Side reading
Choosing hardware
What actually matters for a family server, what does not, and what an old laptop can and cannot do.
Start with the current Immich requirements, then add headroom for Authentik and monitoring. Architecture extensions, memory and accelerator support matter more than the machine's age.
What matters #
Memory, first. Immich's current guidance calls for at least 6 GB for a smooth experience before the identity and monitoring services in this book. Treat 16 GB as a reasonable starting point, measure peak use during imports and leave headroom for database maintenance. More memory does not remove the need for container limits.
Disk, second. Two questions: how much, and how fast. Capacity is about your library, which you can measure today and should double. SSD for the operating system, databases and application state, because databases are latency-sensitive. Spinning disks are fine for bulk media and cheaper per terabyte.
CPU and instruction set. Check that the exact processor meets Immich's current architecture requirement; current amd64 machine-learning images require x86-64-v2. CPU capacity matters during imports, video processing and machine-learning jobs.
A supported video accelerator. Intel Quick Sync is common, but support depends on the model, host driver and Immich configuration. Hardware video encoding can accelerate transcoding; it does not automatically accelerate Immich's machine-learning models.
Power draw, because it runs continuously. The difference between 10 W and 60 W idle is meaningful over a year and worth knowing before you buy.
Noise, because it lives in your house. Fanless if it goes in a living space.
What does not matter #
Do not buy from one specification in isolation. Core count, clock speed, ECC memory and dedicated accelerators have workload-specific value. For this build, measured idle power, supported media features, memory capacity and replaceable storage usually affect daily operation more than server branding.
The realistic options #
A mini PC. What this book assumes. Many are quiet and efficient, but storage expansion, cooling and idle power vary. Check measurements for the exact model.
An old laptop. Often already available, with a screen for recovery. A healthy battery can bridge a short interruption for the laptop only; it does not power the router, switch or internet terminal. Inspect battery health and remove a swollen or unsafe pack according to the manufacturer's guidance. Storage expansion is usually limited.
An old desktop. Often has room for disks and memory. Measure idle power and noise rather than assigning a value from its age or case size.
A single-board computer. Can be efficient, but verify the CPU architecture, available memory, supported video paths and storage interface. Reliable USB storage depends on the controller, power supply, enclosure and cable; removable flash media is a poor default for a write-heavy database.
A rented server. Reliable and somebody else's computer, which is the thing this book is about avoiding. Reasonable for backups.
Disk layout #
Start with one SSD holding everything. Split when you have a reason.
The reason usually arrives as bulk media outgrowing the SSD. Chapter 7's directory layout is what makes that a mount rather than a rebuild: put a bigger disk on /srv/homeserver/data, leave application state where it is.
Two disks in a mirror protects against one failing. It is not a backup and does not replace one. If you only have the budget for one of them, buy the backup.
Before you buy #
- Does the processor have an integrated GPU with hardware encoding, and does the kernel you plan to run support it?
- How many drives can it hold, and of what kind?
- What does it draw at idle, according to somebody who measured rather than the specification?
- Can you get to the memory and disk without special tools?
- Is there a firmware option for automatic power-on after a power cut? You want it on.
The honest advice #
Use existing hardware when it meets the current application requirements and passes storage and battery checks. Measuring the real import and idle workloads gives you better purchasing evidence than estimating them in advance.
Buy the off-site backup storage from chapter 11 before you buy a better server.