I bought a cheap used Dell R710 on Facebook marketplace for like $100 or so, as well as an ups, rack, 10g switch, etc, from various other sellers. All told, I’ve got about $500 in my server setup.

Installed proxmox on it. It’s “free” if you don’t buy a license. You just have to put up with a little nag screen when you open the control panel but it still works 100%, much like winrar.

Works great.

Edit: just realized this is in c/selfhosted AND I misunderstood the post. I’m gonna leave it here just on the off chance it’s useful to somebody, but I acknowledge it’s not what you’re looking for.

FWIW, I run proxmox at home, and I friggin love it. It’s really not hard at all.

I went on facebook marketplace and bought a pretty beefy decommissioned half-size rack. I think it’s about 18U or 20U. It’s even got wheels and came with a patch panel. I think I paid like $80 for it. Also bought a 1500VA rack-mount UPS from the same guy on the same trip.

The thing’s been a dream. I mean… apart from having to run to a harbor freight to buy a drill so I could drill out a few rivets and disassemble it to fit it into the back of my mazda because my truck was out of commission.

My advice though, is to make sure your rack is built for what you’re putting on it. Don’t use a two-post, non-floor-mounted rack for a heavy-ass UPS and servers, for instance. Likewise don’t use one of those wall-mounted network gear racks for heavy equipment. Get a 4-post or cabinet style rack. Check your local marketplaces. Be ready to make a drive if you need to. I drove 4 hours to go pick up the UPS and rack because it was perfect and a great deal.

As a self-hoster thats also a ham…

Fucking ow.