Hobby to Pro: My Server Rack Upgrade
Original Setup
When I first started this hobby, I never imagined that my setup would expand to what it is now. Originally, I had a small, custom-made table that I used to house all of my hardware. Sure, it didn’t look the best, but it got the job done, or so I thought. Anytime I needed to access something for troubleshooting, it would end up being a huge hassle, wasting precious time and sometimes causing unnecessary frustration.
Server Rack Upgrade
I knew something had to be done, and this year I decided to take the next step and migrated to using a server rack. The other factor for this decision was the desire to educate myself on the fundamentals of server rack hardware and to gain experience working with it. It was also a dream of mine to have a more professional-looking setup and this was the perfect opportunity to do so. After acquiring the server rack, I began the process of migrating my hardware into it. Thankfully, some of my original hardware like my Cisco networking switch was purchased with the eventual idea of owning a rack which made the transition more seamless. Currently, not all of my hardware is rack-mountable so in the meantime I am making do with a rack shelf.
Future Plans
The number one priority that I have is to eventually transition from using a consumer-grade desktop chassis to a rackmount chassis. The other eventual replacement that I have is my desktop UPS. I have gotten used to the ease of maintenance that working with a server rack offers and would like to utilize it to its full potential. When it comes to a server chassis I have decided that either a 3u or 4 chassis would suit me best due to the increased expandability and airflow that they offer. My dream would be something from Supermicro mainly because they are more free from the proprietary parts you will find in the chassis offered by brands like Dell or HP. However, finding one of these chassis at a reasonable price has proven difficult which has led me to consider the Rosewill RSV-L4412U instead.