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Hardware Specifications

This page documents the physical hardware powering my homelab.

Cluster Nodes

Attribute dell-01 (Control Plane) nuc-01 (Worker)
Hardware Dell Inc. OptiPlex 9020 (desktop , x86-64) Intel corporation NUC6i5SYB (desktop , x86-64)
CPU Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4790 CPU @ 3.60GHz (4 cores, 8 threads) Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6260U CPU @ 1.80GHz (2 cores, 4 threads)
Memory 8GB DDR3 @ 1600 MT/s (HMT351U6EFR8C-PB) - 2/4 slots used 16GB DDR4 @ 2133 MT/s (KHX2133C13S4/8G) - 2/2 slots used
Storage 931.5GB HDD (LVM managed, 915GB usable) 465.8GB HDD (LVM managed, 466GB usable)
Network Gigabit Ethernet (eno1 interface, 1500 MTU) Gigabit Ethernet (eno1 interface, 1500 MTU)
Gathering Hardware Details

Use the automated hardware information script for consistent data collection:

# Download and run the hardware info script
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jcarranz97/homelab/main/scripts/get-hardware-info.sh
chmod +x get-hardware-info.sh
sudo ./get-hardware-info.sh

Or if you have the repository locally:

# Run from the homelab repository
sudo ./scripts/get-hardware-info.sh

Sudo Required

The script requires sudo privileges to access detailed hardware information via dmidecode, which provides accurate memory specifications including DDR type, speed, part numbers, and slot usage.

The script provides formatted output ready for documentation updates:

root@dell-01:/home/homelab# ./get-hardware-info.sh
Node: dell-01

Hardware: Dell Inc. OptiPlex 9020 (desktop , x86-64)
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4790 CPU @ 3.60GHz (4 cores, 8 threads)
Memory: 8GB DDR3 @ 1600 MT/s (HMT351U6EFR8C-PB) - 2/4 slots used
Storage: 931.5GB HDD (LVM managed, 915GB usable)
Network: Gigabit Ethernet (eno1 interface, 1500 MTU)

Cluster Status

Current Kubernetes cluster operational state:

Node Status Role Version OS Kernel Runtime
dell-01 Ready control-plane,master v1.33.4+k3s1 Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS 6.8.0-88-generic containerd://2.0.5-k3s2
nuc-01 Ready worker v1.33.4+k3s1 Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS 6.8.0-88-generic containerd://2.0.5-k3s2

Real-time Cluster Status

Get current cluster state with: kubectl get nodes -o wide

Network Equipment

Current Setup (Home Network)

The homelab currently uses existing home network infrastructure:

  • Router/Gateway: Home router/modem combo
  • Connectivity:
  • Nodes connect directly via Ethernet or Wi-Fi to home network
  • No dedicated network switch required (only 2 nodes)
  • Network Segment: Single flat network (home LAN)

Future Network Infrastructure

When expanding beyond 2 nodes, consider adding:

Router/Gateway

  • Model: [Dedicated router model]
  • LAN Ports: [Number of LAN ports]
  • Wi-Fi: [Wi-Fi specs if applicable]
  • Features: [Special features like VLAN support]

Switch

  • Model: [Switch model]
  • Ports: [Number and type of ports]
  • Speed: [Port speeds - e.g., Gigabit]
  • Features: [Managed/unmanaged, VLAN support]

Storage

Current Setup

  • Shared Storage: None - each node uses local storage only
  • Storage Strategy: Kubernetes uses local node storage for pods and persistent volumes

Local Storage

Local storage specifications for each node are documented in the Cluster Nodes table above.

Future Shared Storage Plans

NAS/SAN Options

  • Type: [NAS, SAN, or distributed storage]
  • Capacity: [Total storage capacity]
  • RAID Level: [If applicable]
  • Connection: [How it connects to cluster]

Power and Cooling

Current Setup (Home Environment)

  • Power: Nodes connected directly to standard electrical outlets (no PDU)
  • Cooling: Built-in cooling systems (PC's internal fans only)
  • Ambient Environment: Standard home room temperature
  • Power Monitoring: No dedicated power consumption monitoring currently in place

Future Power Infrastructure

PDU (Power Distribution Unit)

  • Model: [PDU model if used]
  • Capacity: [Power capacity]
  • Runtime: [Estimated runtime under load]

Power Consumption

  • Idle: [Estimated idle power consumption]
  • Under Load: [Estimated power under load]
  • Monthly Cost: [Estimated monthly electricity cost]
  • Monitoring: [Smart plugs or power meters for measurement]

Cooling

  • Ambient Temperature: [Room temperature range]
  • Cooling Solution: [Fans, AC, passive cooling]
  • Noise Level: [Acceptable noise levels]

Physical Setup

Current Setup (Simple Home Configuration)

  • Placement: Nodes placed on small table/desk surface
  • Organization: Dell OptiPlex and Intel NUC positioned for adequate ventilation
  • Cables: Basic cable management with power and Ethernet cables as needed
  • Space: Minimal footprint suitable for home environment

Future Physical Infrastructure

Rack/Shelf

  • Type: [Server rack, shelf, desk setup]
  • Size: [Rack units if applicable]
  • Organization: [How equipment is arranged]

Cables

  • Ethernet: [Cable types and lengths]
  • Power: [Power cable management]
  • Organization: [Cable management solution]

Future Expansion Plans

Short Term

  • Network Switch: Add managed switch for centralized Ethernet connectivity, allowing nodes to be physically located together
  • Raspberry Pi Nodes: Include ARM-based nodes (Raspberry Pi 4/5) to expand cluster with different architecture support
  • NAS (Network Attached Storage): Shared storage solution for databases, Harbor registry images, and centralized data storage

Long Term

  • PDU (Power Distribution Unit): Smart PDU for remote outlet control and power consumption monitoring of individual nodes

Budget Breakdown

Component Cost Date Purchased Notes
Dell OptiPlex 9020 (dell-01) $30 2025-09-13 Used desktop PC from marketplace
Intel NUC6i5SYB (nuc-01) $50 2025-09-13 Used mini PC from marketplace
Total $80 Great value for homelab setup

Lessons Learned

To be added.

What Works Well

  • [Positive experiences with hardware choices]
  • [Good decisions made during setup]

What I'd Do Differently

  • [Hardware choices to reconsider]
  • [Setup decisions to change]

Recommendations

  • [Advice for similar setups]
  • [Vendor recommendations]