I dusted off my RPI4 and started tinkering with self-hosting things and it's sparked a fire. Suddenly I have 7 docker containers running and I need more RAM, more space and I want something reliable with room to grow. I like small form factors but it doesn't need to be RPI small. Any recs for your favorite hardware under $500?
I like synology NAS units with Intel chips for hosting docker containers, alongside lots of network storage. They aren't the cheapest solution but they are robust devices and i have had basically no problems since setting mine up in 2019.
Of course you can get a used dell server blade for a lot less which will be more powerful but it doesnt meet your small form factor requirement.