What PC/Mini PC to use to run HS Software

[cheeryfool]

That said it was purchased in an auction dirt cheap...~100 USD with a bunch of other servers and cisco switches (pallet of stuff).

Mrs C must despair some days

[Pete]

The pallet of computers wasn't me. I recommended a no on the purchase. He personally picked up the purchased pallet with his truck.

He is a newbee automator. (Security, CCTV, Automation, et al).

Friend convinced his wife that it was a good deal. Well and it was.

IE: Dell servers, Cisco Switches, Cisco servers, Cisco ASA's et al. He has sold much a la carte and it has paid for initial purchase. Only thing is that all of his servers / switches will be rack mounted in a big footprint in the basement.

Well they are still just on the floor in front of the rack in the basement and his wife never goes down to the basement.

[davros]

Yep, and old school server class gear will...
a) sound like an aircraft carrier
b) suck power like nothing he has seen
c) heat the place 'till it cooks.

Sell it on ebay and get some fit for purpose modern gear.

[Pete]

Yes here have 4 NAS boxes. 3 are modern and 1 is a 1 U server with dual power supplies.

I would get hand me downs from work and while it was a nice to have they didn't really fit in the home (even though they were in the basement).

The NAS was so loud that it's been off now for a couple of years. It would cost more to ship than what it is worth today.

Recently here updated my Leviton 42" panel with a tiny managed 24 port switch (no fans) and an 8 port POE switch. I had started on this endeavor years ago but small managed no fan Gb switches were not available a few years back. I like the switch so much that I purchased two more and these are on the server rack. (there is also a 24 port managed POE switch there).

[Kerat]

What PC/Mini PC to use to run HS Software

I have helped a few friends setup hand me down, written off enterprise equipment. It is cool, but I don't see myself ever needing that much horsepower. Generally speaking, I pickup RPI 3s, or cheapish equipment that is 1 generation old.

My wifi controller and HS3 systems are both hosted on RPI 3s. I have a HTPC system also hosted on an RPI 3. I am considering moving it to an Asus tinkerboard or pine64 (as Pete loves his). I am also considering building a home PBX to get a home phone running again.

My last PC build out was for my PFSense firewall . It was a 5th generation i5, 8 GB ram, SSD, and a dual NIC mini-PC. I picked it up on alibaba for $230. The system was way overpowered for just a firewall, but it was cheap. Additionally, I am actually really glad I did over power it, as I was really impressed with everything I could host in PFsense (Let's encrypt ACME SSL client, reverse proxy, DDNS, WAN monitor, IDS, IP region blocking, RADIUS, VPN).

My next build out will likely be to move my old netgear 4 bay readynas over to a freenas system.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Pete]

Wife's friend here wanted automation in a new home build a few years back and got convinced by GC to utilize Control4 (she liked what we had in our home at the time). The house was close to 10k in size and cost > million or so. The core of the Control4 set up in her home was using all commercial equipment (cisco everything) on one full size rack in her utility room in the basement with the patch panels behind it. Aside from the installation and hardware (LCD TVs everywhere) she payed a monthly control4 support contract which was higher than her cable bill. After all was said and done she didn't like it and it took some 2-3 years of updates (more money) to get something she was happy with.

[cheeryfool]

The pallet of computers wasn't me. I recommended a no on the purchase. He personally picked up the purchased pallet with his truck.

He is a newbee automator. (Security, CCTV, Automation, et al).

Friend convinced his wife that it was a good deal. Well and it was.

IE: Dell servers, Cisco Switches, Cisco servers, Cisco ASA's et al. He has sold much a la carte and it has paid for initial purchase. Only thing is that all of his servers / switches will be rack mounted in a big footprint in the basement.

Well they are still just on the floor in front of the rack in the basement and his wife never goes down to the basement.

[Pete]

Well too he is not a computer person rather he is an Architect and wants to learn.

Next steps here is teaching him about VMs.

[davros]

I have helped a few friends setup hand me down, written off enterprise equipment. It is cool, but I don't see myself ever needing that much horsepower. Generally speaking, I pickup RPI 3s, or cheapish equipment that is 1 generation old.

My wifi controller and HS3 systems are both hosted on RPI 3s. I have a HTPC system also hosted on an RPI 3. I am considering moving it to an Asus tinkerboard or pine64 (as Pete loves his). I am also considering building a home PBX to get a home phone running again.

My last PC build out was for my PFSense firewall . It was a 5th generation i5, 8 GB ram, SSD, and a dual NIC mini-PC. I picked it up on alibaba for $230. The system was way overpowered for just a firewall, but it was cheap. Additionally, I am actually really glad I did over power it, as I was really impressed with everything I could host in PFsense (Let's encrypt ACME SSL client, reverse proxy, DDNS, WAN monitor, IDS, IP region blocking, RADIUS, VPN).

My next build out will likely be to move my old netgear 4 bay readynas over to a freenas system.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pi's rock huh ! I have not used the 3 only have an original, and it's slow but reliable.

As you say, that i5 is way overkill for pfsense Again, a cheap celeron is the go, even with all that loaded up. Heck, I run mine on an old celeron in a VM under esxi with 4 other VM's and it barely rates a CPU blip.

Oh, for a pabx, check out 3CX (elestix is now under them). I just moved to it (also in a VM) and it's really nice. Very easy to setup and maintain with some great features.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[waynehead99]

For PBX at home that is stupid simple and reliable, look at freepbx. I have been running it on my Pi 2 for at least 2 years now utilizing google voice. Its all free (including service) except for the purchase of a Pi. You can run 5 concurrent calls without even making the Pi work hard.

I use it every day/all day for conference calls and its been solid. I also have a digital to Analog converter connected so that I can have a "normal" cordless phone connected to it. Works like a champ.

I run SIP and have a few SIP polycom phones connected and working. I have been wanting to use this setup as well for an intercom feature in the house with HS, but its low priority and haven't done it yet.

[cheeryfool]

For PBX at home that is stupid simple and reliable, look at freepbx. I have been running it on my Pi 2 for at least 2 years now utilizing google voice. Its all free (including service) except for the purchase of a Pi. You can run 5 concurrent calls without even making the Pi work hard.

I use it every day/all day for conference calls and its been solid. I also have a digital to Analog converter connected so that I can have a "normal" cordless phone connected to it. Works like a champ.

I run SIP and have a few SIP polycom phones connected and working. I have been wanting to use this setup as well for an intercom feature in the house with HS, but its low priority and haven't done it yet.

I just set this up today with GV also on a Pi. Was really easy. Going to grab an ATA adaptor too

[MorkaiTheWolf]

I've been running one of these guys for a few months after I got it for a sweet deal. I've been seeing some CPU spikes but I think it's because of some of the plugins I use. Almost tempted to move it to an old PC I have in storage that is an i5 but seems overkill for my current setup.

Intel NUC DN2820FYKH

I will say, after throwing a cheap SSD in it for faster boot times, I'm enjoying the performance overall.