Show us your home lab

[Andrew Moore]

As title really, I cant see a dedicated thread which blows my mind but then again there are a hell of a lot of dedicated threads to certain servers and/or gear.

Anyway, what have you got and what do you use them for? I'm in need of inspiration for mine.

https://flic.kr/p/2pFtBi1

- ATEN PE6108G PDU for easy powering down of equipment if I am away from the home
- Ubiquiti UDM SE running the CCTV, firewall, VPN
- TrendNET TGE-TP182 for explansion and other POE requiring bits of equipment
- Custom 3U server using old junk (server 1) currently on latest release Ubuntu Pro but with an Win11 Pro MB tied license if I find anything I cant do with Linux and have to use windows again.
- Other 3U server which I may swap in if I find I need the extra power (server 2). Win11 Pro tied to MB but I doubt it'll ever get used.

Server 1 - 3400G, 32GB DDR3000, 1TB P5 NVME, B450i, 4 port SATA controller, 4x 16TB EXOS recerts, 3x 8TB WD reds, 550W Antec Earth Watts
Server 2 - 5950x, 64GB DDR3200, 1TB 980 Pro NVME, B550i, NVME to 6* SATA card, 6Gb A2000, 750w Antec Earth Watts

All storage in Server 1 will get transplanted to Server 2 should I make this particular hardware swaps but as it stands, the power envelope additions for what I current use which is JUST a plex server would be a bit pointless.


Current use, nothing but a Plex server on server 1. I may dabble with ProxMox, Kubemetes, Docker. I'm undecided as it stands but I don't want to have a play.

There is a possibility I may take on a single 1U chassis to add the 3400G system in with the EXOS drives to run a standalone proxmox server (an 1U PSU will also be required) and to then pick up an 2U chassis to house the 5950x system with the WD reds and A2000. I'll be able to ditch the m.2 to SATA card and with some luck might find an m.2 to 10G SFP card unless I go headless and ditch the A2000 (I'd rather not). This gives me the facility to run what i already have in the 3U all be it with a reduced amount of storage 24/7 with the second 2U in the rack being used only when I want to and have time to power it up to have a play.

I've got plenty of other older bits of kit kicking about that I may need to find a home for such as an ML350e and some older Pi3s that could be fun to integrate somehow.


So, what have you? Show em!

 

[Andrew Moore]

Reddit it is then.. shame as so many of you have cool stuff going on.

 

[Andrew Moore]

That’s a hell of a lot going on in a home lab. The MS-01s do look pretty cool, be sure to get some images and info up when you get them running.

How to you monitor what each system is doing, resources used etc? You use something like loggly?

 

[Andrew Moore]

Mine is a mess compared to most on here. Lets call it 'functional'.

Mine for years was this sort of, thing, a couple of Lack tables bolted/butchered together and some wheels on the bottom. Worked well, got battered but it was functional furniture for keeping a coffee on top of until that ended well..

 

[Andrew Moore]

As promised, I finally managed to get them setup in a cluster

They are bigger than the HP/Dell/Lenovo mini units but smaller than a home router, they're quite chunky and fairly weighty!

Connectivity on them is nothing to be sniffed at either, I've wacked in an i350 x4 card in each and hooked up the 10G ports to my switch, still have the 2.5G ports to play with once I can get my hands on a 2.5G switch that won't cost me my kidneys

Wow they're tiny for what they contain! Let us know how you get on with them as I have been looking and am quite tempted.