My current homelab consists of the following hardware:
- Dell OptiPlex 5060 with an Intel 8th Generation i7 CPU
- MINISFORUM UN1290 Mini-PC with an Intel 12th Generation i9 CPU
- Custom-built PC with an Intel 7th Generation i7 CPU
- Linksys EA7300 Router
The Linksys Router is running OpenWRT for its OS, which is a lightweight Linux distribution that essentially allows for more firewall customization. More details on the Networking page.
The Dell OptiPlex 5060 & MINISFORUM Mini-PC are both running Proxmox for their OS, which is a Tier-1 hypervisor that allows for the creation of virtual machines. More details on the Virtualization page.
The re-purposed Desktop PC is running Unraid OS, which is advertised as an all-in-one solution for storage, virtualization, and Docker containers. While I do use Unraid for some docker containers,
I primarily use it as a NAS (Network-Attached Storage) solution for storing files. There are two hard drives within the computer that use Unraid's storage redundancy
to ensure data isn't lost if one drive fails.
One thing that needs to be consistently upgraded in my homelab is RAM. Having high amounts of memory is crucial when allocating
resources to virtual machines and containers.
Below, you'll find a calculator that converts Gigabytes to Megabytes, should that be needed when purchasing RAM or for when
you need to determine the correct amount of RAM to allocate to a VM.
Gigabytes to Megabytes Calculator
Answer: