I'm older than 30 so I just call this having a home network and more than one computer.
Why do I have a home network? Like many here, I develop network applications. I'm not a network technician, but being able to truly understand how the various components of the internet work, like TCP/IP, DNS etc., is really useful and sets me apart from many developers. I also just like being in control and having the flexibility to do what I want with my own network.
Why do I have multiple computers? Playing with different operating systems etc. isn't really the reason as virtualisation is pretty good these days. It actually comes down to locality of the machines. I want my hard disks to be in a cupboard as they are quite noisy, but I want my screens and keyboard to be on a desk. So I've got a NAS in a cupboard and a (quiet) PC at my desk, plus a (silent) media centre in my living room and other stuff.
One thing I would say is don't be tempted by rack mounted server gear. Yeah, it looks cool and you can get it second hand for not much, but this isn't suitable for your home. Use desktop PC cases with big fans instead. Rack mounted network gear is pretty cool, though.
> One thing I would say is don't be tempted by rack mounted server gear.
That depends on the server. Super Micro makes some rackmount servers that are shallow enough for a network cabinet/wall-mount rack and fairly low power. They also have a real OOB mgmt system, which can be really helpful. https://www.supermicro.com/en/products/system/iot/1u/sys-510...
I agree that typical deep-rackmount servers are more trouble than they are worth for a home lab.
> They also have a real OOB mgmt system, which can be really helpful.
You can find regular-PC-case-shaped motherboards that have real IPMI management baked in, but you do have to be willing to pay more for it, as they're usually (always?) found in "workstation" boards.
However, you do need to do a bit of research to make sure the advertising claims match up to reality. Some of these "IPMI" ports require custom Windows-only software and don't let you remotely control much at all.
I built my home server with a 4RU case filled with desktop components. Thankfully 4RU seems tall enough to get fans large enough to be quite quiet. *Actual^ rack mounted equipment though? I highly recommend that anyone even remotely thinking of bringing this stuff home find some way to hear how bloody loud it is beforehand. I couldn’t imagine living with that.
Rackmounted gear is fine depending on where it is "racked" - some climates can get it into a garage, basement, etc.
But unless you have a real rack it's gonna be a bit of a pain, because it WILL end up being stacked on other pieces of gear in a rackish tower that requires full dismantling to get to the piece you want to work on.
If you go off-lease rack equipment, go whole hog and get a rack and rails too. Rails can be a bit pricey, check the listings for those that include them - rails often work for much longer than the servers so the big companies that liquidate off-lease equipment don't include them; smaller sellers often do.
Why do I have a home network? Like many here, I develop network applications. I'm not a network technician, but being able to truly understand how the various components of the internet work, like TCP/IP, DNS etc., is really useful and sets me apart from many developers. I also just like being in control and having the flexibility to do what I want with my own network.
Why do I have multiple computers? Playing with different operating systems etc. isn't really the reason as virtualisation is pretty good these days. It actually comes down to locality of the machines. I want my hard disks to be in a cupboard as they are quite noisy, but I want my screens and keyboard to be on a desk. So I've got a NAS in a cupboard and a (quiet) PC at my desk, plus a (silent) media centre in my living room and other stuff.
One thing I would say is don't be tempted by rack mounted server gear. Yeah, it looks cool and you can get it second hand for not much, but this isn't suitable for your home. Use desktop PC cases with big fans instead. Rack mounted network gear is pretty cool, though.