DeskPi RackMate T0 to Organize my Mess

[hcschmitt]

Phase 0

So this is what my compute pile had become:

I know, not pretty.

Then I saw the @geerlingguy video about mini-rack systems and knew what I had to do. I documented all the devices and their dimensions, what the power and network requirements were for each. Then I did a layout in a graphics program and figured out how to fit everything in. Everything was ordered and eventually arrived. Time to take the plunge.

Phase 1

What an improvement!

From the top to the bottom:

• eero mesh node on top.
• Rackmate T0
  • A Zyxel GS1100-16 (replacing a TrendNet TEG-S80g, giving me more ports for expansion) mounted with some 3D printed rack ears from Thingiverse. (The mount points aren't quite aligned, so one of the screw isn't in yet.)
  • GeeekPi 0.5U Brush Cable Manager (This is a little too narrow to pass the cables with a tab cover.)
  • Additional RackMate 1U shelf containing:
    • Two Raspberry Pi 4Bs w/8G running 64-bit Debian
    • Raspberry Pi B w/512M running 32-bit Raspberry Pi OS
    • JetKVM attached to the Mac mini
    • (In the back) Anker Prime Charger, 200W acting as a PDU for everything powered via USB.
  • Mac mini (late 2014) running Ubuntu 24.04.1

Future?

I'd definitely like to rackify it more; looking at the @JaredC01 LabStack for ideas. The Brush Cable Manager needs to be replaced by the DeskPi patch panel. Does anyone have a suggestion for thinner 1-foot ethernet cables? These ones pull the Pis out of place.

[geerlingguy]

Ha! What a glow-up of that homelab mess :)

[geerlingguy]

And regarding thinner cables, that still can handle 1/2.5/5 Gbps and even PoE+, I have settled on Monoprice for years, they are great: https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-SlimRun-Cat6A-Ethernet-Patch/dp/B01BGV2TDM/

[mrp-yt]

And regarding thinner cables, that still can handle 1/2.5/5 Gbps and even PoE+, I have settled on Monoprice for years, they are great: https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-SlimRun-Cat6A-Ethernet-Patch/dp/B01BGV2TDM/

Ohhhhh, i will pick some of them. thank you