Posts Tagged ‘networking’

Minisforum MS-A2 – The Ultimate #Homelab Server for VMware vSphere, VVF, and VCF?

Monday, June 30th, 2025

Lately, it feels like every VMware vExpert has been posting photos of their compact lab servers — and I’ll be honest, I was starting to feel left out.

So, I joined the club.

I picked up the new Minisforum MS-A2, and I’ve not looked back. This isn’t just another NUC alternative — it’s a serious powerhouse in a tiny chassis, perfect for VMware enthusiasts building or upgrading their vSphere, VVF, or VCF test environments.

Let’s dig into what makes this little beast a perfect addition to any #homelab setup in 2025.

Hardware Highlights – Not Your Average Mini PC
The MS-A2 isn’t just punching above its weight — it’s redefining what’s possible in a compact lab node.

Key Specs:
CPU: AMD Ryzen™ 9 9955HX – 16 cores / 32 threads of Zen 5 power

Memory: Dual DDR5-5600MHz SODIMM slots – up to 96GB officially, but…

Storage:

3× M.2 PCIe 4.0 slots (22110 supported)

Supports U.2 NVMe – great for enterprise-grade flash

Networking:

Dual 10Gbps SFP+ LAN

Dual 2.5GbE RJ45 ports

Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth 5.3 (going to replace this with more NVMe storage!)

Expansion:

Built-in PCIe x16 slot (supports split mode – ideal for GPUs, HBAs, or NICs)

This is homelab gold. It gives you the raw compute of a full rack server, the storage flexibility of a SAN box, and the network fabric of a modern datacenter — all under 2L in size.

How I Configured Mine – still sealed in box as I write – video incoming!
I purchased mine barebones from Amazon, and — as of writing — it’s still sealed in the box. Why? I’m waiting for all the parts to arrive.

Most importantly, I’ll be upgrading it with:
128GB of Crucial DDR5-5600 SODIMMs (2×64GB) — pushing beyond the official spec to see just how much performance this little box can handle.

Once everything’s here, I’ll be unboxing and assembling it live on a future episode of Hancock’s VMware Half Hour. Stay tuned if you want a front-row seat to the full setup, testing, and VMware lab deployment.

Perfect for VMware Labs: vSphere 8/9, VVF, and VCF
Whether you’re testing ESXi on bare metal or running full nested labs, this spec ticks every box.

ESXi Bare Metal Capable
The Ryzen 9 9955HX and AMD chipset boot vSphere 8.0U2 and 9.0 Tech Preview cleanly with minimal tweaks. Use community networking drivers or USB NIC injectors if needed.

VVF / VCF in a Box
If you’re exploring VMware Validated Foundation (VVF) or want a self-contained VCF lab for learning:

16C/32T lets you run nested 3-node ESXi clusters + vCenter + NSX-T comfortably

128GB RAM gives breathing room for resource-heavy components like SDDC Manager

PCIe 4.0 + U.2 = blazing fast vSAN storage

Dual 10Gb SFP+ = NSX-T overlay performance lab-ready

Community Validation – I Was Late to the Party
Fellow vExpert Daniel Krieger was ahead of the curve — writing about the MS-A2 months ago in his excellent blog post here:
sdn-warrior.org/posts/ms-a2

Then vExpert William Lam added his voice to the conversation with a guide to running VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) on the MS-A2:
williamlam.com/2025/06/vmware-cloud-foundation-vcf-on-minisforum-ms-a2.html

Seeing both of them validate the MS-A2 pushed me over the edge — and I’m glad I jumped in.

Setup Tips (Soon!)
Once the unboxing is done, I’ll share:

BIOS tweaks: SVM, IOMMU, PCIe bifurcation

NIC setup for ESXi USB fling and 10GbE DAC

Storage layout for vSAN and U.2/NVMe configs

Full nested VCF/VVF deployment guide

Considerations
Still not officially VMware HCL — but community-tested

Ryzen platform lacks ECC memory — standard for most mini-PC builds

PCI passthrough needs thoughtful planning for IOMMU groupings

Ideal Use Cases
Nested ESXi, vSAN, vCenter, NSX labs

VVF deployment simulations

VCF lifecycle manager testing

Tanzu Kubernetes Grid

NSX-T Edge simulations on 10GbE

GPU or high-speed NIC via PCIe slot for advanced lab scenarios

Final Thoughts
The Minisforum MS-A2 with Ryzen 9 9955HX is a serious contender for the best compact homelab system of 2025. Whether you’re diving into vSphere 9, experimenting with VVF, or simulating a full VCF environment, this mini server brings serious firepower.

