M4 Mac mini added as compute box in a desk homelab

An with 16GB of memory has been added to a desk rack homelab. Its main job is to provide compute power without keeping a larger main computer running all day. The Mac mini now runs Ollama, LiteLLM, , and Copyparty.

Ollama was moved away from the main machine, and gives friends and family access to different AI models through a . The smaller board computers have been freed up for clearer dedicated jobs. A NanoPi Neo 3 now runs Pi-hole for DNS, while a 3B works as a build node where GitHub webhooks trigger builds through a Zrok share exposed through the gateway.

The gateway still runs on a black NanoPi Zero 2, but its software setup has changed a lot. Future experiments may include virtualizing another machine for temporary compute jobs.

Key points

  • An with 16GB of memory was added to a desk rack homelab.
  • The Mac mini runs Ollama, LiteLLM, , and Copyparty.
  • Ollama was moved off the main computer to reduce load there.
  • A NanoPi Neo 3 now handles Pi-hole and DNS duties.
  • A 3B is used as a build node triggered by GitHub webhooks.
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