How to build a cheap security NOC

[pR@nD1+Py]

I ran across this link on how to build a cheap noc.
Talk about a great project!

http://www.thenetworkadministrator.c...dACheapNOC.htm

PS. Not sure if I'm posting in the correct forum--

[CT2600]

Couldn't you do something a little more practical for a home user and buy a multi layered case that would handle a few Mini-Itx boards? I found a case in which I can fit (5) mini-itx motherboads and plenty room for one or two PCI cards, a hard drive, and cd drive each. Now you pick up a case similar to that and buy enough boards to accomplish everything in this guide and you really don't need to go all that bezerk with the monitors, you can always do picture in picture and have a few KVM switches available. It may cost you somewhere near the same price, but will only take up a third of the space.

[Info Tech Geek]

That reminds me of a project we started working on a while back with the mini-itx boards. We built a single housed cluster information center. There were a few systems built into an old (sort of file cabinet type) storage case. We had one system running the firewall, one running our file-server, one running Windows 2000 Server, one hosting our mail/webserver, and etc. On top of this storage container there was (1) 17" monitor and a desk area with a book, keyboard, and mouse. This system wasn't used much except for up keep and adjustments. So there was a KVM switch that allowed us access to the segment we needed at the time. There was a surge protected mounted to the side and a KVM switch mounted on the top. It was really clean and was out of the way. The only wire not attached to the foundation was a cat5 coming from the rounter built into the case that came to my external switch and connected my home network to the cluster and shared the resources. Its great, cheap, and (SMALL).