It may still be in the box for now —
—but soon, it’ll be front and center on Hancock’s VMware Half Hour, ready to power the next chapter of my lab.

Join the Conversation
Got an MS-A2 or similar mini-monster? Share your specs, test results, or VMware experience — and tag it:

#VMware #vSphere #VCF #VVF #homelab #MinisforumMSA2 #10GbE #vExpert

Post to Twitter

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in All, ExpertsExchange, Hancock's VMware Half Hour, vExpert, Virtualisation, Virtualization, VMware | Comments Off on Minisforum MS-A2 – The Ultimate #Homelab Server for VMware vSphere, VVF, and VCF?

What’s Occurin’ on Andysworld!

Friday, June 6th, 2025

Hey everyone — welcome back to Andysworld!, where there’s always something bubbling in the pot (usually tech-flavoured, sometimes coffee, sometimes bees).

500 Hacks a Day — Mission Accomplished!

After a consistent streak of daily pwnage, I’ve finally hit 500 hacks a day on TryHackMe! It’s been an epic ride, sharpening my skills and staying sharp in the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity. But… that’s it for now. As much as I’ve loved the challenge, life’s too hectic to keep up the daily grind — and honestly, it’s time to re-balance.

Still, 500-a-day? I’ll take that win ?

Hancock’s VMware Half Hour – Rolling On

If you’ve not tuned into Hancock’s VMware Half Hour yet, what are you doing? ? The YouTube channel is keeping me plenty busy — but it’s worth every minute. From real-world scenarios to community spotlights and the latest from the VMwareverse, it’s been great to share stories, learn, and laugh with fellow techies around the world.

Catch the next episode if you haven’t already — things are just heating up.

vExpert PRO – 5 Years Strong!

Big news landed this month — I’m proud (and humbled) to announce that I’ve been recognised as a VMware vExpert PRO for the fifth year running. Not only that, but I’ve also picked up the vExpert VCF badge, too!

This recognition means a lot — it’s not just about titles; it’s about community, contribution, and passion. The vExpert family has been a huge part of my journey, and it’s an honour to continue helping others grow and succeed in the ecosystem.

and that’s not forget the Bees !

Beekeeping at Meltonby Honey

Bees are a mixed bag this is to say, some are doing really well, and some are not doing so well, so this month of June, in the June Gap – need to start sorting out and selecting hives to work this Summer, and dare I say it starting Winter preparations, and a week today attend a Bee Health Day, sponsored by DEFRA !

That’s it for now — life’s buzzing, tech is flying, and the blog never sleeps (even if I do). Thanks to everyone who’s been along for the ride so far.

Until next time — stay curious, stay hacking, and don’t forget to say “What’s Occurin’?” ?

— Andy

Post to Twitter

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in All, cybersecurity, Hancock's VMware Half Hour, homelab, TryHackMe, Uncategorized, vExpert, Virtualisation, Virtualization, VMware | Comments Off on What’s Occurin’ on Andysworld!

Hacking for Fun (and Learning) on TryHackMe

Friday, June 6th, 2025

 

If you’ve been following me for a while — either here on Andysworld! or on social — you’ll probably have noticed I’ve got a bit of a thing for TryHackMe. That’s right: the gamified, hands-on cybersecurity platform that lets you “learn hacking the fun way.”

While I’ve worn many hats over the years — from building corporate desktops in the 90s to deploying Thin Clients, backing VMware before it was cool, and even keeping bees in my spare time — I’ve always had a quiet curiosity for cybersecurity.

But in recent years, that curiosity has turned into something more structured. I’ve been diving head-first into daily challenges, CTFs, and red team/blue team rooms on TryHackMe. Every day I log in and test my “hacking” and “penetration” skills. (Legally, of course. Let’s not get too excited.)

Why TryHackMe?

Simple: it’s accessible, addictive, and just plain fun. The platform breaks down complicated security concepts into digestible learning paths and real-world scenarios. Whether you’re into Linux fundamentals, web app hacking, or breaking into Windows environments, there’s something for everyone — and something new to learn every day.

I started with a few easy rooms — some were fun, some had me questioning my life choices — but before long I found myself chasing streaks, solving buffer overflows, exploiting SQL injections, and pivoting through internal networks like it was second nature. It’s part puzzle, part education, and part thrill.

