The really good thing about getting started today is that it’s never been easier or cheaper to run self hosting applicationd. Since these services will only have a handful of users (you and your family) the hardware requirements are low. Computer prices are skyrocketing, so the best thing to use is something you aleady own, like an old laptop. If you want to buy hardware, you don’t need enterprise grade equpimnet to run a home server.
Business Think Clients #
You’ve seen these PCs at the doctors office, behind cash registers, and in offices. You may have ever used one before. They are a favourite of home lab enthusiasts because they are cheap, powerful enough, and small. I have several Lenovo ThinkCentre M710q running different services in my own home lab. They can run a dozen services, and can be tucked away easily. I got mine from my municipal auction centre, and you can find used ones all over the Internet for $100-$150.
Raspberry Pi #
Originally designed to help kids learn about computers in 2012, the Raspberry Pi is now a capable computing platform on it’s own. The Raspberry Pi 5 is a very capable machine. With 16GB of ram and a quad core processor at 2.4GHz, it can be used as a desktop computer capable of surfing the web, watching movies, and checking email.
If you do go the Raspberry Pi route, install the Raspberry Pi OS instead of Linux Mint