Can my SPARC server host a website?

Hacker News

February 10, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Can you host a website on a 25-year-old Sun Netra X1 SPARC Server? Absolutely, as demonstrated by the author’s successful setup. The server runs OpenBSD 7.8 and serves static HTML/CSS via httpd, while also incorporating Noctua fans for quieter operation and Cloudflare tunnels for secure exposure to the internet. This project showcases how older hardware can still be repurposed for modern use cases with the right configuration. The author acquired a Sun Fire V100 server but received a Netra X1 by mistake. Despite its age, the server proved surprisingly capable. It features a 500 MHz UltraSparcIIe CPU and 1GB of RAM, along with two IDE hard disks. Originally used by Ford, the system was reformatted and now runs OpenBSD. The lack of modern boot options (like USB or optical drive) required PXE Boot for installation. The author also modified the server’s fans to reduce noise, making it suitable for a home environment. For software, OpenBSD was chosen for its security-first philosophy and compatibility with Sparc64 architecture. The setup includes essential packages like git, vim, neofetch, htop, and rsync, which were installed using OpenBSD’s pkg_add utility. The web server uses httpd instead of nginx or Apache due to its simplicity and resource efficiency. Configuration tweaks included disabling directory listing and focusing on minimal features to optimize performance. This project highlights the potential of repurposing older hardware for new tasks, particularly for tech enthusiasts who enjoy working with legacy systems. It also underscores the reliability of OpenBSD as a lightweight and secure OS for such setups. The server’s current use case—serving static content from a garage—demonstrates that even outdated technology can remain relevant through creative repurposing. This approach not only reduces e-waste but also offers a nostalgic yet practical solution for hosting needs.

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Originally published on Hacker News on 2/10/2026