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Building a Homelab for Cybersecurity Graduate Research

Building a Compact Homelab

This project documents the ongoing build of a small-form-factor (SFF) homelab server housed in the beautiful Fractal Design Terra Jade case (with walnut front panel). The primary goals are a quiet, power-efficient, always-on system capable of:

  • KVM virtualization
  • Docker/Podman containers
  • Development work and graduate research
  • Network IDS/IPS using Suricata

  • Box of Parts Box of Parts
    All parts arrived safely.

  • Unboxed Boxes - Core Components Unboxed Boxes
    Core components revealed.

  • Boxes Unboxed - The Fun Begins Boxes Unboxed
    Everything laid out.

  • Corsair SF750 Corsair SF750
    Corsair SF750 Platinum SFX.

  • Noctua NH-L12S Noctua NH-L12S
    Low-profile Noctua cooler.

  • Noctua NF-A12x25 Noctua NF-A12x25
    Premium 120mm case fan.

  • G.SKILL Trident Z5 Neo RGB G.SKILL Trident Z5 Neo RGB
    64GB DDR5-6000 kit.

  • AMD Ryzen 7 9700X AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
    Zen 5 8-core CPU.

  • MSI MPG B850I Edge MSI MPG B850I Edge
    Compact AM5 Mini-ITX board.

  • CPU Installation CPU Installation
    Ryzen 7 9700X seated perfectly.

  • RAM Installation RAM Installation
    64GB DDR5 clicked into place.

  • Cooler Brackets Installation Cooler Brackets Installation
    AM5 brackets secured tightly.

  • CPU Cooler Installation CPU Cooler Installation
    Noctua NH-L12S fully mounted.

  • Core Assembly Core Assembly
    CPU, RAM, and cooler united.

  • Test Bench Ready Test Bench Ready
    Ready for first power-on.

  • From Boxes to BIOS From Boxes to BIOS
    First POST and BIOS entry.

  • Ubuntu Live! Ubuntu Live!
    Ubuntu Live USB booted successfully.

  • T-minus RGB T-minus RGB...
    RGB lit and desktop loaded.

Parts List

# Component Details
1 Case Fractal Design Terra Jade (walnut front panel)
2 CPU AMD Ryzen 7 9700X (8-core/16-thread, 65W TDP)
3 CPU Cooler Noctua NH-L12S (low-profile, 120mm fan)
4 Motherboard MSI MPG B850I Edge Ti WiFi (AM5 Mini-ITX)
5 RAM G.SKILL Trident Z5 Neo RGB 64GB (2×32GB) DDR5-6000 EXPO
6 Storage Samsung 990 PRO 2TB PCIe Gen4 M.2
7 PSU Corsair SF750 (2024) 80+ Platinum SFX
8 Case Fans 2× Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM (120mm)
9 Top Fan Bracket 25mm thick Etsy bracket for second intake fan

Build Progress So Far

I've received and unboxed the CPU, cooler, motherboard, RAM, PSU, and one case fan. Assembly started with an open-air test bench on cardboard to validate core components before final case installation.

  • Installed Ryzen 7 9700X and RAM in slots A2/B2.
  • Mounted NH-L12S with standard bars in diagonal orientation for VRM clearance.
  • Switched the cooler fan to top position (intake blowing down) to ensure 44mm RAM clearance.
  • Connected 24-pin ATX, 8-pin EPS, cooler fan to CPU_FAN header, and one case fan to SYS_FAN.
  • First POST successful! 😎
  • Enabled AMD EXPO profile and High-Efficiency Mode in BIOS → Confirmed 6000 MT/s memory speed.
  • Booted Ubuntu 24.04 LTS live USB.
  • Ran inxi, sensors, and a 5-minute stress-ng (16 threads) test:
  • Peak temperature: 50.6°C (open air)
  • No thermal throttling or stability issues

The top fan bracket has arrived. Still awaiting the Terra case itself, the Samsung 990 PRO 2TB drive, and the second NF-A12x25 fan for final assembly and full Ubuntu installation.

The core system is now fully validated: stable, remarkably cool, and running at rated specifications on an open-air test bench. I'm excited to move everything into the beautiful Fractal Terra Jade case soon. Final assembly, meticulous cable management, Suricata IDS/IPS configuration, and full noise/power benchmarks are next once the remaining parts arrive.

Stay tuned for the completed build and real-world performance results!

Joe Hawley
Fortune 500 Director | CISSP
M.S. Cybersecurity Graduate Student @ Georgia Institute of Technology