wheel - 2:58 pm on Jan 20, 2013 (gmt 0)

Uh, no.

First, you're not going to want to install the typical 1u data center server in your house. Those machines are way too loud for home installation.

Which means you'll likely just be installing a typical tower server, or even just a regular PC.

And if you're installing a tower PC, then you don't need any more cooling than your household environment in most cases.

Besides, I can't even imagine the costs of installing some type of PC cooler for home use that takes advantage of some external hoogamajig for cooling. That's hobbyist territory.

I've been running some servers in my basement for years. And really, just go get a cheap desktop PC and be done with it. For example, I run my phone server on one of those $300 fanless mini-PC's used for home entertainment. And I'd have my database server on one as well except I need space for a row of hard drives for my backups. I used to run it on a tower server but I don't even bother with that anymore, just a regular low end PC in a decent case.

So I've got two routers, two modems (because I maintain seperate internet connections for business and home), two enterprise class 1-u switches, a battery backup, a mini-PC for my phone system, and a tower PC for my other stuff - all on a shelf in my basement. No additional cooling required.

In the end, the data centers need extra cooling because they have large amounts of very hot computers in a sealed environment. You'll have a couple of machines likely in an open room. So no additional cooling required.

Don't get fancy. Do the bare minimum, keep it simple, and keep the money in your pocket.