geerlingguy/mini-rack

First Homelab Build Critique/Suggestions

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#204 opened on May 14, 2025

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help wanted

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Description

Hi all! Brand new to the homelab space and very much looking forward to getting everything all setup. Mostly just looking to verify that my component choices are all compatible and get any feedback/suggestions on the overall setup. Main things I'm concerned with are:

  1. Will the Pis w/ Hackergadget HATs fit with enough clearance in the rack mount?
  2. Are the only options for the GigaPlus Network Switch rack ears to 3D print them or modify a universal mount kit?

The build will initially be used as a Kubernetes cluster for me to learn and become more familiar with it, but I'm sure it will evolve over time. I know for sure that I want to mess with some event-driven architecture and microservices, which might evolve into a full-fledged Customer Data Platform project.

Contributor guide

Research direction
Check the dimensions of the Hackergadget HAT on the Raspberry Pi 5 to ensure fit in the DeskPi RackMate T0, and explore rack ear options for the GigaPlus switch.
Tech stack
None
Domain
infrastructure
Issue type
Research
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
1
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
Under 1 hour
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Clear
Prerequisites
Basic homelab knowledge
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
90