Server Management Guides

What I use, test, and recommend for reliable servers

From server hardware decisions to Windows Server best practices, these are my tested notes and curated guides.

Built for people who want fewer surprises in production.

Server Basics
Top Guides
All Server Posts
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Server Basics

Building your first server (or homelab box)? These guides help you choose the proper hardware and set up Windows.

Windows Server Core: The Ultimate Guide to Microsoft’s Minimal Server Installation

Windows Server Core

What Server Core is, why it’s used in production, and how to install and manage it without the GUI panic.

Best Server for Home Lab 2026: Rack, Tower & Refurbished Options Compared

Best Server for Home Lab

A practical breakdown of rack vs tower vs refurbished—so you buy the right box the first time.

Dell PowerEdge vs HP ProLiant: Server Showdown 2026

Dell-Poweredge-vs-HP-Proliant

A straight comparison based on real sysadmin answers. What matters and what doesn't.

Top Guides

Ready to go deeper? These two guides cover the stuff that actually saves time (and mistakes).

Windows Server Core Pros and Cons – What 393 Sysadmins Think in 2026

Windows Server Core Pros and Cons 1680x940 px

A real-world breakdown of where Server Core shines, where it hurts, and what admins actually prefer.

RAID Controller Explained: What You Need To Know about Disk array and hard drives

Raid controller explained

A practical RAID controller primer—what it does, why it matters, and what to watch out for before you buy or build

Recommended gear

One upgrade I’d buy again for any server build: a fast NVMe SSD for the OS and your most-used VMs.

All Server Posts

Dell PowerEdge vs HPE Proliant What Sysadmin Says

Dell PowerEdge vs HPE ProLiant: What Sysadmin Says in 2026

I asked Sysadmins on Reddit how other admins weigh the buying criteria between Dell PowerEdge and HPE ProLiant.

Windows Server Core Pros and Cons 1680x940 px

Windows Server Core Pros and Cons – What 393 Sysadmins Think in 2026

Windows Server Core

Windows Server Core: The Ultimate Guide to Microsoft’s Minimal Server Installation

In today’s cloud-first world, every megabyte of disk space and every potential security vulnerability matters. What if you could reduce your server’s attack surface by up to 70% while cutting resource usage in half?

Best Server for Home Lab

Best Server for Home Lab 2026: Rack, Tower & Refurbished Options Compared

A home lab is great for getting hands-on experience with different technologies. It is the ideal setup for testing products or configurations in a quiet environment. 

Dell-Poweredge-vs-HP-Proliant

Dell PowerEdge vs HP ProLiant: Server Showdown 2026

You might think, “Oh great, another server comparison between Dell and HP.” I get it — there are plenty of those out there. But I couldn’t find one that digs into what matters in real-world deployments. I love working with servers and have deployed Dell PowerEdge and HP ProLiant systems across multiple environments. For me, it’s never just about specs—it’s about what these machines are like to manage day to day.

Raid controller explained

RAID Controller Explained: What You Need To Know about Disk array and hard drives

Each server ships with an integrated RAID controller or a separate card, and some virtualization platforms, like Proxmox, even offer software RAID, which does not need a dedicated RAID controller. But what exactly does a RAID controller do, and why is it pivotal in the seamless operation of servers and data protection?