A better server for my homelab
I put together a desktop rig from spare parts, and suddenly the homelab got out of hand (in a good way).
The ThinkCentre did its job, but it was starting to show its limits. So I put together a desktop rig from spare parts, a bit Frankenstein-style, to have a much more capable main server.
What I use it for
This one handles everything the ThinkCentre couldn’t:
- Cameras and security centralized in one place.
- Local NAS-style storage, my data in my house and not in someone else’s cloud.
- A lightweight model with Ollama and OpenChat to keep AI accessible locally.
- AdGuard to block ads and, while I’m at it, act as a little home ISP: I reach everything by URL instead of fighting with IPs.
- Everything monitored with Netdata and Home Assistant, so I can see at a glance what’s going on.
A little bit of everything, just like that, with the intention of improving each piece bit by bit.
The snowball effect
Ever since I got it, ideas haven’t stopped coming: all kinds of sensors, smart switches, colored lights and an endless stream of gadgets to wire everything up to the server. It might sound like a lot, but honestly this little rig is holding up surprisingly well.
And this tinkering thing is starting to get to me, in the best way. I should probably go touch some grass, but between fixing one container and wiring up another sensor… we’ll see.