[digitallyfree]

Used rackmount equipment can be had for cheap when businesses decommission them. The depreciation curve is much sharper than typical consumer gear when it goes out of support. New rackmount gear is very expensive.

Many people who have home servers (me included) buy used enterprise gear for this reason.

[silicon2401]

How would you suggest going about buying used enterprise gear? I was thrilled to get a decommissioned optiplex and old monitor from an old job, but that's just because I happened to be in the office the day the stuff was lying around. Otherwise I have no idea how to get that kind of stuff

[digitallyfree]

It's typically ebay for me, possibly craigslist as well if you live in a big city.