# Where to Shop
Ebay and serverpartdeals
Once this is built out a bit more and updated on /uses and submit to [GitHub - wesbos/awesome-uses: A list of /uses pages detailing developer setups, gear, software and configs.](https://github.com/wesbos/awesome-uses/).
REVIEW: [Setup - David V. Kimball](https://davidvkimball.com/setup/)
# Current Lab
## Networking
### Router / Firewall
- [The UDM Special Edition](https://store.ui.com/us/en/category/all-cloud-gateways/products/udm-se)
### Network Switches
- **$800** - For the core home lab tower I have [Pro Max 24 PoE](https://store.ui.com/us/en/category/switching-professional-max-xg/products/usw-pro-max-24-poe)
- **$109** - Media 5 for others (like entertainment system). I am using the [Lite 8 PoE](https://store.ui.com/us/en/category/switching-utility/products/usw-lite-8-poe)
### Access Points
![[Access Points]]
## Compute / Servers / Storage
### Compute
- Personal / work laptop
- Macbook Pro M5 Pro
- Keyboard - [M1 V5 Black-on-White - MonsGeek](https://www.monsgeek.com/product/monsgeek-m1-v5-black-on-white-quick-release-mechanical-keyboard/)
- Mouse - [Logitech M720 Triathlon Multi-Computer Wireless Mouse](https://www.logitech.com/en-us/shop/p/m720-triathlon)
- 2020 Macbook Pro with Intel Chip
- Mini PC
- [Dell Micropc]([https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=dell+3050+i3-7100t&_sacat=0&siteid=0&toolid=20013](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=dell+3050+i3-7100t&_sacat=0&siteid=0&toolid=20013)
- **$1400** - [MINISFORUM UM890 Pro \| Ryzen 9 8945HS, OCuLink & Dual 2.5G – Minisforum](https://store.minisforum.com/products/minisforum-um890pro-mini-pc?variant=45607692796149&country=US¤cy=USD&dm_cam=20275997255&dm_grp=&dm_ad=&dm_kw=&dm_net=adwords&att_gcid=Cj0KCQjw8ofWBhCHARIsANBj4LsIY5AmuCM38BCQc6sN39-1Xw5LSebXeQGNJi5QipYHiP2sQtLI8OcaAj5HEALw_wcB&att_gbid=0AAAAAppTKYzR9C_wbSQucKCPMbdiO82I8&att_wbid=CkEKCQjwz4LWBhCkARIwAKLGrf6pprcYx-SA9HIkWrv3piAnzRresWcX2tFyApgCE-0MhyUOCu4WMGVlCWBJGgIsOA&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20280546403&gbraid=0AAAAAppTKYzR9C_wbSQucKCPMbdiO82I8&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8ofWBhCHARIsANBj4LsIY5AmuCM38BCQc6sN39-1Xw5LSebXeQGNJi5QipYHiP2sQtLI8OcaAj5HEALw_wcB)
- SSDs?
- **~$150** - NVMe cache
- [WD\_BLACK SN850X NVMe Internal SSD, 2TB - WDBB9G0020BNC-WRWM - Walmart.com](https://www.walmart.com/ip/WD-BLACK-SN850X-NVMe-Internal-SSD-2TB-WDBB9G0020BNC-WRWM/5540195488?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=5220&gclsrc=aw.ds&adid=222222222775540195488_117755028669_12420145346&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-394283752452&wl5=9012100&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=5540195488&veh=sem_LIA&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=12420145346&gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIrXaIFzONly8gGSdIaaBIHUA&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_8TJBhDNARIsAPX5qxTPN-k1mdkbCduun0RPR9W43x-3gv5XTgsFzt7QITokWjfZd63vppUaApDmEALw_wcB)
- Dock Station
- [TS5 (1.0m) - Thunderbolt Station 5 (Space Gray) – CalDigit US Shop](https://us.caldigit.com/products/ts5)
### Storage
#### [[Network Access Storage (NAS)]]
**$500** - This was the most difficult decision. I had to balance the 'all-in-one' options like the Synology NAS and UGREEN NAS versus an option that truly focuses on pure storage. In the end, I liked the idea of keep compute and storage separate, while also keeping in the Unifi ecosystem: [UNAS Pro - Ubiquiti Store](https://store.ui.com/us/en/products/unas-pro)
- Should I encrypt?
