You want to run ESXi, Proxmox, or TrueNAS Scale. You need lots of cores, lots of RAM, and remote management (BMC/IPMI). A used SR550 chassis with a PF9XB inside is a cheap, quiet (relatively) way to build a enterprise-grade home server.
But it is dependable . It represents a sweet spot in server hardware where depreciation has bottomed out, but utility remains high. If you see one for sale attached to a cheap SR550 chassis, grab it. That boring green board might just be the backbone of your best home lab or budget server refresh yet. lenovo pf9xb
Before buying a used PF9XB, ask the seller for a photo of the BIOS battery and the capacitors around the CPU sockets . Swollen caps are rare on Lenovo server gear, but corrosion on the CMOS battery holder is a common sign of a board that sat in a humid warehouse. Do you run a ThinkSystem SR550? Have you had to replace your PF9XB? Let us know in the comments below! You want to run ESXi, Proxmox, or TrueNAS Scale