[tor-relays] Question: RAM requirement for an exit relay

[mick]

On Mon, 21 Dec 2020 00:15:49 +0100
lists at for-privacy.net allegedly wrote:

> On 18.12.2020 17:33, mick wrote:
> 
> > So - you can get a twin core VPS with 2 Gig of RAM and 3500 gig of
> > traffic allowance for less than $20.00 for a /year/. Spend a little 
> > more
> > and you can get 8 gig of traffic.  
> 
> 3500 GB = 1750 GB for a Tor relay. Can be gone in 1-3 days. ;-)
> Traffic is always counted sum in + out
> You may have more fun on a bridge. If you run a relay first, don't
> use the IP later for a bridge!
> 
> 20-30 MiB/s Tor Relay consumes about 40-50 TB of traffic per month a
> few weeks after the 14-day ramp-up phase.:-(
> That is why I am suspicious of some of the 50-90 MiB/s unnamed relays 
> without contact.
> https://metrics.torproject.org/rs.html#search/unnamed%20type:relay%20
> 
> 
> VPN or root server with 20-40 MiB/s unlimited traffic is available
> for EUR 15-30,-/month.

Sure you can get relays with higher traffic allowances, but those tend
to be on ASs which /already/ have high concentrations of Tor relays.
This is not good for diversity. For example, I can (and do) get 20TB of
traffic allowance on my Hetzner relay
(https://metrics.torproject.org/rs.html#details/AE4FAE2EB5DC5D078458F0FCBF2B37F5D73F0868)
but Hetzner already has nearly 450 relays on AS24940 whereas the
Racknerd relay is on Colocrossings's AS36352 which only has 21 relays. 

The OP was considering running a relay at the end of a domestic ADSL
line which is not a good idea. Other respondents suggesting renting a
cheap VPS - I agreed and simply pointed to a (currently very cheap)
alternative. There is a danger that any new Tor relay operator will
pick a supplier which is already over represented. We should attempt to
avoid that if we can.

Tor can be (and in my case is) throttled so that you do not exceed the
ISP's allowance but still provide useable extra bandwidth.

Mick 


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 Mick Morgan
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