【Made With IceWhale Community】Unlocking Homelab Aspirations With ZimaBoard
Raspberry Pi or Refurbished Laptop? An Enthusiast’s Dilemma
Meet PuppiestDoggo, a passionate French IT student on a quest to create a homelab and indulge in the thrill of hoarding data. For several years, he has nurtured this hobby, but alas, the lack of appropriate hardware hindered his progress. However, fueled by determination and a newfound financial boost, PuppiestDoggo embarked on a quest to find the perfect solution.
In his pursuit, PuppiestDoggo encountered a crossroad: the choice between a standard Raspberry Pi, a beloved device but with limitations-it doesn’t have a PCI port, or an old refurbished laptop that promised considerable power but lacked the flexibility he craved, particularly in terms of expanding storage capacity. Frustrated, he yearned for a solution that would not force him to compromise.
ZimaBoard Seemed to Hold the Key
As fate would have it, a glimmer of hope emerged in the form of the ZimaBoard. This sleek and visually appealing mini-computer boasted an impressive feature set, including a coveted PCI port. It also boasted energy efficiency and claimed to be NAS capable. Intrigued by its potential, they made the decision to give it a try and see if it could fulfill their homelab aspirations.
Fortunately, he stumbled upon the ZimaBoard, an aesthetically pleasing mini-computer equipped with a PCI port. It also boasted energy efficiency and claimed to be NAS capable. Intrigued by its potential, they made the decision to give it a try and see if it could fulfill their homelab aspirations.
Dive into The World of ZimaBoard
Fueled by curiosity and excitement, PuppiestDoggo made the bold decision to dive headfirst into the world of the ZimaBoard. With dreams of a powerful and expandable homelab dancing in his mind, he eagerly awaited the arrival of his new companion.
Puppiestdoggo employs a 2-bay USB dock, enabling convenient accommodation of two HDDs. To initiate the power supply for their 4-bay Startech rack, he resorted to a temporary fix, utilizing a paperclip as a substitute for a motherboard connection. While searching for a more suitable and secure alternative, he had to revert to the USB dock. He finally bought a jumper and was able to use both the dock and the rack.
Despite these challenges, PuppiestDoggo has discovered the immense benefits of ZimaOS in managing their storage needs. Even with a modest 2GB of RAM, the ZimaBoard proves to be a reliable system, effortlessly handling a variety of applications and services. Its efficiency and performance are a testament to the incredible capabilities of ZimaOS.
ZimaOS × ZFS Pools:Disk Management & Flexible Connectivity
One of the standout features of ZimaOS is its support for ZFS pools. PuppiestDoggo recognizes the significance of this functionality in organizing and safeguarding valuable data… With ZFS, he can ensure data redundancy and optimize storage utilization, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of their homelab.
Flexibility is the name of the game for PuppiestDoggo’s storage setup. Thanks to ZimaOS’s compatibility with different hardware configurations, they enjoy the freedom to connect their HDDs using both the 2-bay USB dock and the 4-bay Startech rack. While they continue to explore options for a more permanent power supply solution, ZimaOS empowers them to adapt and evolve their homelab to meet their ever-changing needs.
Puppiestdoggo possesses a collection of data, including old movies, games, videos, Linux mirrors, Windows files, and a vast library of books. To efficiently manage this data, they utilize two ZFS pools.
Next Plan
About next plan, ensuring data security takes precedence, as PuppiestDoggo plans to incorporate an additional backup solution for enhanced protection:
"One of my main priorities is to have an additional backup for added security. In any case, I’m also planning to upgrade to a ZimaBlade with more RAM. This will help me enhance the performance and capabilities of my ZimaBoard. I believe more RAM will enable me to handle more demanding tasks and applications effectively.‘’
Another exciting prospect is the creation of a custom case tailored specifically for the ZimaBoard.
‘‘I’ve been thinking about my next steps with my ZimaBoard setup. I’m also considering making a custom case for the ZimaBoard. However, I’m not entirely sure how to approach it because my rack is already ten times larger than the ZimaBoard. It might look a bit odd to modify a big case for a small board like the ZimaBoard. I’m still exploring different ideas and options.’’