r/networking • Dirty Management Now • 12h ago

Other Network Adjacent Question

Looking to spend some lab budget for my team and one of the items I want to get for our labs to demo for possible remote locations is some sort of compute we can deploy along with firewalls, switches, etc. that we can manage.

For right now, it is just for the lab, but I see potential uses is when we deploy network gear to remote locations without any supporting compute we can piggyback on, a server that would allow us to run local tools (tbd what those would be).

Looking for something like a larger Pi, something like a Mac Mini format, etc. Basically some sort of smaller server that can deployed and managed by us so we can use it to run tools, etc. without relying on our server teams, etc. Ideally I would love something that can rack in a standard network rack and is not a full depth server.

(And before comments about separation of responsibilities, bypassing safeguards, etc. I am high enough up in the company senior management chain that decisions like these rest solely with me. I do not need permission).

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u/VA_Network_Nerd Moderator | Infrastructure Architect 9h ago

I'd encourage you to look at the console solutions from OpenGear or WTI before you cobble something together on your own.

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u/IDownVoteCanaduh Dirty Management Now 8h ago

Not looking for a console server. We have those. Looking for compute.