About a Month Since My Last Post
It's been about a month since my last update, and during that time, I’ve made a lot of changes to my homelab setup. The biggest changes include adding two more servers to my Proxmox cluster, upgrading my JBODs, and finally racking my HL15 server. Each of these changes has helped optimize my infrastructure, but not without a few hiccups along the way.
HL15: Fully Racked and Running
After a long wait, I finally got around to racking my HL15 server. This system is an important part of my setup, housing several WD HC550 18TB drives connected to the backplane.
However, I ran into some issues with slots 1-09 to 1-12 on the backplane. After troubleshooting, I reached out to support and found that the culprit was a faulty backplane power cable. I replaced it on 02/28/2025, and since then, the system has been relatively stable.
JBODs: Upgrading and Reconfiguring
JBOD001 - NetApp DS4246
For JBOD001, I’m using a NetApp DS4246 equipped with IOM12 controllers. Initially, I tried using my WD HC550 18TB drives in this enclosure, but they didn't report their full size correctly. After some testing, I decided to use Seagate Exos 18TB drives instead, which worked flawlessly.
JBOD002 - SSD Storage Upgrade
Originally, I planned to use an EMC VNX 25-bay 2.5" JBOD for my SSD storage, but I quickly realized that it was far too loud for my setup. Instead, I ordered a Supermicro CSE-216BE1-741JBOD, which should be a better fit for my needs. This JBOD will be dedicated to SSD storage and directly connected to my NAS.
Expanding the Proxmox Cluster
Alongside my storage upgrades, I’ve also expanded my Proxmox cluster with two additional nodes: PVE002 and PVE003.
PVE002 - Repurposed Mini-PC
This node is actually an old mini-PC I had sitting in my closet. I originally purchased it a few years ago and used it as my main server for a while. Eventually, I migrated everything to Proxmox, and it sat unused until now. It’s now back in action as part of my cluster.
PVE002 Specifications
| Type | Specification |
|---|---|
| CPU | i7-10710U |
| RAM | 32 GB |
| Disk | Crucial T500 2TB |
PVE003 - Quorum Node
I added PVE003 primarily to maintain quorum in my Proxmox cluster. Right now, the only service running on it is Beszel, my server monitoring application.
PVE003 Specifications
| Type | Specification |
|---|---|
| CPU | N150 |
| RAM | 16 GB |
| Disk | Crucial T500 2TB |
New Applications and Services
I've also set up several new applications and services over the past month to enhance my homelab.
Beszel - Server Monitoring
I deployed Beszel, which I’m now using for server monitoring. This helps me keep an eye on system metrics, uptime, and overall health.
DNS Setup - Technitium
I also configured two Technitium DNS servers, which now serve as my primary and secondary DNS servers. In addition to handling name resolution, they also provide ad and tracker blocking using the following blocklists:
These lists help reduce ads, telemetry, and unwanted tracking across my network.
That’s about it for this update! My homelab is constantly evolving, and I’ll likely have more changes to document soon. Stay tuned!