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It’s simple enough these days to put together an incredibly compact desktop computer that you can use for productivity, entertainment, or even network-attached storage system. But what if you want a space-saving version of purpose-built server or networking hardware?
Jeff Geerling’s Project Mini Rack is a new resources for building 10 inch rack systems for networking, homelab, or other applications. These 10″ mini racks are about half the width of a typical 19″ rack, allowing them to fit in more places.
As Geerling points in a blog post announcing the project, not everyone wants to devote an entire closet or corner to a standard 19-inch rackmount setup. In fact, there’s a thriving community of folks at r/minilab who have been building smaller alternatives for years.
You don’t have to sacrifice functionality just because you want to keep things compact, however.
There are loads of options when it comes to 10-inch rackmount setups. It’s not always easy to know what will work and what won’t, however, and that’s where Project Mini Rack comes in.
Geerling plans to build a centralized, open resource that will streamline the process of going small. First and foremost, Project Mini Rack features lists of compatible components: power distribution units, mini PC mounts, switches, drive trays, UPSes and, of course, the 10-inch racks themselves.
Project Mini Rack will point you in the right direction for all the odds and ends to keep your build clean and organized, including OCD, brush and cable management panels. There are even links to 3D-printed accessories that will help complete your rack.
The site also features a build gallery — one that provides detailed information about the hardware and software used, problems that were encountered along the way and the steps that were taken to overcome them.
There are already nearly a dozen creations on display, from virtual computing labs to Raspberry Pi clusters to firewall and NAS combinations.
If you’re curious about building your own compact rack system, Project Mini Rack is already a great place to get started — and it’s sure to keep getting better.
