Home Networking Lab: Planning and Upgrade

This document captures a conversation about upgrading a home networking lab, focusing on new compute hardware, 10G networking, and rack-mounted infrastructure.

Current Home Lab Setup

Network Infrastructure

  • Gateway: Ubiquiti Networks Gateway Lite (UXG-Lite)
  • Modem: Arris S34
  • Switches:
    • Ubiquiti US-8 Unifi Switch (Garage)
    • USW Lite 16 Port PoE (Office)
    • Ubiquiti US-8 Unifi Switch (Office)
  • Wireless Access Points:
    • Ubiquiti UAP-AC-Pro (2nd Floor)
    • Ubiquiti UAP-AC-Lite (3rd Floor/Office)
  • Cabling: Patch panel from garage to the rest of the house.

Compute and Storage

  • vSphere Cluster: 3 x Intel NUC6i7KYK Mini PCs
    • CPU: i7-6770HQ (Quad-Core)
    • Memory: 64GB RAM each
    • Storage: 250GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD each
    • Networking: 1 built-in NIC + 1 Plugable USB to Ethernet Adapter per NUC
  • Shared Storage: Synology DiskStation DS918+ 4-Bay NAS
    • 2 x 4TB WD Red Pro 7200 rpm SATA III HDDs

Proposed Hardware Upgrade

New Compute

  • Model: MINISFORUM Mini PC MS-A2
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX (16 Cores / 32 Threads, up to 5.4 GHz)
  • Memory: 32GB DDR5 (upgradeable)
  • Storage: 1TB SSD
  • Networking:
    • 2 x SFP+ 10G ports
    • 2 x 2.5G LAN ports
  • Expansion:
    • 3 x M.2 SSD slots (2280/22110/U.2)
    • 1 x PCIe x16 slot

Key Considerations for the Upgrade

  • Memory: The MS-A2 supports up to 96GB of RAM, which is recommended for vSphere.
  • 10G Networking: To utilize the SFP+ ports, a 10G-capable switch is necessary.
  • Power and Cooling: The new mini PCs will have higher power consumption and generate more heat.

Phased Approach to the Upgrade

Phase 1: Foundational Work

  1. Network Cleanup: Before purchasing new hardware, optimize the existing network setup.
  2. Tanzu Preparation: The primary workloads will be Tanzu Kubernetes Grid (TKG) and Tanzu Application Services (TAS), which have specific networking requirements.

Phase 2: Gradual Integration

  1. Start with One: Begin with a single MS-A2 to create a mixed-architecture vSphere cluster (Intel and AMD). This allows for validation of the new hardware and 10G networking.
  2. Infrastructure in Parallel: Plan and build out the 10G network infrastructure.

Networking and Rack Infrastructure

Switching

  • Recommendation: Add a Ubiquiti USW-Aggregation switch (8 x 10G SFP+ ports) as the core switch in the office.
  • VLANs for Tanzu:
    • VLAN 10: Management
    • VLAN 20: vMotion
    • VLAN 30: Storage
    • VLAN 100: TKG Workload
    • VLAN 110: TKG Frontend

Rack Setup

  • Rack: DeskPi RackMate T1 (6U) is recommended.
  • Components to Rack:
    • USW-Aggregation (1U)
    • USW-Pro-24-PoE (1U, optional)
    • Synology DS918+ (on a shelf, ~2U)
    • 3 x MS-A2 units (on shelves, ~1U each)
    • Patch Panel (1U)
    • Cable Management (1U)

Power Management

  • Estimated Power Draw (New Setup): ~170-390W (typical), ~540W (peak)
  • UPS Recommendation:
    • CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD (1500VA/1000W)
    • APC Back-UPS Pro 1500VA (1500VA/900W)
  • PDU: A 10” rack-mount PDU, such as the Tupavco TP1713.

Shopping List and Recommendations

Phase 1: Rack and Cable Management

  • Rack: GeeekPi 8U Server Cabinet (DeskPi RackMate T1)
  • Patch Panel: GeeekPi 12 Port 0.5U CAT6 Network Patch Panel
  • PDU: 10” Rack PDU (4 Outlet)
  • Cable Management: GeeekPi 0.5U Metal Horizontal Rackmount Cable Manager
  • Cables: iMBAPrice 0.5 Feet (6 inch) Cat6 Ethernet Network Patch Cables

Accessories

  • Rack Shelves: Vented 1U shelves for the MS-A2 units and NAS.
  • Mounting Screws: A set of rack mount screws (e.g., M6).
  • Velcro Ties: Reusable cable ties for organization.

This project is for educational and home lab purposes.