Some of the items being sold in the e-store don’t make sense to purchase, specifically the LSI 9600-16i HBA and the x540 10Gbe NIC.
Why would the top of the line LSI 9600-16i be offered (for $1.1k)? Wouldn’t the more reasonably priced 9400 series card make more sense? I guess this would be if you’re running NVME drives (which the 9400 can also do)? It just seems strange to offer the top of the line and not anything else. Especially when the HL15 is aimed at the homelab community.
Also, the intel x540 network adapter. We go from the most recent, top of the line LSI 9600-16i HBA to a network adapter that was released in 2012 (for which they’re still asking $400 for). Wouldn’t it make more sense to offer the x550, or better yet, the x710-T2L?
I also understand that companies need to make money but the profit margin on these add-ons and accessories seems extreme. For example, the Intel XL710-QDA2 40 gig NIC is being sold for $818 while at FS.com it’s being sold for $520. That’s a 57% markup for an already marked-up item.
Is the HL15 and accessories really geared toward homelabbers?
I believe the HBA being sold in the 45Drives store is the only model still available (6th gen cards) at a retail level. 9300 and 9400 series cards are only available second hand.
I feel the retail business for 45Drives is going to be difficult, especially if they have to compete with used equipment and homelabbers. There has been some mention in a podcast, how the HL15 was also a response for customer’s employees to have a cheaper option at home compared to a $6K Storinator.
It is possible the retail store is more geared to corporate purchases looking for modern equipment, warranties and support.
Remember, corporations are evil psychotic legal individuals.
Somehow we still believe the people who run them are not — and I wholeheartedly agree.
But I digress, I’m still enjoying the OpenAI saga as it now unfolds, and that’s a “capped profit” entity, run buy a non-profit! See: OpenAI’s Structure
How do you think 45 Drives—the corporation—is run? Let’s just say, they’re not even close to a https://puri.sm/ or a Watsi
I’m not insinuating anything, just sharing basic facts
To be fair, they’re trying: 45Drives ‘New Enterprise’ — but this page is not even spell-checked, so do they believe in it, really?
Even more interesting perspectives, IMO, can be found:
Thank you for your valued feedback. The 45HomeLab e-store was not created to be the most inexpensive option on the market; it was created to provide premium homelab components, should anyone wish to purchase them from us. We’ve taken our enterprise components and made them available for easy purchase for our homelab customers.
Our community always has the option to purchase elsewhere, and we encourage you to do that if you prefer—the open source philosophy holds true, along with the right to repair and the freedom to choose vendors.
I would also like to thank you for pointing out the typos. Our team is aware, and we are making the necessary fixes. Despite our best efforts to proofread, there were a few items we missed.
— and I wholeheartedly agree.