DeskPi RackMate T1 • 8HE Server Playground

Inspired by some reports, videos and finaly this page, I have created this small server
playground.

A nice mix of Windows, Linux and virtualization solution, partly powered via POE.



 

— DeskPi RackMate T1—

U
Component
Purpose / Notes


Top
FRITZ!Box 4020
Router (LAN + wireless)


8 - 7
LabStack Mini - 4x LabStack Module
 


Radxa X4 – Intel N100 – 8 GB RAM – 256 GB NVME - POE Hat
Windows Server


Radxa X4 – Intel N100 – 8 GB RAM – 256 GB NVME - POE Hat
Windows Client


Raspberry Pi 5 – 4 GB – GeeekPi P33 M.2 M2-NVME + PoE+
Hat
NextcloudPI


Raspberry Pi 4 – 4 GB
Pi OS - Squid Proxy


6
Netgear GS308EPP PoE+ Gigabit Switch
 


5
DeskPi Mini ITX Shelf


VMware ESXi – Server


CWWK Intel i3-N305 Mini-ITX Board


4
Inline 5 Port HDMI-Switch
 


3
DeskPi Mini ITX Shelf
Windows Client


ASUS N100I-D D4


2
DeskPi Rack Cable Entry Panel with Brush Strip
 


DeskPi 12 Port Patch Panel
 


1
DeskPi Blank Panel - DIGITUS 10" Aluminium Outlet Strip
 

Everything mounted in this tiny 8U DeskPi Rack with the help of several
creative guys like JaredC01who shared there work for all this 3D printed mounts.
A special thanks to my workmate who printed all this stuff for me.

The two x86 boards are powered by PicoPSUs connected to power supplies that
occupies the lower 1-1.5U part of the rack. Also the power supply for the
Netgear POE-Swicht is laying down there. The 4 SBCs are POE-powered.

Parts also come from AliExpress, where you can always find the coolest little
gadgets like the powerswitches for the boards.
A BliKVM together with there 4 Port HDMI-switch for remote access is still on the to-do list.

The final tuning will be the integration of some RGB LED strips, because as
we have all heard from Techno Tim, they make the whole thing even faster.

And now it’s time to find the problems i can solve with this solution.

 

;-)

This issue is a showcase of an 8U DeskPi RackMate T1 build, listing its hardware, operating systems, virtualization setup, and possible future additions. It does not identify a repository file, test, requested change, or completion criteria, so there is no concrete research path for a first-time contributor.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.