The other idea I was toying with was a Linux based home server. I installed a server here a month or two ago (as a home / office server) and it’s performed rather better than I’d expected. I have it running Ubuntu Server / LXD (containers) and it’s doing all manner of interesting things, including handling my backups and all the backups for linux.uk and some live websites / single page applications. (https://zerodocs.madpenguin.uk/ for example)
Looks like this;
It’s the little box next to the mug with the red light on the front.
Specification is;
- Quad-Core 1.8G CPU
- 4Gb of RAM (ARM Cortex V8)
- 1Gb NIC
- 1Tb M.2 (SATA) Storage at ~ 280Mb/sec
- Operating temperature ~ 45C, typically silent operation
Currenty it’s running;
- VCHECK - full-stack Python project
- ZERODOCS - full-stack Python project
- BORG - backup
- Local PyPi mirror
- Local NPM Mirror
- Instance of Mail-in-a-Box
- I’m about to add an S3 clone so I can back this forum onto it with the Discourse S3 interface
- There’s still more room …
LDX interface looks like this, so essentially it’s running a bunch of containers, each one has it’s own instance of Ubuntu server in it (some running different versions of Ubuntu).
I reckon we could do this for £199 delivered. You could use it as a desktop, indeed there is an 8Gb model with would be better for this, but I’m not totally sold on the graphics drivers just yet. So although it would work (and indeed it can drive two screens) currently it makes a better server.
(yes, it’s a Raspberry Pi in a box, but when you want something silent that draws 3w of power, 1Tb of storage and can handle lots of containers …)
Any thoughts on the Pro’s and Con’s of this? (too expensive?)
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