[geeks] Q: NetScreen Firewall/VPN appliance

[Phil Brutsche]

Lionel Peterson wrote:
> I came a cross a NetScreen Technologies NS-005-001 Firewall/VPN
> appliance, and I was wondering if anyone had any exp. with this piece
> of hardware?

NetScreen 5, similar to a PIX 501.

I've had some experience with them, it's been 5 years though.

> The unit powers up, and I have the original box, which includes power
> brick and software on floppy (which I can't easily load onto a
> computer right now). I suspect it works fine, but:
> 
> Would a unit like this need expensive software "activation" or
> license to actually use (or is it perpetual)?

The former.

Pray that the previous owner sent you the password (or deleted it).

If you need the password reset you may need to contact Juniper's tech
support, who won't talk to you unless you have a valid support agreement.

Did I mention that, since you got it "gray market", a support agreement
costs as much as a new NetScreen?

> Do these have any resale value (aside from insanity like eBay Item
> number: 120121368264)?

The larger ones do.

A little ol' NetScreen 5? No.

> This unit has a trusted and an untrusted Ethernet port, as well as a
> 9 pin serial diagnostics port...

Null-modem serial console.

-- 

Phil Brutsche
phil at tux.obix.com