of these are factors relevant to the decision on whether to opt for a commercial or Open Source solution for any organisation.

I tend to take the long-term view, in that building an in-house competency and capability will reap benefits in the long-term, obviating issues of vendor lock-in, never-ending license fees, deprecated software, forced hardware upgrades due to bloatware, and so on. The pain suffered in the short-term is well worth it.

As a concluding point, here's a challenge: 2004 is around the corner - make it a new year's resolution to go for it (the bean-counters will probably bless you for this)! [8D][:D][8D][:D]
 
I remember setting up my first Linux server some years back. I followed all the howto's and within a day or so I had my DHCP and DNS ( bind ) servers configured and chroot'd and firewall rules setup - it really isn't difficult.

I would recommend having a look at using smoothwall ( www.smoothwall.org ) as your firewall. It comes with squid pre-configured which you can run in transparent mode. It also has a DHCP service and a watered down DNS service - I don't use either of these from smoothwall so I can't comment on how well they work, as for the rest of it, it's great. Then install FreeBSD to use as your mail - smtp server ( sendmail ).
 
Here's a cluepon

why not just use a linux box and VPN to the office?

<hr noshade size="1">
"Since light travels faster than sound, people appear bright until you hear them speak."

NetLink Research
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Karnaugh</i>
<br />Here's a cluepon

why not just use a linux box and VPN to the office?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

erm, ye ok. So you're suggesting installing linux to VPN to the office ... from where? These posts have been about installing / configuring a solution at the office. Read all the posts in future.
 
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