Having accepted that I actually enjoy messing around in my HomeLab, trying new things and learning about random technology that keeps networks and organisations running I’ve invested in a range of different hardware (and software) to allow me to experiment some cheap … and some not such much.

Below is an overview of the different hardware in the lab, what it’s used for and, of probably more interest, the specifications of each. I also have a range of cloud services that support this and provide my online presence.

Note: Not complete specs yet and will be updated as I start configuring everything, photos of the 2x 25U racks this lives in will follow.

Networking

Edge Router - rtr-01.core

Custom build short depth server hosting VyOS connected to upstream ONT for YouFibre and G-Fast modem for Zen Internet.

Specifications

  • Chassis - Asus Rack Server RS200-E9-PS2
  • CPU - Intel E3-1240v5
  • Memory - 2x 8GB totalling 16GB
  • Storage - 2x 500GB M.2 NVMe mirrored via ZFS
  • Networking
    • Onboard: 4x 1Gbe Intel X350
    • Addon: 1x Intel X520-DA2 (Dual 10Gbe SFP+)

Mellanox SX1016 - sw-01.core

Core 10Gbe switch with fan replacement to Noctua. Connects to all servers and and storage devices at 10Gbe and trunk connections to other switches.

Specifications

  • Networking
    • 64x 10Gbe SFP+
    • 1x 1Gbe Management

PoE switch connecting to all access points, cameras and other smart home devices.

Specifications

  • Networking
    • 4x 10Gbe SFP+
    • 24x 1Gbe PoE

Non PoE switch connecting to the servers and other core networking devices.

Specifications

  • Networking
    • 4x 10Gbe SFP+
    • 24x 1Gbe

Mikrotik CSS - sw-04.core

Primarily used to provide the management network connecting all UPSs, PDUs and other ancillary equipment to the network to allow remote management.

Specifications

  • Networking
    • 2x 10Gbe SFP+
    • 24x 1Gbe

Access points (ap-01.core and ap-02.core) for providing 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi.

Compute

Full Specifications to follow

3x HP T630 Thin Clients

RAM and Storage upgraded and used for:

  • Home Assistant
  • MaaS Region/Rack Controller
  • Monitoring Host

4x Raspberry Pi 1B

Used for

  • DNS Servers 1 & 2
  • PiHole
  • CA Server

2x Raspberry Pi 3B

Used for

  • Documentation - NetBox
  • Documentation - BookStack

1x Lenovo X3650-M5

VDI host with addon GPU

3x Lenovo X3650-M5

vSAN cluster

1x HP DL360 G7

Used as management controller for vSphere and other core services run in VMs

3x HP DL360 G7

Currently sat as cold spares

Storage

1x QNAP TS-932PX

Used for media storage and home/office backups

Storage

HDD - ???

SSD - ???

1x QNAP TS-932PX

Used for homelab bulk storage and server/services backups

Storage

HDD - 3x 16TB

SSD - 4x Crucial MX500 2TB

Ancillary

5x Eaton 5PX 1500i

3 used in the homelab racks

1 used for Gaming/Home PC

1 used for my home office

2x APC AP7920 PDU

Both used within the lab racks to allow remote power control of raspberry pis to allow integration with MaaS.

1x Startech 17" Digital KVM