Le Fri, 3 Dec 2010 19:28:19 +0800 (CST),
shwegime@gmail.com a icrit :

quoted text
> Hello, I'm considering buying a Soekris net5501-70 and install
> OpenBSD on it to make myself a small server and use it as a proxy
> (ssh tunnel), it might serve as backup file sever as well. I guess at
> the most there will be two-three computers connnected at the same
> time, and there might be some streaming video going through, like the
> videos you find on online newspapers. I have googled around, and read
> that this kind of hardware is fine as a router but not so much as a
> server. Is it true? Thank you for any 
> suggestions.

It depends on the connection, do not expect a 100M/bits link.
I use a net5501 for my "all-in-one" box (file server (samba), printers
share, router, ...). The file server is not very speed but is enougth
for doing backups. (From time to time, backup the server to an external
usb disk).

quoted text
> I was also considering using a netbook for the task. What 
> about it?

I don't think a netbook will be reliable running 24/24.

This was my only concern on the net5501, the reliablity of the internal
2.5" disk drive, looks good after 3 years.

Check the soekris-tech mailing list, questions about performances are
often asked.