That Daily Streak… and the Climb

I’ll admit it: I got hooked on the daily streak. There’s something about seeing that little flame icon next to your

name that sparks a sense of achievement. Each day I carve out time to complete at least one room, even if it’s a short task or a simple walkthrough. And in doing so, I’ve kept my streak alive and sharpened my skills without ever feeling like it’s a chore.

And here’s the kicker — recently, after being ranked #1,060 out of over 3 million TryHackMe users, I finally cracked the four-digit barrier and rose to #998!
Top 1,000 in the world. Not bad for a “beekeeper with a hacking habit,” eh?

Oh — and right now, I’m sitting on a 461-day hacking streak.
That’s right. 461 consecutive days of training, solving, cracking, and learning.
I’m not far off the 500-day HackStreak badge, and believe me — I will get there. It’s part stubbornness, part obsession, but mostly just a whole lot of fun.

What’s Next?

Honestly, I’d love to get into some deeper reverse engineering, exploit development, and maybe even take on some of the harder red team labs. And who knows — maybe I’ll finally take a proper cert (OffSec, I’m looking at you) just to prove to myself I can.

TryHackMe has rekindled my passion for hands-on learning, just like Experts Exchange did in the early days. It’s reminded me that whether you’re troubleshooting snapshots, spinning up ESXi hosts, or brute-forcing a login page, there’s always more to learn.

Whether you’re an old-school sysadmin like me, a student just starting out, or someone who’s just curious about hacking without getting arrested — I highly recommend giving TryHackMe a spin.

And if you’re already in the game — drop me a message. I’ll see you on the leaderboard ?

Want me to whip up a graphic showing your current rank and streak progress? I can give it that polished blog badge feel.

 

 

Post to Twitter

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in All, cybersecurity, homelab, TryHackMe | Comments Off on Hacking for Fun (and Learning) on TryHackMe

These Arrived Today: The ComputeBlade – A New Era in Compact Computing

Thursday, December 5th, 2024

After much anticipation, The ComputeBlade has finally arrived! This innovative piece of hardware has been making waves in the compact computing and homelab community since its inception as a Kickstarter project, which closed in February 2023. While the Kickstarter campaign was highly successful, the journey to delivery has been anything but smooth.

The ComputeBlade Journey

For those unfamiliar, the ComputeBlade is an ambitious project by Uptime Lab designed to bring powerful, modular computing to a compact blade-style chassis. It offers support for Raspberry Pi Compute Modules (CM4) and similar SBCs, providing a platform for homelab enthusiasts, developers, and small-scale edge computing setups.

However, the project has faced several setbacks that delayed delivery for many backers:

  1. Russian Screws: Supply chain disruptions included sourcing specific screws, which became problematic due to geopolitical tensions.
  2. PoE (Power over Ethernet) Issues: The team encountered complications ensuring consistent and safe PoE functionality.
  3. Certification Challenges: Meeting various regulatory standards across regions added another layer of complexity.

Despite these hurdles, I opted to purchase my ComputeBlades retail, as Kickstarter backers have yet to fully receive their units.

For those interested in the Kickstarter campaign details, you can check it out here.

First Impressions

The retail packaging was sleek, compact, and felt premium. The ComputeBlade itself is a marvel of design, seamlessly blending form and function. Its modularity and expandability immediately stand out, with features such as:

  • Support for Raspberry Pi CM4: Making it a natural fit for virtualization, containerization, and other development projects.
  • Hot-Swappable Design: Simplifies maintenance and upgrades.
  • Integrated Networking: Includes options for advanced network setups, perfect for a homelab.

What’s Next?

Now that the ComputeBlade has arrived, I’m eager to put it through its paces. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be:

  1. Testing Homelab Applications: From running lightweight virtual machines to hosting containers using Docker or Kubernetes.
  2. Evaluating Networking Features: Especially the PoE capabilities and how it handles edge computing scenarios.
  3. Sharing Configurations: I’ll document how I integrate it into my existing homelab setup.

Closing Thoughts

While the journey of the ComputeBlade from Kickstarter to retail has been rocky, the product itself seems poised to live up to its promise. If you’ve been waiting for a scalable and compact compute platform, the ComputeBlade might just be the solution you’ve been looking for.

Stay tuned for my follow-up posts where I dive deeper into its performance and practical applications. If you’re also experimenting with the ComputeBlade, feel free to share your experiences in the comments or reach out via social media.

Post to Twitter

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in All, computing, ExpertsExchange, Hancock's VMware Half Hour, homelab, Raspberry Pi, vExpert, Virtualisation, Virtualization, VMware | Comments Off on These Arrived Today: The ComputeBlade – A New Era in Compact Computing