Rack list
The hardware our guides talk about, grouped by the job it does, with links to the guides that explain it. Nothing here is ranked by commission.
Affiliate links: we may earn a commission. We also earn from qualifying purchases on eBay.
Managed switches that answer SNMP
Read next: Polling: pollers, intervals and timeouts · SNMP counter to bit rate calculator
Used gear on eBay: used managed switches · used 10G SFP+ NICs
Unmanaged and easy-smart switches
Read next: PoE calculator
Used gear on eBay: used managed switches · used 10G SFP+ NICs
Monitoring hosts
Read next: Installing: sizing and first steps
Used gear on eBay: used mini PCs · used Dell micro PCs
Partner stores
Shops we have an affiliate relationship with through CJ.
- EcoFlow: Portable power stations that keep a small rack or a closet running through longer outages than a desktop UPS covers. Try EcoFlow ›
- BLUETTI: Battery power stations for outages longer than a desktop UPS can carry. Try BLUETTI ›
- UGREEN NAS: Small NAS boxes for lab backups, config archives and long graph history. Try UGREEN NAS ›
- UGREEN: USB-C Ethernet adapters, hubs and chargers for a laptop that lives on the console cable. Try UGREEN ›
- Parallels Desktop: Runs Windows on a Mac, for the network tools and vendor utilities that only ship for Windows. Try Parallels ›
- NordVPN: A VPN for admin work from hotel or coffee-shop Wi-Fi when the lab is not reachable any other way. Try NordVPN ›
- Abt Electronics: A US electronics retailer with routers, mesh Wi-Fi and UPS units. Try Abt ›