The Devices I have 2020 edition

When redesigning this site, I copied a few articles from my previous blog, one of which is my server installation. So, I am here to fix that LOL.

Starting from the ‘office’ (its a section of my bedroom, in reality, LOL), I have my main PC running Linux Mint, it has pretty much all I need for day to day work. Behind me is Rodney the Media Server, it has got that name as it’s a ‘Trigger Broom Server’ (Trigger is from the TV series ‘Only Fools & Horses). Trigger had a broom that he had ‘…for 20 years. This old brooms had 17 new heads and 14 new handles in its time’. I have had the same server for 15 years, I’ve only replaced the power supply, motherboard, hard drives and case over the years! On a forum, I said this, and someone said I should call it Rodney, after Dave (Trigger called Rodney, dave for some reason), and so it stuck!

So, Rodney, the Media Server has over 20TB of storage, with 20GB RAM, as before, but now has gotten over his proprietary software and hypervisor stint and is now running Ubuntu Server with a GUI (I need to use MakeMKV and TinyMediaManager to manage the server, so don’t judge! ) it houses a large Blu Ray and DVD collection as well as a MySQL database for my Kodi Driven Raspberry Pi’s. To find out how this has been set up, please visit my wiki.

There is another server in town, or should I say underneath the TV, and that is the ‘onsite’ company server. Without repeating myself here, here is what it does. You will find it under the heading, ‘How these are used at work’.

At present, there are in total 4 Raspberry Pi’s throwing content around as they are connected to Rodney.

I have two laptops running Windows, one large and one small, but all they really do is remote access to home, as again as noted, I am trying to keep licencing down a minimum.

Apparently, after a Google Search, like the early 2000s where I accidentally built an HTPC (it was a computer with a TV card, a DVD Drive and my music stored on it) before it had a name, I have done the same here – apparently, this setup I have is called a HomeLab… Who knew I was such a trendsetter LOL

All the servers and PC’s (real and virtual) can be remotely accessed, using SSL/TLS – as I have five public static IP addresses which are VERY useful for this type of setup.

This is obviously not including the 13 lightbulbs that are connected to Phillips Hue (I didn’t count them – Google Home did when I said turn off the lights – THANKS GOOGLE GRRRR!), or the thermostat that I can control from not only my phone but my watch too!! (yes I’m that hyper-connected to the internet!!!!)

Now here endeth the first ‘proper’ blog post of this brand spanking new website!