Hardware

Inventory (Top-Bottom)

Custom 1U OPNSense Appliance

In February 2026, I retired a Dell Optiplex running a 7th Generation Intel CPU in favour of a more compact 1U custom build solution. This new system includes the following specs:

NOTE Whilst these components are working well in my environment, some are technically not compatible with a 1U chassis (notably motherboard and CPU cooler).

This appliance runs the Proxmox VE hypervisor, with a single VM running OPNSense operating as my router and firewall. I also run a Wireguard server for network access when away from home, as well as HAProxy to act as a reverse proxy on the edge of my network. Whilst many are against running OPNSense as a virtual machine due to potential complications, I have found it to run flawlessly - plus it allows me to backup the appliance daily using Proxmox Backup Server.

3x Lenovo M720q Mini-PCs

Next in my server rack I have 3 Lenovo M720q mini PCs that I purchased from eBay for £70 each. When purchased, each node had an i3-8100T CPU and 8GB RAM. I have since upgraded the nodes to each include an i5-9500T CPU, 36GB RAM, Intel enterprise SATA SSD and a 2.5G network card. Each of these nodes runs Proxmox VE so I can run VMs and LXC containers, plus backup selected VMs using Proxmox Backup Server. The standard 1G network connection is used for management of Proxmox and resources, and the 2.5G network connection is used for VM network connectivity.

HP 260 G2 Mini-PC

Alongside the Lenovo mini PCs, a single HP 260 G2 is present. Currently, this node runs Proxmox VE with no VMs or containers. However, I do have plans in the near future for this node. It will run a number of GitHub actions runners to create Docker images, apply Terraform changes and a few other small tasks. This machine consists of an Intel i3-6100T, 8GB RAM and 250GB storage from a SATA SSD.

Custom Gaming PC

My custom gaming PC is also stored in my server rack to save space by my desk. I built this in 2022 using what was considered mid-range components, and it is still performing well today in the few games I play. The specs are as follows:

By a stroke of luck, I had this case long before I purchased my server rack but it was the perfect size to fit in a 19" rack! I used the StarTech.com 1U 19 inch Server Rack Rails which were just narrow enough to fit the case on and secure it in the rack.

Custom 4U NAS

I also built this NAS prior to using it in a server rack, with the components installed in a Fractal Design Node 804 case. Once I purchased the server rack, I migrated the internals into a Logic Case LC-4680-16B-WH 4U Rackmount Storage Chassis. Whilst expensive (I believe around £400!), this provides hotswap capabilities for when I need to add or remove drives without shutting down the system. Below is a list of the other components:

Intel i3-10105
Stock Intel CPU Cooler
Corsair Vengeamce LPX 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 3200MHz
LSI MegaRAID 9211-8i (IT Mode)

Array	Configuration	Drives
Boot	Stripe	Intel SSDSC2BB160G4
Mass Storage	RAIDZ1	3x Hitachi HUH721212AL4200
Speed	Stripe	Samsung SSD 980 1TB
Other	Stripe	WD WD40EFRX

This NAS runs TrueNAS scale. Alongside the storage pools, a VM is also running for Proxmox Backup Server. I did want this VM to run on the HP mini PC, however I required a good amount of storage so the NAS was the best choice for this.

NUT-UPS Raspberry Pi 3 Model B

Next to the Eaton UPS I have a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, which is running utilities relating to NUTUPS.

Broadband

My current broadband provider is EE UK with there 900 full fibre, which offers ~900Mbps download and ~110Mbps upload. During off-peak times, I have seen 1.1Gbps download - above the advertised speeds.