#### SSDs
- No SSDs in NAS. Not necessary. SSDs in MiniPIC instead.
#### HDDs
**~$1,617** - 3x [WD Ultrastar DC HC550 18TB (WUH721818ALE6L4, 0F38459), Manufacturer Recertified](https://serverpartdeals.com/products/western-digital-ultrastar-dc-hc550-wuh721818ale6l4-0f38459-18tb-7-2k-rpm-sata-6gb-s-512e-512mb-3-5-se-manufacturer-recertified-hdd) from ServerPartDeals at $539 each (Sep 2026). 512e SATA, CMR, 7200 RPM, helium. 3 year warranty through SPD, not WD.
Why this over 4x WD Red Plus 12TB (WD120EFBX), my original pick:
- **Price** - 2026 HDD shortage (AI data center demand, WD sold out through 2026) pushed new 12TB Red Plus to ~$459+ (~$38/TB). The recertified HC550 was ~$30/TB. 3x 18TB in RAID 5 = 36TB usable for ~$300 less than 4x 12TB, with one fewer drive making noise and heat.
- **Expansion** - the UNAS Pro has 7 bays. 18TB drives leave 4 bays free and each added drive gives another 18TB. Replacement or expansion drives must be 18TB or larger.
- **Noise** - the EFBX is quieter, but the drives live in a rack, so it didn't justify ~35% more per TB.
- **Recertified vs refurbished** - SPD sells the same part number as "Seller Refurbished" ($509, ~33K power-on hours, 2 year warranty). Avoid that one.
Compatibility: Ubiquiti has no drive whitelist, only "1TB+ CMR, 7200 RPM". Stick with 512e variants and don't mix in 4Kn drives. If a drive doesn't show up, suspect the SATA 3.3V power-disable pin and cover pin 3 with Kapton tape.
On arrival (within SPD's 30 day return window): check SMART power-on hours are low, run a long SMART test on each drive, then create the pool. Plan: RAID 5 now, add a 4th drive and move to RAID 6 later. RAID 5 on 18TB drives depends on having a real offsite backup (see below).
Alternatives considered: Toshiba MG07 14TB refurbished ($299, ~$21/TB, loud, used), Exos X20 18TB recertified ($519), HC580 24TB recertified ($659).
### Storage for Backups
- AWS S3 or secondary NAS?
## Miscellaneous
### Server Rack
NOTE TO SELF: Before setup watch some YouTube videos on setting up racks. I need other organizing type items as well.
**$250** - I needed a deeper rack because the UNAS Pro 4. I selected the [EchoGear 20U](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YYMSFP1?ref=cm_sw_r_cso_cp_apin_dp_NT80GC4NQPNWQY3E6Q5G&ref_=cm_sw_r_cso_cp_apin_dp_NT80GC4NQPNWQY3E6Q5G&social_share=cm_sw_r_cso_cp_apin_dp_NT80GC4NQPNWQY3E6Q5G&starsLeft=1&skipTwisterOG=1&titleSource=avft-a&newOGT=1&th=1).
- Setup inspiration: [First Rack and Homelab : r/homelab](https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/comments/1nqlb4l/first_rack_and_homelab/)
**$300** - Miscellaneous rack organization
- Rack studs as a replacement for screws / bolts:
- https://www.amazon.com/Rackstuds-R100-Rack-Mount-Solution/dp/B07W57W234?ref=chriskirby.net&th=1
- Rack Power Distribution Unit (PDU)
- https://www.amazon.com/s?k=rack+mount+pdu&i=electronics&crid=2NVULHR8390BC&sprefix=rack+mount+pdu%2Celectronics%2C73&ref=chriskirby.net
- Rack Cables
- https://www.amazon.com/s?k=thin+cat6+patch+cable&i=electronics&crid=UC3UMXRQUMOV&sprefix=thin+cat%2Celectronics%2C77&ref=chriskirby.net
### Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)
NOTE TO SELF: Confirm the power usage of the rack works well with this UPS
- But an APC or;
- Buy a used UPS chasis and buy replacement batteries from batterysharks
# Future Items
- Configuration
- Drive Arrays - don't mix SSD and HDD is same RAID array
- RAID 0 - takes all drives and combines them all together
- Issue is that if a drive fails, call the data is dead
- RAID 1 - two total drives, with one acting as redundancy
- RAID 10 - splits the drives into pairs, and makes each pair a copy
- RAID 5 - one drive in the group is redundant