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Setting up Home Lab - Mini PC vs Refurbed Server hardware?

  • 05-02-2024 08:56PM
    #1
    MaxPayneXL
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 126 ✭✭


    I am thinking about setting up a Home IT Lab. I am bit confused with the hardware required. Like a base OS with various VM's for various purpose like pfsense, couple of Linux distros like Kali Linux etc.

    Should I go for a Mini PC with components like AMD Ryzen 9 + 64 Gb RAM + 2 TB etc? AliExpress have lots of these.

    Or should I get refurbed server hardware with Intel Xeon processor range and other components? If Ys, which is the best place in Ireland or EU to get this (without import duty etc for the likes of UK)?

    Prefer to get the whole server with components with or without an OS.

    Thanks...



Comments

  • #2
    MaxPayneXL
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 126 ✭✭MaxPayneXL


    Which OS would be the best as the base bare metal operating system? 

    Windows Server 2019 / 2022 and VMs in Hyper-V

    or

    Ubuntu Server + VMs

    or

    Some other Linux Distro

    Thanks...



  • #3
    ItHurtsWhenIP
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 2,298 ✭✭✭ItHurtsWhenIP


    Have you looked at adverts.ie ... plenty of second-hand servers on there:

    https://www.adverts.ie/for-sale/computers/servers/131/



  • #4
    bellagiaoie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8 ✭bellagiaoie


    Hi there, any solutions at last? Also a fan of homelab here:)



  • #5
    Coyler
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 579 ✭✭✭Coyler


    I would start with something more reasonable. Blade servers are noisy and need a dedicated space to run them. Might not be practical. Mini PCs on the other hand might not be very flexible. Quite limited and might hit a hardware limit fast i.e. drive ports, NICs. I have a unRAID server running in a Fractal Design R7 case that does a whole heap for me. Plex etc., pihole, emulatorjs, starbound and Minecraft game servers all running under Docker and pfsense running as a VM. Have a Windows VMs that I've passed through a GPU so I can game on my TV in the sitting room using Steam Link. All running on a desktop Intel CPU (Quicksync is basically needed for Plex) with non-EEC RAM.

    There is Proxmox as well which I've not used but hear perfectly good things about. Basically start with either solution and you can pretty much do as you please.

    So, I'd recommend to start with a large desktop case with a 10th or even 12th gen CPU and a decent Z490/Z590 board. You could be up and running quickly and if you want to move the parts on it's a whole lot simpler than some bespoke solution.



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