[flyinghamster]

Most rackmount servers have some sort of remote management interface, which makes it a lot easier to work with them on a headless basis.

Pitfalls: Server-class hardware can take a very long time to POST, as they're intended to run 24x7, and (especially 1U and 2U boxes) tend to have extremely loud fans.

If you want a quiet server, your best bet is to build it up from a server motherboard and a 4U case, and use quiet fans like Noctua.

[themoonisachees]

Careful with that. Server hardware is designed in a way that assumes "cooling is free because i live in a chassis with constant high airflow in a temperature controlled room".

Consumer-class hardware is more often built with the assumption that it's going to get thrown in an all-glass case starved of airflow, so they put heatsinks everywhere and expect specific air pathways in a standard atx case.

You're probably fine to go either way really, but the hardware is probably going to have a lower lifetime by going for slower airflow.

[kennend3]

this!

If you are concerned about noise, do not buy a 1U unit. Small fans still need to move air. Since they are small the way to make up for this is to have a lot of them and make them spin very fast. The faster they spin the more noise they make.