oddly, "cabinet" was the word on which i was eliminated from my elementary spelling bee.
summary
i want a home server, but i want it organized and minimal (in appearance as well). i think having all UPS, networking equipment, servers, and supporting hardware in a single cabinet is ideal.
goals
* a minimalistic, single cabinet that is easy to assemble and disassemble, lightweight, and outwardly appealing. it should provide very good accessibility to the components inside.
* self-containment: it should only require minimal connections from the outside of the cabinet, such as one power connection, one upstream network connection (e.g., coaxial), and the necessary LAN connections.
* proper ventilation, along with temperature monitoring and fan control (to minimize noise).
* modular, so that it can be used to build a desk, bookshelf, or counter top.
discussion
i'd like to go with wood on the outside, but i don't have the tools necessary to work on hard woods nicely. it's also difficult to source. i might prototype with pine.
i'm thinking about building some kind of arduino-type device to monitor cabinet temperature, control the fans, and offer reporting via ethernet.
i don't think it's worthwhile to incorporate a 19-inch rack. even though the standardization is appealing, i don't use any rackmount equipment. do any of you?
using metal (perhaps grated) shelves internally might help with airflow and cooling. thoughts?
summary
i want a home server, but i want it organized and minimal (in appearance as well). i think having all UPS, networking equipment, servers, and supporting hardware in a single cabinet is ideal.
goals
* a minimalistic, single cabinet that is easy to assemble and disassemble, lightweight, and outwardly appealing. it should provide very good accessibility to the components inside.
* self-containment: it should only require minimal connections from the outside of the cabinet, such as one power connection, one upstream network connection (e.g., coaxial), and the necessary LAN connections.
* proper ventilation, along with temperature monitoring and fan control (to minimize noise).
* modular, so that it can be used to build a desk, bookshelf, or counter top.
discussion
i'd like to go with wood on the outside, but i don't have the tools necessary to work on hard woods nicely. it's also difficult to source. i might prototype with pine.
i'm thinking about building some kind of arduino-type device to monitor cabinet temperature, control the fans, and offer reporting via ethernet.
i don't think it's worthwhile to incorporate a 19-inch rack. even though the standardization is appealing, i don't use any rackmount equipment. do any of you?
using metal (perhaps grated) shelves internally might help with airflow and cooling. thoughts?
what workflows are you trying to solve for?