How to Build a Budget Home Server and WHY You Should!

In today's video I’m showing you exactly how I built this ultra budget home server, and I’m also explaining to you why I think you should build one as well. I give multiple examples of things to do with a home server including building a NAS, setting up a home media/Plex server, and even how to experiement with Linux with a virtualization platform.

Parts List:

Buy PC Games At Discounted Prices Here:

━━━━━━━━━━
Support ZTT!

━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Follow ZTT!

(I upload my behind-the-scenes "VLOGS" every single day on Instagram Stories)

Background Song: Slides - Damma Beatz

━━━━━━━━━━━━━
#HomeServer #HomeLab #SelfHosting

[davocc]

For domestic use - I strongly recommend splitting your server into two systems. One that's always-on and the other that's an archival tank. If you're only serving media at home (especially if you live alone which is increasingly common now) this makes more sense as the tank can be put into suspend or turned off much of the time reducing wear (to an extent) but also reducing power consumption and heat output. I've been using this configuration for over 20 years and it's extremely successful. The main always-on server will store newer stuff, etc. - and I find I wake the storage tanks up only once or twice a month usually.
For the small low powered always on system - a raspberry Pi with an external USB spinner drive (usual ones you buy from Amazon, etc.) is remarkably good if it's running from a USB3 port. A Pi 4 is pretty much ideal - well known, well supported, low power consumption, etc. but insanely hard to get due to supply issues with components; there are other equivalents but you won't have quite the same level of community support for configuration.
For the storage tank server - I also configure WoL (Wake on Lan) which is already built in to pretty much all systems these days as it's used in corporate networks a lot. It lets you wake up or turn on remote systems over the network (I use a scripting system), I have a similar method to run a script on the machine to put it to standby or turn it off as well.
Another trick - if your tank is running Windows install "Everything" from voidtools.com - freeware search system which can instantly find files on the entire machine if they have NTFS drives. It can also be used to export a flat file list of all the files on the server - you can search through this listing as a text file to see what you have without powering it on. I wrote a batch file for windows systems (I connect to them with Windows Remote Desktop RDP) and the script exports the full list of files as a text file to my Pi and then issues a "hibernate" command to suspend the machine and write memory to a file on disk. Waking it later on (even with WoL) restores it to its former state. it's not "fast" but it works.
Sure, this configuration may be a little more technical for some people bu the jump is certainly worth it - the auxiliary skills you pick up are REALLY valuable now. The Pi is unique in that it has a very good introductory community around it and it's technically simple - it's like learning to maintain a car by buying a simple mechanical vehicle with few complications, the Pi is more like that than even a PC.
For costs - drives are your main cost but for the tank you can get away with remarkably old and/or basic hardware, an old PC that you no longer use may do the job.

[Dingbat]

Zach's a homelabber.... ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US!

[mrich]

Definitely do more of these home networking videos if possible. I'm about to reconfigure my whole home network so these will come in handy. Thanks!

[Cavi]

Recommending using Windows for a server is a crime. Your server is your sacred temple, allowing spyware system to run it is not smart.

[TechAuditTV]

Now you're speakin' my language #PlexGang

[alexfinns]

When using a used drive I recommend putting it in a raid with another drive, as you never know what condition it’s in and it might fail at any moment. In a raid (as you probably know), if one (or more, depending on your configuration) fails, you can reconstruct your data with the remaining drives.

[FTGTapGod]

I got super excited finding this channel only to find this is basically the only video in the series... Hope you pick it back up. I really enjoy the way you broke it down.

I'm a fairly techy person, but my home server build has been a rabbit hole. I'm interested in videos like this to see what others have done with theirs.

[scottvukich]

Loved it. I was just searching building a home server, perfect timing. Let's see more content like this!

[rathstar]

Interesting video and definitely some food for thought.

I upgraded my cpu, motherboard, ram, drives and chasis a while ago. Now while my system is still capable a x79 platform with 6cores/12 threads & 32gb of quad channel memory I don't think it'll sell too well in a flip due to its age. Making it the home server may be a good idea. It would also save having the family minecraft server on my PC, meaning I wouldn't have to turn my PC on when the kids want to play minecraft.

[argiodsilvertongue]

I have several older computers under consideration for this project.
I've wanted to have a server so I can hose an online game for a friend.
I also want to have one linux based computer set up as my Internet Gateway.
Thanks for all the great information. I'm just beginning to study networking; and you've been a great help making it easier to learn.

[saleen]

You should make a full tutorial video on this subject, I’m sure a lot of people would appreciate that.

[elitehaxxor]

My work just recently expensed a bunch of Dell OptiPlex 5060's so I took 3 home and threw them alongside my Dell PowerEdge R710. People underestimate small desktop PCs being capable of being home servers, whether you want to create a Minecraft server (which is one of my OptiPlex's) or a virtualized lab environment for CyberSecurity or IT solutions, you can't go wrong with something like an OptiPlex. I utilize the 3 OptiPlex's as a Minecraft server, Windows Server 2019 forest for SysAdmin labs, and a web server.

[georgesjazmati]

I think you should remove the "How To" from the video title it is misleading!!

[geekverve]

I think I have the same server rack (Navepoint). I freaking LOVE it! It's shallower than the full-sized server racks, so it doesn't take up too much space in my office. My PC, home server, UPS, switch, even a 4U drawer for all those extra bits and bobs - it's all in the rack, and I still have room to grow. Planning on adding a Pfsense firewall soon.

[markcordero]

Love the video Zach! I am interested in learning more in your server videos. Keep up the good work

[mineturte]

very useful video, honestly really dumbs down and simplifies the entire concept of a server. I used to be daunted at the idea of setting up all these numerous complicated apps through bios and sideloaded OSs, but in reality it's as simple as installing a few programs and you're off to the races!! tysm for this, definitely will be using my old gaming rig as a media server!

[pedrofish]

Nice video! I am planing to build a home server in the next few years to run all my house applications such as internet, storage and adblocking (planning to use pfsense, truenas and pihole) and this video gave me some ideas! Keep doing this videos man, I loved it!

[therocinante]

I'm gonna get my old dell optiplex out of storage tomorrow so I can start to play with this stuff. I got my first IT job recently and I've got the itch to learn more.. and MORE... AND MORE!!! Haha great intro video, dude.

[aldedejakds]

This video has everything but "How".

[CoalitionGaming]

Hell yeah Zach, let's see that server IT experience