Tip for Outpost (Plus maybe some other firewalls)

If you have logging enabled in Outpost, it's constantly writing to disk every second. The data isn't big in size, but it's millions of disk writes and no doubt other logging enabled firewalls do the same.

I have a RamDisk as R drive with a few hundred megs with Firefox caches, so decided to write my firewall logs there also. Outpost doesn't have a setting for this in the .ini file unlike the news storage location and some others but it's simple to move.

This tool called Portable Link Junction Magic will do the job in 2 seconds. Shut down Outpost, create folder called /log/ in your RamDisk then in the tool on the source side chose the /log/ folder in Outpost program files directory and destination your new log folder in RamDisk and create.

Done, start up Outpost and all your log activity will be done in Ram.

As you can see, logs in RAM:



Now the other thing, if you use one of the big IP blocklists such as the one GiddyUp posts you can put that in RAM also. The list is stored in the file configuration.conf in OP's main program files directory. You can create hardlinks for individual files instead of just directories also with this tool. It's on Softpedia, but the official site has more info.

I don't use the blocklist, but i image loading a 30,000 IP file from Ram every time you click a link would be stacks faster than reading it from disk all the time.

Anyone done something like this, or am i the only one silly enough?

 

Sort of defeats the purpose of "log". If you reboot what happens to those logs?

 

The RamDisk automatically saves the contents as an image to regular HD upon shutdown, then remounts it to RAM again on boot and nothings lost.

I run all my Firefox caches and profile in RAM along with several other things like Sandboxie, if it was volatile storage i wouldn't be doing that. I have 4GB of RAM and Windows can only address around 3.3GB, the RamDisk i have can utilize the extra not addressed by Windows properly so i lose nothing and gain a lot. For instance, Firefox with the Ram caches is faster than the latest Chromium build.

If you have a SSD drive, doing this setup with Browser/Outpost can save millions of disk writes a day and prolong the drive not to mention it's faster.

 

RAM disk used to be more popular. Which one are you using? I might give it a try. It sounds interesting.

 

Hi Manny, i'm using Ram Disk Plus by Super Speed found here. Unfortunately it's not free, and not all that cheap either but it's the easiest to use, with the most features such as being able to address/use RAM beyond the Windows 3.3GB'ish limitation and handles saving and re-mounting the Ram Disk during shutdown and reboot. Also once you setup your Ram Disk it's completely transparent with nothing in task manager, it just runs a driver.

There's a post here that mentions a bunch of them in the third paragraph. I "think" with the free ones you need to add your own backup/reload solution if you want the ram disk data to survive reboot.

Actually, just punched it in Softpedia and here's one for $9.95 with save/load options and a trial. Not free, but close.

With the amount it speeds up Firefox, Photoshop scratchpad and things like that it's been an excellent investment.

 

Interesting info on Super Speed in what it can do, thanks. I also use ram disks quite alot and even developed from MS's driver. Trying Farstone's - Virtual hard drive and Virtual drive atm.

 

Yes, someone built a GUI for the MS Ram Disk but i don't think he supports it anymore. Super Speed is the other one i have tried, it has a nicer interface and a few features Super Speed doesn't have but on my machine i didn't find it as reliable.

Actually, i've been poking around on Softpedia and found a promising one that didn't come up on my initial searches. It supports save/load image on shutdown, can address beyond 4GB, supports up to 128 Ram Drives plus... It's freeware, and recently updated. VSuite RamDisk. Softpedia only mentions 2k/XP in 32/64 bit but their site lists right up to Win7.

That may be a worthy free alternative.

 

Yes that does look nice, other editions also - comparison.

Pro and Server look good, states 64bit coming.

 

Thank you. I appreciate the information.

 

Good find 1boss1, (Vsuite) looks quite interesting.

 

It does look interesting but I tried to install it on Win7 and it said it won't install on Windows versions greater than 6 even though their website says it will. I'll go ask them and see what they say.

Edit: Well it doesn't. The free version supports 2000/XP/2003 ands says so in the comparison page which I must of been blind not to see when I first looked at it. Support was incredibly fast in responding. In less than 5 minutes I had a reply. Amazing!

 

Nice tip 1boss1. Thanks.

I will wait for the 64-bit version of Vsuite to become available. Then I will redirect Opera's Cache to ramdisk.
OK I changed my mind. I will test the 32-bit trial under x64 Vista first.

 

They already support X64 but not in the free version. You can use the 15 day trial version now if you want. I decided 15 days, which they aren't changing, is too short and didn't fool with it. Otherwise I would.

I doubt they'll change their free version, now at V1, any time soon. They are at v4 for their paid products.

The support from these folks is fantastic. I got return replies to my several emails within minutes. I wish they had more time with their free trial because I probably would end up buying it.

Here's the 64 bit info at the bottom of http://www.romexsoftware.com/main/products/vsuite.html Maybe this is still in beta testing according to their change log; http://www.romexsoftware.com/main/products/vsuite-ramdisk-history.html#srv I'm not sure now.

 

Thanks for the hints Manny.

In the meantime I installed the 15 days trial of the 32-bit standard version on Vista x64 and created a virtual drive. Then I changed Opera's cache directory to that drive.
I am seeing some performance improvement in Opera but it is too early to come to a final verdict.

 

Opera has that feature: Tools-Preferences-Advanced-History and set Disk cache to Off.

 

Thank you for the tip. Didn't know about this.

 

How's this working out for you?

 

Im finding outpost is still logging to agnitum log folder as well as ramdisk log folder.What am i doing wrong?
tia
ellison