The core homelab compute platform is a three-node Proxmox VE cluster built from Minisforum UM790 Pro mini PCs. Each node has 96 GB of RAM, a 1 TB NVMe SSD for the system drive, and a 2 TB NVMe SSD dedicated to data storage.
Ceph runs across the three 2 TB NVMe data drives and provides shared storage for virtual machines and containers. This keeps workloads portable across the cluster and gives the environment a storage layer that fits the small-node, high-memory design.
Hardware
- 3 Minisforum UM790 Pro nodes.
- 96 GB RAM per node.
- 1 TB NVMe SSD per node for Proxmox and system storage.
- 2 TB NVMe SSD per node for Ceph-backed VM and container storage.
Role
The cluster is the main runtime environment for homelab services. Proxmox provides the virtualization layer, while Ceph handles clustered storage for workloads that need to move between nodes or survive individual node maintenance.
The design favors compact systems, high memory density, fast local NVMe, and operational flexibility over a single large server.